GRAHAM Shadwell, from the Spencer Moulton club in Bradford-on-Avon, has been offered a return to international bowls with England.

After recent outdoor selection trials were held at Kingscroft BC (Earl Shilton, Leics), Shadwell has been named in the England side to contest the British Isles Bowls Championships International Series at Llandrindod Wells Bowls Club, Wales, next June.

Shadwell is named at number three in a rink along with lead John Rednall (Suffolk), number two Taylor Monk (Kent) and skip Jamie Walker (Northants).

Following a fine junior career both indoors and outdoors prior to 2001, Shadwell had been a regular in the senior England sides, other than a few absences owing to injury.

However, in the 2016 season, Shadwell pulled out of the England side for personal reasons and has not been capped since.

He is a talented bowler and has won several world and Commonwealth Games medals so, hopefully, this selection for England next season is the start of a new chapter in his bowls career.

  • WESSEX League regional indoor bowls championship returns this weekend for its 37th consecutive season.

Local clubs Clarrie Dunbar (Standerwick) and North Wilts (Chippenham) begin their group matches in the central region on October 6.

Last season, Clarrie won the central region and went on to reach the overall final but missed out on their fifth play-offs title in the last 11 years when losing 86-72 to Plymouth.

North Wilts reached the play-offs for the first time in many season when finishing as central league runners-up to Dunbar, but made an early exit in the first round, going out to Kingsthorpe (Northampton).

Clarrie begin their new campaign against Thornbury, while North Wilts face newcomers North Petherton.

Both games will be the usual format of two rinks at home and two rinks away.