Shropshire Star

Chris stretches winning tally to five winter wins

Chris Stretch is just one of the dozens of Shropshire bowlers who have taken to the Bandit Bowls winter promotions like a duck to water.

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But Stretch, who has played Premier bowls for Meole Brace for the last two seasons, has not just competed in them – he’s been winning them.

He recorded his fifth success in a one-day competition on Saturday at Adderley on a green he knows so well – having played for many years for the village club – and is now returning to full time.

Stretch beat host club stalwart Gary Whitehall 21-14 in the final on a day when county No.1 Callum Wraight was unavailable to try and add to his seven straight one-day wins.

It was the 18th one-dayer of the campaign run by promoter Jamie Brookes and his team and the semi-finals saw Stretch race past Cheshire legend Gerald Merry 21-8 while Whitehall got the better of Will Childs 21-18.

“Even though I knew there were a few regulars who couldn’t make it on Saturday, we still had 22 bowlers there,” said Brookes, who is again waiting to find a one-day venue for the coming weekend.

But Brookes, who also plays at Adderley, was able to confirm that Stretch will by playing for the club in the Premier, Whitchurch and Wem leagues this coming summer season.

Quarter-final scores

Chris Stretch 21 Ade Jennings 7; Gerald Merry 21 David Cunningham 15; Gary Whitehall 21 Adrian Owens 9; Will Childs 21 Dave James 17.