The year 2002 provided the most even league championship race in history with a number of teams involved throughout the season.  At the halfway stage, Castlefields, who had been bottom earlier in the season led the way by just 4 points from three teams locked together on the same points – Meole Brace, Sir John Bayley and St Georges. With two thirds of the season completed only 19 points separated the top nine sides. With 4 games to go St Georges topped the table by one point from Meole Brace and these two teams had pulled away from Archibald Worthington who where a further 10 points behind.  It was too close to call, but St Georges went to Childs Ercall (who had recovered well from a poor start) and won 12-2, to record the leagues biggest away win of the season and open up a 8 point gap over their Shrewsbury based rivals. St Georges eventually went into the last game of the season with a four point cushion and needed 11 points at home to Battlefield to secure the title for a third time. That is exactly the score they won by and despite Meole Braces best efforts in their 12-2 home win over league newcomers Ford, the title was won by the narrow margin of 3 points the closest ever finish in the league’s nine years.  Chester Road finished third with Castlefields fourth on the basis that Chester Road had the greater number of individual winners throughout the season. Archibald Worthington finished fifth with Sir John Bayley sixth.  The league’s most improved team in 2002 was Battlefield who eventually finished eighth just behind Ford who can be proud of the seventh position in their first ever season.  An interesting point is that the top five teams all lost at home and that has never happened before, so just for the record, the teams unbeaten at home in 2002 were Sir John Bayley, Ford, Battlefield & Wem USC.

The Alan Mayhew Trophy went to Sir John Bayley for the first time with a 234-207 victory over local Telford rivals Wrockwardine Wood.  Pete Sherry was the fifth recipient of the “Mike Hinton” Man of the Match award and was presented with an engraved tankard after the match by his team-mate, Mike Hinton!

The Premiership Play-Off’s format was changed to an 8 a side competition and after some close qualifying matches including one tie, St Georges continued their impressive end of season form when they beat Castlefields in the final of the Pool A shield.  Craven Arms added to their fine end of season record when they lifted the Pool B shield for the third time defeating Battlefield in the final at Telepost.

On the individual front, Peter Farmer made history when he lifted the Premier League Merit, (sponsored for the first time by “PRC Recruitment”) for a third time beating Spencer Clarke 21-4 in the final to take the trophy and £200 first prize at Donnington Wood Bowling Club.

Lastly, but not least, the season finished with a series of play-off matches.  Such was the interest in joining the Premier League that two teams, Bowring and District, applied as league winners for the opportunity to play Childs Ercall, who had finished in the “dreaded” bottom place.  A pre-qualifying match was held to determine who would play in the “Play off” final.  On a wet night at Meole Brace, Bowring proved too strong for District on the Premier League green and eventually won by 24 shots after being 2 chalks behind after 8 blocks off.  The play-off decider was to take place again on Meole Brace’s non Premier League green and, in front of more than 300 spectators, Childs Ercall retained their Premier League status when they defeated Bowring by 25 chalks, winning captain Dale Booth’s win of 21-11 at number 9 being the decisive card.

2002 Hall of Fame

			Home				Away				Total			
		Pld	Pld	W	L	GW	Pld	W	L	GW	GW	MW	Agg	Pts
St Georges	26	13	12	1	110	13	5	8	72	182	17	583	216
Meole Brace	26	13	12	1	114	13	4	9	67	181	16	383	213
Chester Road	26	13	11	2	108	13	1	12	67	175	12	250	199
Castlefields	26	13	11	2	107	13	2	11	66	173	13	376	199
Archibald W'ton	26	13	12	1	106	13	1	12	62	168	13	137	194
S J Bayley	26	13	13	0	121	13	0	13	45	166	13	208	192
Ford		26	13	13	0	108	13	0	13	56	164	13	2	190
Battlefield	26	13	13	0	107	13	1	12	53	160	14	39	188
Wrock Wood	26	13	12	1	109	13	2	11	49	158	14	242	186
Wem USC		26	13	13	0	99	13	1	12	44	143	14	-325	171
Donn Wood	26	13	12	1	92	13	0	13	43	135	12	-310	159
Craven Arms	26	13	10	3	90	13	1	12	41	131	11	-405	153
Ifton		26	13	10	3	83	13	1	12	43	126	11	-514	148
Childs Ercall	26	13	9	4	89	13	0	13	33	122	9	-666	140