Midland Alliancce History

2019 Midland Alliance

Shropshire played in the Midland Alliance yesterday at Florence Private in Stoke. There were two groups and Shropshire had in their group Potteries B North Mids and South Yorkshire. The first game was versus the Potteries B who had a fair bit of green knowledge which proved to be a real test on the No1 green. We ended up losing by 38 shots a margin which may well have been smaller if we had played this game third and had some green time before playing this very good side. Tony Rhodes was our best winner 21-16 and Adam Jones won 19. Martin Williams player very well but just dipped out 20. As the green dried out and the sun came out we faced North Mids in the second game in a must win match. The Shropshire lads played very well and green time showed as we put in a commanding performance to beat them by 40 shots. This put us on the table with two points. During this game controversy erupted when it came to light that South Yorkshire had played an ineligible player. South Yorkshire has allegedly rang someone Saturday to get approval and said they had been told the player could play! After consulting the rules the player in question had his 21-13 win versus North Mids reversed to a 21-3 lose (3 on card at start of games). This meant North Mids has in fact won the first game versus South Yorkshire by 4 resulting in North Mids also having 2 points on the table but the real damage came in South Yorkshire’s game versus the Potteries where the players 21-8 win was reversed to a 21-3 lose resulting in a Potteries win by 14 putting them on the table with 4 points. We had six winners versus North Mids with Glyn Wellings starring with a 21-9 closely followed by Stuart Clee winning 10. In the last game we played South Yorkshire who were fired up after effectively being eliminated from the competition due to the breach of the rules. Again our lads played well but with Potteries beating North Mids by 20 we were unable to win the group and sadly dipped out by 8. We shared the wins 4 each with Tony Rhodes being our best with a 21-12 and Glyn Wellings winning 21-14 being our best. A very good day of bowling despite not getting the result we wanted. Notable performances came from Tony Rhodes who used all of his experience to deliver 3 wins out of 3 and and an impressive day from Adam Jones who also won 3 out of 3. Also after suffering defeats in the first game both Stuart Clee and Glyn Wellings played very well to win both of their games comfortably. A good effort from the squad who would have gained valuable experience from the day.

Game 1 vs. Potteries & District B – lost by 38

1. Keith Wall 17-21 D Clutton
2. Stuart Clee 9-21 A Booth
3. Glyn Wellings 10-21 M Rushton
4. Scott Thomas 13-21 K McIntyre
5. Tony Rhodes 21-16 R Hollins
6. Martin Gaut 12-21 T Colclough
7. Martin Williams 20-21 R Bridgwood
8. Adam Jones 21-19 A Steele

Game 2 vs. North Midlands – won by 40

1. Tony Rhodes 21-12 George Chapman
2. Keith Wall 21-17 Jack Chapman
3. Stuart Clee 21-10 Chris Tonks
4. Scott Thomas 17-21 Natty Tonks
5. Steve Roberts 18-21 Matty Allen
6. Glyn Wellings 21-9 Max Jefferson
7. Martin Williams 21-17 Jamie Sheringham
8. Adam Jones 21-14 Paul Haylor

Game 3 vs. South Yorkshire – lost by 8

1. Tony Rhodes 21-12 C Naylor
2. Keith Wall 12-21 N Slack
3. Stuart Clee 21-17 C Chambers
4. Scott Thomas 13-21 J Higgins
5. Steve Roberts 11-21 A Holdcroft
6. Glyn Wellings 21-14 M Whittaker
7. Martin Williams 17-21 M Hague
8. Adam Jones 21-19 M Richardson

2018 Midland Alliance:

Shropshire didn’t quite get out of the group stages in the Midland Alliance as Warwick and Worcester won another Midland Alliance after beating Derbyshire in the final by 27 overall. It had started so well with a win against hosts South Yorkshire A by 30 with Sam Millward the best winner 11. They then came up against Derbyshire, featuring Wrockwardine Wood’s Liam Stevens, and only had one winner, Sam again starring winning 20. They then defeated Staffordshire by 28, with Mark Thomas, having had to step in for Dave Lloyd, the best winner 9. Derbyshire were 9 down with their last two on to give Shropshire hope, but Derbyshire won both games 12 to progress through the group.

Find Shropshire Results below in Group 1:

Midland Alliance Group 1 Results

For a full report of the competition please click here.

2017 Midland Alliance:

Both Shropshire teams fell short in their quest for the Midland Alliance, one by only a handful of chalks. Shropshire A’s loss in our first game against Staffordshire cost us in the end as that team finished top of the group. We only had 3 winners in an 11 shot loss, with Paul Reeves the best of them winning 12. In the second game against Derbyshire we won by 24 with 6 winners, Paul Reeves the best again winning 11. It was even more convincing in the last game even with only 5 winners, Sam Millward was the best 21-5 in a 35 shot win. However with Staffordshire winning their other two games they topped the groups with 6 points, with Shropshire 2nd with 4.

Shropshire B went agonisingly close to getting through, missing out by just 4 chalks. We started well with a 21 shot win over South Yorkshire, Josh Bradburn the best of their 6 winners 21-5. Next game we started well with the first 5 winners but two single figure defeats meant even with Dave Lloyd winning 16, the joint best with Adam Dovey, we lost by 5 to North Midlands. With Warwick and Worcester winning both their games, it meant we had to win by 15 to finish as group winners. It didn’t start to well with two winners apiece in the first four, but led by 2 thanks to Jack Hewitt’s best card of 11. We then had four winners but with Josh Bradburn the best at 16, it meant we only won by 13, falling two short of the target we needed.

