Four bowlers who play in the League are wished the best of luck in the British Senior Merit finals tomorrow – Saturday 27^th July – just down the road in Wolverhampton.

County Merit winner Josh Bradburn is a regular in St Georges’ Dennis Lewis Thursday Division side, Peter Farmer plays for Allscott Heath B in the same division and Sam Millward has made 1 appearance for Wrockwardine Wood on a Thursday evening.

Darrell Handley, who joined Shifnal in division one this year and qualified for the Mid Shropshire Senior Merit finals at Broseley, is another contender in a 64-strong field that will go into battle on the two greens at Pennfields from 10am.

But it is 2013 British champion Greg Smith, who is a team-mate of Sam Millward’s in the Wrockites’ Premier League team, who is the overwhelming 3/1 favourite to triumph.

The current league season is only just past the halfway mark but one Mid Shropshire club is already planning for winter.

Allscott Heath aim to make full use of their new home, which includes an all-weather artificial green at the new sports complex, by launching a closed season league for bowlers from the Mid Shropshire area.

“Our new facilities include an all weather green and to take advantage of this – and to offer an opportunity to bowlers to bowl through the winter – we intend to set up a winter league that would start shortly after the close of our current season,” said club chairman Chris Hayward.

“We hope to have games being played throughout the week, on Monday through to Friday evenings, but this will depend on the level of interest we receive.”

Club delegate Bob Kendall outlined the plan at the League’s July meeting and Allscott Heath have circulated all clubs in the MSBL with a questionnaire to gauge interest and have asked for replies to be back with Chris by July 31.

He is also looking for bowlers interested in helping to launch the league as part of a committee, and for someone to be responsible for running it, and can be contacted on 07815-683302.

It’s a Friday and the late John Lovett – one of the most popular bowlers to have played the game in Mid Shropshire land – would have been eagerly looking forward to having a game.

Tributes poured in as news of his passing earlier this month spread far and wide.

The Horsehay man died, aged 74, and his funeral will be at 3.30pm on Friday 26th at Telford Crematorium.

John Palmer, spokesman for the two Mid Shropshire leagues and the Highley League, lamented: “Officers were deeply saddened to learn of his passing.

“John had overcome a disability caused by a childhood bout of polio to become a top bowler in both the Telford and Wolverhampton areas.

“He played for many years for the Dun Cow (Dawley) and Chubbs in Wolverhampton and later for the White Horse, Bowring and Horsehay.

“His enthusiasm for the game of crown green bowls will be missed by his many friends and team-mates. RIP John.”

It wasn’t all plain sailing but the League’s young bowlers have kept a firm grip on the Shropshire junior inter-league championship.

With Mid Shropshire hosting the under-18 competition at Wrockwardine Wood on Sunday 14^th July, it was a case of home, sweet home for them after it had been cancelled last year.

Captained by Luke Morris, Mid Shropshire A beat Tanners Shropshire A by just eight shots in a final that saw three individual matches on both greens to retain a title they won at Old Shrewsbury in 2022.

But, having won their two group games on the No.1 green in fine style, MSBL A didn’t have it all their own way in the final.

Down on the newer No.2 green, Jarrett Cotterill (21-13) and Jordon Millman (21-17) had to battle hard to earn the hosts an 11 shot advantage there.

Dan Corbett (21-8) gave Mid Shropshire a strong platform on the older No.1 green but the visitors fought all the way and it was left to Luke and young Logan Church to scramble the chalks required to see the holders home.

 “As expected, the crowd of spectators were treated to a show of talented bowling in the final that inevitably gave us a close result,” said organiser and county competition secretary Mike Potter

Six teams from Mid Shropshire, Tanners Shropshire and the North Shropshire association (Whitchurch & Market Drayton leagues) played in two round robin groups on the greens, and MSBL B did superbly to beat North Shropshire B in their first game on the No.2 before losing to Tanners A.

The League’s sincere thanks go to Louise & Roger Cotton and the host club, organiser Mike Potter adn his wife Linda, selectors Brenda Slingo and Derek Killen, and of course the players and parents.

PICTURED is the victorious team with League President Mike Potter and proud manager Brenda Slingo

What would the League do without Wrockwardine Wood this season!

The Wrockites, with club secretary Louise Cotton at the helm, hosted two Mid Shropshire competition last weekend – the Junior Doubles and the Monday Merit finals (see full reports from both on posts below).

And this coming Sunday – 14^th July – Wood’s 2 greens will be the scene of the Shropshire junior inter-league championship, with at least 2 Mid Shropshire sides taking part.

The League was due to host this event last year but it was cancelled at the very last minute due to a lack of entries.

That won’t happen this year with at least 6 confirmed entries – and Mid Shropshire will go into battle as the reigning champions, having won the cup in 2022 at Old Shrewsbury, as the picture above shows.

