Here it is . . . the draw the whole of Shropshire bowls has been waiting for - the County Merit finals pairings for Sunday, June 17, in Shrewsbury.
And it won’t disappoint as seven past winners of the Shropshire Star-backed championship feature in the last 32 heading for Severnside No 2 (the St Julians green) for an 11am start.
Top of them is three-time winner Peter Farmer of St Georges, the Childs Ercall-based star who’s out to make history as the first winner of the superb Charles Beddard trophy three years in a row.
The man charged with trying to stop the postman from delivering in the first round is Andrew Marshall of Ford - one of four non-Shropshire Premier League bowlers in the big draw.
Marshall, armed with some experience from open competitions and his time in the Premier with Wem USC last year, will hope to get a big stamp of approval.
Telepost’s Richie Addison has drawn a past winner too in the shape of 1979 and 1994 star Derek Wright, as has fellow young gun Ryan Stevens of Wrockwardine Wood in the same quarter.
His mountain to climb is Chester Road’s Andy Moss, the reigning Autumn Waterloo and Meole Open champion who has looked real quality all year.
Pontesbury’s Gareth Ingram faces an opening showdown with Shropshire’s man of the match away against Cumbria, young Callum Wraight, and the fourth non-Premier player through is Burway’s Wayne Rogers.
But he will know exactly what to expect from former county team colleague Paul Williams (Castlefields).
Three St Georges players, including 2000 Merit winner John Breeze, feature in the top quarter of the draw and the bottom half kicks off with an intriguing all-Ford clash between Wayne Phillips and Nick Davies.
At stake on June 17 will be the title of king of Shropshire, a £300 first prize and four tickets to the All England on Saturday, July 28.
And county president Barry Jennings, who’s son Adie has qualified and plays Martyn France of Newport for starters, could not be happier with the sheer quality of the finals day field.
“It’s as good a field as we are going to get in Shropshire - and there’s no big names missing,” said Jennings.
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