The 1st round of the Ashton Cup takes place tonight with a place in the Quarter Finals at place. The two winners in the Prelims meet as Division 4 Champions and current leaders Newport D play Sinclair C. Second placed St Georges take on Much Wenlock B, who are going well in Division 5. 3rd placed Wrockwardine Wood C have a local derby with Donnington Wood B, while two division 6 teams meet as Shifnal D play St Georges D. Two teams struggling at the bottom of their Division collide as Division 4 side Madeley CC C play Division 5 team Hadley USC C. Highley are flying high of Division 5 and play fellow side Sir John Bayley D. Charlton B play Horsehay C, and Bowring C take on Trench C.

1	Newport D					Sinclair C(+10)	At	Newport D
1	Sinclair C(+10)					Newport D	At	Sinclair C
2	Much Wenlock B(+13)					St Georges C(+1)	At	Much Wenlock B
2	St Georges C(+1)					Much Wenlock B(+13)	At	St Georges C
3	Wrock Wood C(+3)					Donn Wood B(+7)	At	Wrock Wood C
3	Donn Wood B(+7)					Wrock Wood C(+3)	At	Donn Wood B
4	Shifnal D(+29)					St. George’s D(+24)	At	Shifnal D
4	St. George’s D(+24)					Shifnal D(+29)	At	St. George’s D
5	H U S C C(+20)					Madeley CC C(+5)	At	H U S C C
5	Madeley CC C(+5)					H U S C C(+20)	At	Madeley CC C
6	Bowring C(+12)					Trench C(+6)	At	Bowring C
6	Trench C(+6)					Bowring C(+12)	At	Trench C
7	Horsehay C(+16)					Charlton B(+17)	At	Horsehay C
7	Charlton B(+17)					Horsehay C(+16)	At	Charlton B
8	Highley(+18)					SJ Bayley D(+19)	At	Highley
8	SJ Bayley D(+19)					Highley(+18)	At	SJ Bayley D

There are 8 ties in the Preliminary Round of the Harris Cup, but one has already potentially provided the story of the round. Shifnal A managed to defeat Premier League Champions Wrockwardine Wood by 6 chalks in a big shock. They won by 10 at home with 4 winners, Tom Killen the best of them 10, while away they lost by 45 with Paul Reeves their only winner 16.

There are other Premier League teams out to avoid a shock like that. Castlefields play a familiar foe in Newport, who have a few of their former Premier League players still in their team. Highley will be looking to avoid a shock like last year when they lost out to Trench as they play Allscott Heath. Last year’s winners, Hadnall, have Hadley USC A first round, while two of the Division 3 teams are in action. Wrockwardine Wood B play the Division 1 Champions Horsehay with a 34 chalk handicap advantage. while Worfield have a 23 chalk start on Bowring A. Division 2 side Charlton will look to shock Division 1 team Madeley CC, with the closest Handicap between Sir John Bayley and Sinclair, with the Bayley having a 2 chalk advantage.

The full draw is below.

1	Castlefields(P)(-27)					Newport A(+4)	At	Castlefields(P)
1	Newport A(+4)					Castlefields(P)(-27)	At	Newport A
2	Bowring A(+7)					Worfield A(+30)	At	Bowring A
2	Worfield A(+30)					Bowring A(+7)	At	Worfield A
3	Allscott Heath A(+13)					Highley(P)(-17)	At	Allscott Heath A
3	Highley(P)(-17)					Allscott Heath A(+13)	At	Highley(P)
4	H U S C A(+6)					Hadnall(P)	At	H U S C A
4	Hadnall(P)					H U S C A(+6)	At	Hadnall(P)
5	Wrock Wood B(+34)					Horsehay A	At	Wrock Wood B
5	Horsehay A					Wrock Wood B(+34)	At	Horsehay A
6	Charlton A(+17)					Madeley C C A(+8)	At	Charlton A
6	Madeley C C A(+8)					Charlton A(+17)	At	Madeley C C A
7	Shifnal A(+12)	90	4	1	80	Wrockwardine Wood(P)(-29)	At	Shifnal A
7	Wrockwardine Wood(P)(-29)	100	4	1	55	Shifnal A(+12)	At	Wrockwardine Wood(P)
Combined Result with handicap	Shifnal A(+12)	157	5	5	151	Wrockwardine Wood(P)(-29)
8	SJ Bayley A(+5)					Sinclair A(+3)	At	SJ Bayley A
8	Sinclair A(+3)					SJ Bayley A(+5)	At	Sinclair A
9	Wrock Wood A(+1)					Bye(+3)	At	Wrock Wood A
9	Bye(+3)					Wrock Wood A(+1)	At	N/A
10	St Georges A(+2)					Bye(+3)	At	St Georges A
10	Bye(+3)					St Georges A(+2)	At	N/A
11	Prince of Wales Hotel					Bye(+3)	At	Prince of Wales Hotel
11	Bye(+3)					Prince of Wales Hotel	At	N/A
12	Trench A(+9)					Bye(+3)	At	Trench A
12	Bye(+3)					Trench A(+9)	At	N/A
13	Bylet(P)(-16)					Bye(+3)	At	Bylet(P)
13	Bye(+3)					Bylet(P)(-16)	At	N/A
14	Shifnal B(+25)					Bye(+3)	At	Shifnal B
14	Bye(+3)					Shifnal B(+25)	At	N/A
15	St Georges(P)(-28)					Bye(+3)	At	St Georges(P)
15	Bye(+3)					St Georges(P)(-28)	At	N/A
16	Sir J Bayley(P)(-26)					Bye(+3)	At	Sir J Bayley(P)
16	Bye(+3)					Sir J Bayley(P)(-26)	At	N/A

The Junior Day for Mid Shropshire takes place on Saturday 24th June at 11 a.m. on St Georges Bottom Green.