So the League’s sincere thanks go to Wrockwardine Wood – and on top of everything last weekend, they staged the home leg of Shropshire’s senior county match against the Potteries on the newer No.2 green!

Honouring those who have served the League and its clubs with distinction is high on the agenda of the July executive meeting on Tuesday the 2^nd at the Bayley Club.

Clubs have been asked to nominate people they feel should be awarded life membership of the MSBL at a meeting that will also feature competition and sponsorship updates, a Shropshire inter-league round-up and feedback from the latest county executive meeting (see agenda below).

Meanwhile, all the Senior Merit finals night questions posed in the last News post were answered emphatically by reigning champion John Breeze – see the competition secretary’s report on a separate post below.

John is pictured with sponsor Mike Humphries after a great night at Broseley, watched by a big crowd – even until the 11.20pm finish!

 Agenda for the July 2024 Executive Committee Meeting

To be held on Tuesday 2nd July at Sir John Bayley Club at 7.30pm

1  Chairman’s remarks to open the meeting

2 (a) Apologies

  (b) In Memoria –including Life Members Barry Griffiths, John Hughes & Ron Adams

3  Minutes of the April Management Committee Meeting

4  Matters arising

5  General Secretary’s report

6  Correspondence

7  Fixture Secretary’s report

8  Competition Secretary’s report

9  Treasurer’s report – including Molson Coors sponsorship update

10 Shropshire inter-leagues round-up

11 Life Members for 2024

12 County matters – report of executive meeting on May 20th

13 Any Other Business

14 President / chairman to close the meeting

Can John Breeze retain the title he won last year in such convincing style at Bylet?

Can past winner Paul Beer, a sponsor of the competition, make League history by becoming the first bowler to win both this title and the Over-60 Merit in the same season?

Can the three other past champions in the 16-strong field – Stuart Church, Les Mumford and Roy Bradburn – give a repeat performance?

Or can recent runner-up Kate Wainwright and the two other ladies in the line-up – Sian Skelton and Carleen Doody-Millington  –  break the mould and become the first women to win it?

All these questions will be answered on Friday 28^th June, at Broseley BC when the 2024 Senior Merit finals night gets underway at 6.30pm, with a £150 first prize at stake.

And with no fixtures in divisions 1-2-3 on the evening, League officials are hoping for a big turnout to see just who lifts the coveted trophy that was first played for in 1934.

One final question . . . who would bet against John Breeze – seen receiving the trophy last year from sponsors Paul Beer and Mike Humphries – from repeating the triumph?

Competition secretary Rob Burroughs won’t know if he’s coming or going this weekend as he copes with a double header of League events.

First up is the Mid Shropshire Junior Day on Saturday 22^nd June at Albrighton from 10am.

Both the Under-18 and Under-15 Merits will be played and the incentive for the League’s young bowlers to enter is that the host club are generously offering free refreshments for all those that compete.

Then 24 hours later Rob will be in charge of the Mixed Doubles at Bridgnorth – having organised the final qualifier in the new £1,000-plus two- bowler team KO at Donnington Wood on the Saturday night!

Rob is pictured presenting the trophy to last year’s Under-18 Merit winner Dan Corbett – and for full details of how to enter both of the League comps, and the fees involved, please see separate posts below from the organiser.

League life member But Bob Mumford will be almost as busy as Rob as he promotes the Olympian Society’s ladies and men’s singles on Saturday and their own mixed doubles on Sunday, entries having now closed for both.

Unfortunately, the sad news keeps coming on the passing of Mid Shropshire stalwarts, first Sid Poole of Bowring and just this week Donnington Wood legend Graham Gaut, who died in New Zealand aged 87.

 

Congratulations from the League go the member club Edgmond who have been awarded a grant of £24,700 from the Inclusive Communities Fund – a £9 million initiative inspired by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The village club’s mission, aligned with the Commonwealth Games principles, is focussed on bringing people together, improving well-being, fostering growth, and putting our region on the map.

Edgmond spokeswoman Sarah Glenhmoles said: “Our project centres around Physical Activity, Sport, Mental Health and well-being, and aims to create a greater perspective of Crown Green Bowling and its benefits on the body and soul.

“We are focused on raising the profile of our sport in an effort to keep its future relevant to as many participants, of all genres, for many more  years to come.

“With this fund, we will be able to empower our community, address real issues and create a lasting legacy – an incredible opportunity.”

Meanwhile, there’s a big weekend of MSBL comps coming up on June 22 and 23 – see separate posts below from the organiser

It’s a wee bit later than hoped, but MSBL Newsletter No.3 (May/June 2024) is now available to download on here – go to Admin and then League minutes.

It has already been set to club secretaries, who have been asked to circulate it in pdf format to all their members that they have email addresses for.

But this post is a fail-safe to try and ensure that as many as the League’s bowlers as possible get the chance to see it!.

And apparently it is going to stop raining for the weekend!!!!