Shropshire ladies win battles but Yorkshire win the war in British champs

A 15-6 victory from Louise Cotton led the way against Yorkshire in the county’s first round robin group game at Todmorden on Tuesday.

But two big individual wins were enough for the White Rose ladies to win by eight shots – 105-97 – in the eight-a-side competition for over-60s.

Cotton repeated her 15-6 heroics in game two against Burton but only Trish Jones with a 15-6 win too was able to get over the finishing line as they suffered a 32 chalk defeat.

And a winless campaign was completed by Cheshire who beat Shropshire by 15, despite a 15-8 card from Marg Fray on a day that ended with Yorkshire dethroned by South Yorkshire in the final.

Two clear-cut wins and two close calls were the story of the quarter-finals of the Shropshire Cup.

Holders Castlefields blitzed Bylet by 71 shots at Bowring in the 10-a-side KGJ Insurance-sponsored bows knockout on Wednesday night, while Wrockwardine Wood enjoyed a comfortable 58 chalk win over Bowring at the Bayley with Phil Jones a 21-0 star.

But St Georges had only a 20 shot margin over Battlefield at Adderley, thanks largely to Nigel Evans’ 21-2 card, and it was even closer in the tie between Sir John Bayley and Bridgewater at Greenfields in Shrewsbury.

“We edged out Bridgewater in a thriller by nine chalks,” said Bayley spokesman Rob Burroughs.

“It was an excellent game of bowls between two teams giving it there all – and Bridgewater held the advantage early on with good wins by Matt Blackhurst (21-9) and Greg Fordham (21-13).

“It was only after Aidy Ashley came off winning 21-9, playing very well on a round peg, that we went into the lead.

“It was a very tricky green but an excellent surface prepared by Greenfields, and thank you to Bridgewater for being magnanimous in defeat and wishing us all the best in the next round - a top set of lads!”