Wrockites are beaten in final of Super Cup

A brilliant recovery in the semi-finals at Cleckheaton Sports earned the Telford club’s bowlers a shot at local favourites,Crossgates of Leeds, in Saturday’s climax.

And the Wrockites made a fine start to the eight-a-side showdown with Dan Taylor’s 31-24 card the best of three winners in the first four.

But Crossgates were not to be denied the £700 first prize at the Yorkshire venue and, despite trailing by 10 shots at the halfway stage, they came on strong with only Jamie King (31-22) able to stem the tide. So it was Crossgates, who won by 34 chalks in the end, who lifted the Arthur Land Trophy, the day after the donor had passed away.

“It was rather poignant that Arthur Land sadly passed away the day before,” said a spokesman for the organising trio. “He did so much for the game and created this competition. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.

“Well done to Crossgates for winning this year’s competition and to Wrockwardine Wood on reaching the final – it takes some doing considering there’s now 54 entries.”

Wood had looked set to make a semi-final exit as they trailed early on against The George, but Josh Cotton (31-14) and Steve Broome (31-21) helped get them into the crunch clash.

The vast experience of Shropshire bowls greats Derek Wright and Wayne Rogers proved too much for everyone else in the £640 Bridgewater Open Doubles.

Team-mates at Whitchurch League champions Woore, the duo enjoyed four single figure wins before a comfortable final success on Saturday at the Whitchruch club.

Wright and Rogers, both past winners of the County Merit amongst many other titles, beat husband and wife, Stuart and Jackie Rutter (Sir John Bayley-Shifnal) 21-10 in their vital fifth game.

That followed a 21-9 victory over Jason Jones & Paul Whalley in the semi-finals once a full house of 32 pairs had been whittled down to four, the Rutters defeating Burway boys Kiah Roberts & Jesse James 21-10 at the same stage.

Another campaign of friendly matches started with victory for Shrewsbury Indoor Bowls Club.

Big scores on two rinks helped earn them the win by 31 shots from a game of four rinks of triples against visiting Tamworth on Saturday at the Sports Village centre.

“The game was played in good spirits although scores between rinks varied by big margins during the first half of the game, each side scoring well,” said Shrewsbury captain Cynthia Hedley. “However, at the close, Shrewsbury had big scores on two rinks which swung the game in their favour and gave them a victory by 80-49 – their best winning rink being Chris Bell and Cliff Redshaw with skip Trevor Nicholls.”

Shrewsbury’s next match will be away against Erdington Court BC in Birmingham on Saturday, November 4.