This will involve running the Under 15 and Under 18 Merits, as well as the Junior Doubles.

There is no entry fee, or dress code.

Newport D and Sinclair C came through the Ashton Cup prelims to book their place in the 1st round. Newport beat Allscott Heath C by 21 overall, winning by 29 away, led by Kevin Edwards winning 6, but losing by 6 at home, Gary Cartwright the best for the away side 11. Sinclair won by 70 overall, winning by 35 at Shifnal C with 5 winners, Don Hood the best of them 9, while at home they had Daniel Corbett as their best winner 6, winning by 34 there.

The two teams meet in the Ashton Cup 1st round on Wednesday 28th June, while Shifnal C and Allscott Heath C go into the Ashton Shield, and will be joined by the 7 other first game losers in the 1st round of the Ashton Cup, with the revised draw below.

1	Newport D					Sinclair C(+10)	At	Newport D
1	Sinclair C(+10)					Newport D	At	Sinclair C
2	Much Wenlock B(+13)					St Georges C(+1)	At	Much Wenlock B
2	St Georges C(+1)					Much Wenlock B(+13)	At	St Georges C
3	Wrock Wood C(+3)					Donn Wood B(+7)	At	Wrock Wood C
3	Donn Wood B(+7)					Wrock Wood C(+3)	At	Donn Wood B
4	Shifnal D(+29)					St. George’s D(+24)	At	Shifnal D
4	St. George’s D(+24)					Shifnal D(+29)	At	St. George’s D
5	H U S C C(+20)					Madeley CC C(+5)	At	H U S C C
5	Madeley CC C(+5)					H U S C C(+20)	At	Madeley CC C
6	Bowring C(+12)					Trench C(+6)	At	Bowring C
6	Trench C(+6)					Bowring C(+12)	At	Trench C
7	Horsehay C(+16)					Charlton B(+17)	At	Horsehay C
7	Charlton B(+17)					Horsehay C(+16)	At	Charlton B
8	Highley(+18)					SJ Bayley D(+19)	At	Highley
8	SJ Bayley D(+19)					Highley(+18)	At	SJ Bayley D

Tom Killen won the Under 25 Merit for the first time as he came out of 4 entries on a very wet Sir John Bayley green. After a 20 minute delay due to a thunderstorm hitting the green just before 6, the four entrants braved the rain. Tom defeated Georgia Rawlins 13 after going 9-3 and 16-9 up, while Lucy Hireson beat Logan Church by the same score after racing 9-0 up and holding off a comeback when he got back to 10-6 behind. In the final, Tom upped his game after going 4-2 down versus Lucy, having a break of 14 to lead 16-4, despite Lucy playing some good shots and not quite working out. Lucy played an excellent shot to get in, but Tom wasn’t able to be caught, flicking out Lucy’s bowl at 20-9 up to win the title for the first time.

Thank you to the Bayley for hosting tonight, and to the 4 entrants for braving the conditions. Well done to Tom for winning the competition.

Please see below pictures from today’s Mixed Doubles.

Ange and Martin Gaut retained the Mixed Doubles after beating Beth & Steve Reeves in the final 15. The main difference was that they scored two fours and a 3 in the game, while they limited their opponents to just singles and doubles. They had gone 8-4 up and then 15-10 before Beth & Steve got back to 15-13 down. A 4 though took them further ahead before two singles got them back to 19-15 down, however they got the two they needed next end.

In the Semi Finals and both games ended 21-15. Beth & Steve beat Louise & Josh Cotton after going 10-3 up. Louise and Josh got back to 15 across but Beth & Steve ran out. Ange & Martin went 6-0 down versus Shavorne Osbourne and Pete Millington, but hit back to go 8-6 up. They then went 17-10 and 20-13 up and held on to win.

In the Quarters Beth & Steve got past Denise Tonks & Dave Evans 20. They raced 11-3 up before Denise & Dave went 14-12 ahead. From 19-16 down Beth & Steve then got back to win 20. Louise & Josh went 15-0 up on Kerry Drew and Logan Church and won 4. Ange & Martin Gaut were always in control against Ann & John Rawlins when going 13-4 up and won 7. Shavorne Osbourne & Pete Millington were 11-7 up on Helen Clee & John Clarke but then went 17-11 down. But they managed to come back with the help of a 4 to win 18.

In the Prelims, Denise & Dave were 14-8 down on Shirley Hadley & Peter Leath but then only conceded one more. Beth & Steve went from 9-5 down against Emma Duncan & Nathan Lacey to lead 12-9. It went to 18 across but then they won 19. Louise & Josh went 13-2 up on Georgia Rawlins & Richard Scane before conceding a 4, but only conceded one more to win 7.

Thank you to Edgmond for doing a great job at hosting and providing a tricky green and excellent refreshments.

Well done to Ange and Martin on retaining the trophy.

The Under 25 Merit takes place on Sir John Bayley bottom green on Saturday 10th June at 6 p.m.

You can enter on the night or can enter with Rob Burroughs on 07901 229623 or on Facebook.

There is no dress code.