It was a great day of bowls for the County though, with special mention to Paul Reeves, Ash Wellings, Adam Dovey and Dave Lloyd for winning all their games. County selector Mark Thomas commented there were “definitely some positives and a little unlucky. We beat the eventual winners in the group and lost a game when we had six winners from eight games. I feel that both our teams had players good enough to step up to the next level.”

Warwick and Worcester beat Staffordshire comfortably in the final, having 6 winners with Chris Watts the best winning 6.

Thanks to Mike Potter for the results and pictures below.

Shropshire A

Back from left: Mick Jones (Selector), Dan Wornell, Jolyon Partridge, Paul Reeves, Tony Rhodes, Ian Gaut & Mike Caddick (President).

Front from left: Sam Millward, Craig Wilson & Pete Grimston.

Shropshire B

Back from left: Mark Thomas (Selector), Dave Lloyd, Stuart Clee, Jack Hewitt, Chris Stretch & Mike Caddick (President).

Front from left: Ash Wellings, Ben Talbot, Adam Dovey & Josh Bradburn.

Winners Warwick and Worcester

From left: Glen Herbert, Phil Whitehead (Selector), Mitchell Harvey, Gareth Herbert (Team Manager) Josh Hale, Jack Whitehead, Lucas Hall, Jordan Bradbury, Adam Patrick & Chris Watts.

Final scores:

Group 1 Results:

Group Table:

Group 2 Results:

Group Table:

Shropshire A Averages:

Shropshire B Averages:

• 2016 Midland Alliance:

Shropshire arrived at Nuneaton Griff to a cold and rainy day which wasn’t the best to bowl in and were in a tough group including South Yorkshire, Staffordshire and last year’s winners Warwick and Worcester.

Firstly we took on South Yorkshire and beat them by about 20 shots in the first game despite a slow start, the best card being Sam Millward winning about 8. Then we played our neighbours Staffordshire, and after being level off two cards a couple of great comebacks by Dave Burton, running out from 20-13 down, and Sam Millward, winning 14 from 12-5 down, meant we led by 8 off 4 despite looking like we’d be down. Ash Wellings then won 13 to be best winner and to win the game by 16 overall. We then took on Warwick and Worcester in a group decider but were never ahead, despite getting back to 2 down off 4, and ended up losing by about 30 chalks, Ash Wellings best winner again about 13

Warwick and Worcester then played North Midlands in the final, which the home team won.

• 2015 Midland Alliance:

Midland Alliance Competition – Florence Tennis & Bowls Club, Stoke – Sunday 26th April 2015.
The Shropshire selectors were justly proud of their team mix of “experience and fringe” players as they impressed and acquitted themselves to storm into the final only to fall short of the victory by a mere 3 shots to a strong Warwick & Worcester team in the 10-a-side one day competition staged this year at the Florence complex in Stoke.
With the seven midland County Associations being split into two groups, Shropshire found themselves drawn in the group of three which was to lead the squad into lengthy sessions of frustrating inactivity, something which along with other operational issues the organisers will need to address for the future.
The morning started as brightly as the glorious spring sunshine for Shropshire as they dropped a miserly 5 shots whilst winning nine of the ten games as they comprehensively despatched North Midlands in their first match by 60 chalks.
Due to only having three teams in the group, they were not then to take to the green for over 2hrs as North Midlands narrowly overcame Derbyshire by 10 shots.
The interlude in play was clearly detrimental to Shropshire in their second game as the expected win proved to be a harder task as the pace of the green had significantly altered and playing a Derbyshire side who had just finished their previous game.
After the first five games off the green which saw Derbyshire winning 3 games and take a 14 shot lead, it took a sterling rear guard action to only drop one more game to turn the scoreline into a favourable 15chalk success which included bringing on a substitute player for that match Callum Wraight and booking a final place.
Yet another lengthy break of over two hours ensued as Shropshire were forced to await the eventual results and group winners from the other green before the final could begin.
The final was played with the ten games, five on each of the greens which surprising saw the opposing counties win their games on the green they had not played all day. As the one green finished and only one game remained on the other, Warwick & Worcester led by 1 chalk and Glyn Wellings trailled 15-20 meaning he had to run out to force a tie. An eventuality the organisers had no secondary etc way to decide the winners. Glyn, with his fellow teammates in full supporting voice made a sterling effort to get the match to trail 19-20 which included a superb strike to pluck the jack out and off the green in the penultimate end. The last end saw Glynn lay on with two bowls within 18inches and with his opponent over a yard short, things looked good before a perfectly weighted bowl weaved its way past them and nestled against the jack assuring Warwick & Worcester a 3 chalk victory and also ease the pulse rates and spare the organisers blushes. BCGBA President, Barry Massey was on hand to present the prizes and congratulate the days participating teams on their sportsmanship.

Back, from left: Mick Jones (selector), Martin Gaut, Dave Burton, Sam Millward, Aaron King, Rob Burroughs, John Coxill (selector).

Front, from left: Ashley Wellings, Glyn Wellings, Justin Pegram, Jamie King.