Leaders stretch their legs at the top of winter series

Eight of the top nine in the table were round robin group winners again as the series resumed with round nine at Joules BC in Market Drayton on Sunday.

After snow enforced week off, all the pacesetters – bar Adderley’s star veteran Alan Boulton – topped their groups to take another big step towards securing places in the top 40 to play for the big money on series finals day in March.

Leaving Drayton with that winning feeling were joint points leaders Callum Wraight and Jock Timlett, Gary Whitehall, Ade Jennings, Daz Fielding, Tom Killen, David Cunningham and Kerry Dance.

“It was our Christmas jumper day and we had another great turnout of 82 entrants for the first time on a Sunday at Joules,” said organiser Jamie Brookes. The midday session was the most popular with eight groups in action and the winners including Andy Armstrong, Eleanor Webb, Dave James, Billy Walmsley, Mark Holden, John Rawlinson and Adrian Lalley.

County man Stuart Rutter was among the morning session successes along with Nantwich’s Phil Jones and Liz Ruscoe, while later in the day Neil Evans and Cody Everitt were among the group winners.

Round 10 of the winter series is at Tilstock this coming Sunday, when bowlers will be charged a little extra to enter.

“It’s fancy dress week so it’s a £10 entrance fee with the extra £3 to go to the Save the Children charity,” explained Brookes.

It’s impossible to make hay in the winter but that’s what Market Drayton-based Joule’s Bowling Club officials have been trying to do.

They have welcomed the winter promotions of the new Bandit Bowls body with open arms, staging a number of one-day competitions and, for the first time last Sunday, a round of the incredibly popular winter series.

And Joule’s is where bowlers will be heading tomorrow to take part in the ninth one-day comp of the campaign that starts at 9am with 13-up round robin games leading to knockout ties.

Entry costs £12 – £7 going to prize pot paid out on the day and £1 to the host club – the average attendance this winter is 18 and clubs have been making a nett profit of at least £150 each Saturday.

Round 10 of the winter series is on Sunday at Tilstock, with bowlers urged to park at the village hall ahead of round robin only sessions that begin at 9am, 12.30 and 4pm.

Entry is £10 with £3 going to Save The Children on what is fancy dress day.