Bowls round-up: Future looks bright for the county
The lessons may be over for the school year, but Shropshire bowls followers learned that the future is bright for the game locally after the success of a new competition, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Newport hosted the first Taylor Support Junior Trailblazer on Sunday and promoter Ian Pessall was able to boast a full house field of 32 under-18s playing for a £500 prize pot.
On a day that saw Logan Church become the first winner of the Paul Taylor Trophy, adding to his Mid Shropshire League junior title double, it was the prospects for the sport that made organisers, parents and guardians alike so proud.
“It was an excellent day which has seen junior bowls be the big winner,” said organiser Rob Burroughs, before thanking sponsors Taylor Support and Blair Heating & Plumbing. “The next open junior competition is at Horsehay for the Viv Lomas under-16 shield (on September 7) - and then hopefully the big plans for next year's juniors.”
Pessall added: “Some phenomenal bowls on show - the future is looking good for Mid Shropshire with all three semi finalists from Telford clubs.”
Sinclair’s Church beat Pessall’s son Finley 21-15 in the main final after going 19-12 up from 11 across.
In the semi-finals Church defeated the in-form Harris Needham (SJ Bayley) to win 16 and Pessall edged out Ben Cutler 20 after resisting a fightback as the Edgmond bowler was 18-8 down.
A consolation knockout was run after the handicapped round robin group stages and Eleanor Webb (Tilstock) took that title by beating Rowan Fuller (Wrockwardine Wood) 20 in another quality and close final.
The booming number of youngsters have more new comps to aim at this coming weekend with the first Shropshire Boys and Girls Merits at Meole Brace on Saturday from 10am, entries £10 taken on the day.
Baptism of fire
Their first appearances at the British Senior Merit finals proved to be a baptism of fire for two of Shropshire’s three qualifiers.
Reigning County Merit champion Chris Stretch and young Emmet McKinley from Shrewsbury took their places at Dodworth Miners Welfare Club in Barnsley on Saturday full of anticipation.
But, despite both performing well on the biggest stage, both bowlers fell at the first round hurdle, Stretch (Adderley) going mighty close in a 21-19 loss to Dave Lunn (Potteries) as Oxon’s McKinley got 16 against Jack Brooks of Derbyshire.
It was left to two-time British champion Callum Wraight, who had qualified for the Pudsey Classic finals the evening before, to fly the flag the furthest for Shropshire.
The Castlefields king beat Dave East of Premier League rivals Highley and Staffordshire 21-15 and Tommy Johnstone (Cheshire) 21-12 before losing to Mark Booth of South Yorkshire 21-14 in the last 16.
A crowd of more than 500 saw the 109th running of the coveted competition, watched by the British Crown Green Bowling Association’s new chief executive officer Dan Newton.
