Farmer joins band of legends

"Brilliant!" was the St Georges ace's reaction to achieving a feat that not even the late, great Dick Meyrick managed, despite winning the County Merit an incredible 11 teams.

Farmer has a long way to go to match that figure, but his four triumphs in total now equals Castlefields' king Tony Poole - and time is very much on his side.

As he basked in the glory after appearing in his fourth successive final of the Shropshire Star-backed event, Farmer was just relieved to have got the job done after trailing Chester Road star Moss 14-8 at one stage.

Calling

"I'd had a good night's sleep, didn't feel nervous and I was always in front in my games near the end of them, except against Andy," explained Farmer.

"He got away a bit in the final, but the crowd got me going again as they all seemed to be calling for him."

But at 18-16 up, Farmer looked to have blown it has he set the jack right on the edge of the green and then put both of his bowls in the pan, allowing Autumn Waterloo and Meole Open winner Moss to draw level.

Two ends later though and it was all over, and Farmer's moment of history was marked by a round of applause that was at first polite and then fittingly rose to a crescendo.

The enormity of his achievement won't sink in until later today, after Childs Ercall-based Farmer had got up at 4.20am to do his round as a postman in Market Drayton.

"It's only when people start saying well done, people who are not bowlers, that you begin to realise what it means," added Farmer.

Once again, the postman delivered.

By Malcolm Fletcher