Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
30 years ago today, the Shropshire Premier Bowling League had its first ever night of games on Friday 15th April 1994. 30 years later the league continues to grow and has become one of the best in the country thanks to the efforts of those who created it and have run it over those years, as well as the players and supporters.
So Happy 30th Birthday to the Shropshire Premier Bowling League!
Please find a report below on the first night of games below by our Life Member Malcolm Fletcher.
“Home on the range for debut day sixshooters!”
Predictable and comfortable away wins are a thing of the past now the wraps are finally off the new Shropshire Premier League.
The opening fixtures produced six home wins, with the travellers having very little to show for some fine efforts under the scoring system of one point for every individual winner, plus two points for the aggregate winners.
Top of the home hits were Craven Arms and Hanwood with 12-2 landslides – and Battlefield and Wem USC were not far behind with 11-3 successes.
Best away performers were undoubtedly Chester Road at Sir John Bayley. They had no trouble finding the Telford green this time – but were soon in trouble on it!
The Wellington side reeled off the first five winners, Phil Owen’s 21-5 helping them go 40 up.
But the Whitchurch giants rallied to take five of the last seven, inspired by Rich Lewis’ 21-7, and finish only 12 adrift.
Game of the night was at St Georges where Hadley USC looked in with every chance of repeating their shock Mid Shropshire away win of last season.
Vice captain Brian Shore won 21-11 as Hadley took the opening honours but the game swung in the last four as Mick Jones beat visiting skipper Alan Mayhew 21-9 to see the Dragons in by 14 to pick up 10 points.
Kevin Parks gave dark horses Battlefield an amazing start with a 21-2 win at no.1. But re-vamped Wrockwardine Wood went down fighting as skipper Dale Downes won 21-11 to hold the difference to 57.
Archibald Worthington made the trek to Craven Arms and were soon under the cosh.
Roay Crowther won 21-4 on his debut as the home side, a virtual Ludlow inter-league line-up, romped in by 85, Tom Cornwall won 21-11 for the Whitchurch men who have two more away games before they play at home.
Three home games should see Hanwood early pacesetters and they saw off Donnington Wood by 56, Martin Pover winning 21-5 and Wayne Phillips 21-7 in the first four.
Yet the Telford side can feel a little aggrieved with having only two winners – Rich Lawson and Dickie Bond – as they had one 21-20 losers and three 21-19s.
The results of the first games were as follows:
St Georges 10-4 Hadley USC
Battlefield 11-3 Wrockwardine Wood
Hanwood 12-2 Donnington Wood
Wem USC 11-3 Meole Brace
Craven Arms 12-2 AWC
SJB 9-5 Chester Road
| Fri 15th Apr 1994 | Premier | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| SIR JOHN BAYLEY | Score | CHESTER ROAD | Score |
| Roger Teague | 21 | Mark Holland | 18 |
| Spencer Clarke | 21 | Dave Ridgway | 19 |
| Norman Harvey | 21 | G.E.Roberts | 12 |
| Ricky Davies | 21 | I Rodger | 13 |
| Brian Lewis | 18 | T Price | 21 |
| Gordon Owen | 15 | A Ball | 21 |
| Phil Owen | 21 | Rod Manley | 5 |
| Del McKenzie | 14 | Dave Jones | 21 |
| Roger Lewis | 21 | K.P.Jones | 20 |
| Steve Nicholls | 21 | A Taylor | 10 |
| Pete Sherry | 13 | A Purcell | 21 |
| Robin Clarke | 7 | Roger Lewis | 21 |
| Games | 7 | Games | 5 |
| Aggregate | 214 | Aggregate | 202 |
| Points | 9 | Points | 5 |