Entries will be taken on the day – if there are spaces – to make sure the big festive open bowls competition in Mid Shropshire land is full to the brim.

The £1,300 Edgmond Winter Shield has 64 slots in qualifying sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, December 28-29, starting at 10am and 1.30pm.

“The last few spaces are available now and we will take entries on the day if there are spaces,” said joint promoter Sarah Glenholmes.

It’s a £20 entry fee and the last 16 will feature on the finals day on Monday, January 2 (11am start) to play for a £500 first prize – all dates being weather permitting – late vacancy details from Sarah on 07792-428685.

The League’s minutes secretary Rob Burroughs is going to be even busier on the bowls scene next year.

Already a driving force of the Premier League, as well as many other things, he has now taken on the running of the Shropshire’s sole Champion of Champions qualifying competition – the Meole Brace Open.

Not content with that, Rob has combined that new role with launching a new open competition at Telford club Hadley USC – where he is the new secretary!

“I have taken over the running of the Meole Open in Shrewsbury,” confirmed Wellington-based Burroughs.

“I’m also running another competition on the same weekends at Hadley as, having lost the competitions at Cradley, ECC and St Georges, I feel there is a gap for players who could come down and play in two competitions, especially those that come a long way.

“So I’m hoping that will encourage more people to come and enter both!”

Rob is also secretary of the Summit Garage Midland Super League, an officer of the Shropshire as well as an organiser of the Arthur Land British Super Cup.

Hadley Open details – £3,200 prize money with qualifiers on Saturday-Sunday, March 18-19 & 25-26 (2.30pm & 6.30pm sessions). Finals day on Saturday, April 1, with 10.30am start and £700 to winner.

No home bowlers, entry fee is £20, limited to first 128 entries. Entries via text (07901 229623), Email ([email protected]), Whats App or Facebook Messenger to Robert Burroughs

It’s now 3-1 to the League’s gents after their latest victory over the ladies in the challenge match for the Dave Ellis Memorial Shield.

They won the 15-a-side fun match at Bridgnorth on Friday 30^th September that brought the curtain down on the 2022 season.

The host club worked tirelessly to get the game on after heavy rain that finally abated less than an hour before the 7pm start.

They also put on a marvellous post match buffet, free of charge, meaning the £50 raised from a raffle will be donated to charity.

League secretary Malcolm Fletcher said a sincere thank you to Bridgnorth at the October executive meeting – when he revealed that the early front runners to host the 2023 challenge match are . . . Trench

Full scores from Bridgnorth (the ladies team being pictured above):

The celebrations went on into the early hours as Hadnall marked their first-time entry in the Harris Cup by winning the trophy.

Based in the village near Shrewsbury, the club made the most of a 42 shot handicap advantage to edge out St Georges in a thrilling final on Newport’s No.1 green on Saturday 10^th September.

It was Hadnall’s second big Premier League scalp in the 10-a-side competition that is the League’s main knockout, skipper Andy Marshall’s side having ousted new Premier champions Wrockwardine Wood in the semi-finals.

They started slowly in Saturday night’s showpiece watched by a crowd of more than 100, the Dragons of Telford clawing back 17 shots by winning three of the first four with Josh Bradburn their 21-12 best as Steve Ashton (21-19) replied.

But Matt Ealey’s 21-11 card and James Weaver’s 21-15 in the middle made sure that most of the damage done by St Georges’ joint captain Andy Morgan’s 21-7 win was balanced as Hadnall ended the middle four still 23 to the good.

Ian Gaut’s 21-9 success at No.9 cranked up the pressure but, with the noise levels rising, Tim Jordan kept his head to get the 15 chalks Hadnall needed to make history in the 72-year-old charity KO.

An elated Marshall received the trophy from League president Mike Potter and thanked all his players, promising the Whitchurch League team would try and defend the trophy next year.

St Georges’ joint captain Tony Rhodes said: “On behalf of St George’s Bowling Club, massive congratulations to Hadnall BC in winning the Harris Cup – great game and well played folks.”

Hadnall’s Andy Marshall is seen receiving the Harris Cup from Mid Shropshire president Mike Potter

The camaraderie of the League’s young bowlers shone through as they contested the 2022 running of the three Mid Shropshire junior titles.

A triple header on Sunday 4^th September at Wellington’s Bayley Club saw Tom Killen win the under-18 Merit, Jordan Millman the Under-15 crown and Akeel Khan & Will Thompson the Fletcher Junior Doubles.

Tom, the reigning British Parks junior champion, won an all-Shifnal under-18 final 21-10 against Akeel while, on the same No.1 green, Jordan came out on top of an all-Sinclair under-15 final 21-14 against Dan Corbett.

Akeel and homester Will Thompson teamed up to beat Tom & Jordan 21-15 in the doubles final on a day that saw young Logan Church of Sinclair mark his debut on the junior competition scene with the fire of the day.

League chairman Sean Round paid tribute to the camaraderie of the players, thanked the parents for all they did and had special thanks for junior selector and organiser Brenda Slingo.

He and Margaret Fletcher made the presentations and, despite a small turnout, there was a hotly contested game of killer!

One parent, Emma Duncan, said: “Such great friendships have been made through the years of bowls for the boys.”

Brenda and fellow junior selector Derek Killen now turn their attention to the Shropshire junior inter-league championship on Sunday 11^th September.

Old Shrewsbury’s two greens have been picked by the Tanners Shropshire League to stage the under-18 event, but a long-standing triples competition at the same time means the hosts may not be represented.

Tanners are the holders of the six-a-side title and league chiefs had been given until the last minute by the county association to try and raise a team to defend it.

If they can’t, the 10am start time looks set to see two teams from Mid Shropshire, one from Whitchurch and a side made up of young bowlers from both leagues take part in a round robin format.

And the Mid Shropshire teams will be wearing new shirts sponsored by Kerry Millman’s company.

He’s won League and county titles aplenty and now Aaron King has added a new one to his collection to complete a history-making double.

Having already won the first Shropshire 18-25 Merit in July at Wem BC, the Newport bowler added the League’s Under-25 Merit on Saturday 20th August.

But this time it took just two wins for Aaron to come out on top at Horsehay as a disappointing entry of just four bowlers contested the title.

He beat Jodie Taylor 21-10 in the final after leading 7-1 before three quickfire doubles got the Wrockwardine Wood bowler back in the hunt at 12-8 adrift.

But that’s when Aaron, a past Shropshire Junior Merit champion and Junior Waterloo winner,turned on the afterburners following his relief in edging out Harry Church 21-20 in the semi-finals, while Jodie was beating another Sinclair hopeful in Jordan Millman 21-11.

He is PICTURED receiving his reward from League chairman Sean Round

The next League competition is for the younger element too with the Under-15 and Under-18 Merits to be played on Sunday 4th September at Sir John Bayley from 11am.

League chiefs also hope to play the Fletcher Junior Doubles on the same day and junior selectors Brenda Slingo and Derek Killen are hoping for a big turnout in preparation for the Shropshire junior inter-league the following Sunday, being hosted by the Tanners Shropshire League.