Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank our League sponsors, FURROWS LIMITED. In 2012, FURROWS celebrated their “10 year” sponsorship of the League by generously adding extra prizes to our Individual Merit and to a new award, the “Most Valuable Player (MVP)”. These prizes demonstrated their commitment to our League and special mention must be made to Antony Frost who represented FURROWS at our Presentation Evening and personally handed the MVP award to Wem United Services stalwart Fred Bailey.

In 2012, the league lost “Childs Ercall”, who resigned at the March meeting. Childs Ercall joined the league in 1999 following the resignation of Hanwood. It was a sad loss and during their thirteen year tenure  they had been involved in two end of season “Play –Offs” and won both of them, beating  Bowring by 25 in 2002 and Burway by 12 in 2009.  This meant that only six matches were played each Friday and that no team was involved in the relegation “Play-off”.

Newport were to prove the team to beat again in 2012 and whilst they lost seven matches, they were unbeatable at home with three “14-0” triumphs. They picked up 91 points from their away matches and were worthy League winners for the second time. They were 16 points clear of second placed Meole Brace who had the same number of points as Chester Road but who finished second as they had more “Individual” wins.  Castlefields finished fourth, with the league’s most improved team in 2012, Sir John Bayley, finishing fifth.

Interest in joining the league continued to be strong with once again four teams applying to contest the 2012 play offs. Hanwood,  Burway and Hanmer continued their quest and were joined by Hadley USC, the Mid Shropshire League winners. The two semi finals saw Hadley defeat Hanwood at Prees and Burway beat Hanmer at Wrockwardine Wood. With no Premier League team in the way, following the withdrawal of Childs Ercall, Burway played Hadley at Archibald Worthington with the winners guaranteed their place in the Premier League for 2013.   On an immaculate green, expertly prepared by groundsman John Tew, the match was a cracking affair and both teams gave it their all. It was to be Burway who triumphed with a narrow six shot win. Burway first applied for the play offs in 2009 and following “Play-off” final defeats against Childs Ercall in 2009, Bylet in 2010, they failed against Madeley CC in 2011 in the quarter final stage, but 2012 was to be their year and they will represent South Shropshire proudly next season.

The Alan Mayhew Trophy went to St Georges for the sixth time with a thrilling 225-223 victory over Chester Road in the final played at Meole Brace. St Georges’ Andrew Jones, was the recipient of the “Mike Hinton Man of the Match” award following his impressive 21-17 win in the middle four.

On the individual front, Rob Roden won the John Coxill Trophy for the first time when he beat Steve Roberts, 21-19, in the final held at Telepost.  Alex Jones from Sir John Bayley, in his first ever season, won 22 games to lift the Neville Edwards Trophy  and Peter Farmer recorded 17 consecutive wins to take the Mick Jones Trophy. The Pairs competition was held at Bicton after the season had ended and was won by the Chester Road and Castlefields pairing of Derek Wright and Clay Flattley when they beat a Newport and Sir John Bayley pairing of Dave Rhodes and Pete Grimston 21-12 in the final.

The Premiership Pool A&B format continued as an 8-a-side competition and Newport beat St Georges in the final of the Pool A shield.  Bowring  lifted the Pool B shield after defeating Wem USC in the final at Sir John Bayley.

2012 Hall of Fame

2012 Season Final Table

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