Sixty-one teams from 30 clubs will be competing in five divisions of the Shrewsbury and District Senior Citizens Bowling League this season.
Division One matches started on March 31 and the other four divisions start on Thursday, April 14.
A shortage of players has resulted in the withdrawal of Hadnall B and Meole Brace C, but the league has gained two new teams in Prince Hotel B and Craven Arms B.
Bishops Castle B, Crescent, Llanrhaeadr B, Shelton A, Shelton B and Shelton C, are welcomed back following their absence in 2021.
Last year’s much-shortened season, due to the Covid pandemic, saw six divisions of nine teams each. This year, the league returns to its normal five division format.
Member clubs span an area stretching from Llanrhaeadr y Mochnant, Oswestry and Wem in the north to Craven Arms and Worthen and Brockton in the south.
Whilst most of matches are played on a Thursday afternoon, nine teams play their home matches on Wednesday afternoons.
“The league provides friendly competition and a valued social activity for retired people to enjoy every week,” said league secretary Chris Kershaw. “Having an afternoon senior citizens league enables some of the older bowlers, who don’t like bowling in an evening, to carry on playing competitively.”
The league has around 700 registered players, 360 of whom bowl weekly. Sponsor for the 14th season is Shrewsbury-based caravan and motorhome dealership Salop Leisure, which has regional sales centres in Machynlleth and Stourport-on-Severn.
The three League Knock-Out competitions - the Dick Meyrick Cup for the top 16 teams, the Ron Smout Cup for the next 16 teams and the Sponsor’s Shield for the remaining 29 teams - will all be played in 2022
The league’s annual singles knockout competition will be held on July 4 and the doubles on August1, both at Meole Brace BC. The annual inter-league challenge match against the Mid Shropshire Senior Citizens League for the Dixon Cup, will be played on September 5.
The season culminates with a President’s Day competition for the Bill Garratt President’s Cup on Wednesday, September 14 at Meole Brace BC.
Salop Leisure’s marketing manager Ed Glover said the company was proud to be associated with such a successful league. “Many of the players in this league are caravan owners and customers of Salop Leisure who stay active and make the most of their leisure time in retirement,” he added.
“The league is very popular with senior citizens across Shropshire and the Welsh border. Long may it continue to prosper.”
The league executive committee consists of president and treasurer, Margaret Cooper from Bagley BC, chairman, Roger Whitfield from Battlefield BC, secretary, Chris Kershaw from Meole Brace BC deputy chairman, Harold Banks from Battlefield.
