Bowls round-up: Super Sam eyes promotion after Junior Merit triumph
Young bowler Sam Desborough is hoping to celebrate promotion with Ludlow Castle in the Tanners Shropshire League this season, having already enjoyed his own slice of success, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Part of the Castle team riding high in division two on Fridays, Desborough is the Shrewsbury-based league's new Junior Merit champion.
He got his hands on the Harold Kaye Trophy by beating Ellis Griffiths (Prince of Wales Hotel) 21-8 in the final at Old Shrewsbury,
An increased entry of 11 juniors took part and in the semi-finals Desborough scored a 21-17 win over Owen Hanmer (Castlefields/Unison) while Griffiths defeated his clubmate Lewis Hanmer 21-13.
League President and sponsor Mike Caddick presented the trophy and organiser Rich Jones thanked the host club and Prince Hotel landlady Charleigh Butler for her backing.
British Junior Merit
Shropshire qualifier Dan Corbett couldn’t have wished for a better start at finals day in the British Junior Merit on the Wirral.
The St Georges bowler won his first round game against Cumbrian under-18 champion Reuban MacPake 21-5 at Heswall RBL.
But Corbett was edged out by North Midlands Junior Merit winner Ronan Allen 21-19 in Saturday’s second round.
County champion Rhys Jordan (Hadnall) lost 21-14 to Matthew Finch (North Lancs & Fylde) in his first game on a day that ended with Harley Tattersley beating Charlie Ripley 21-13 in an all-Yorkshire final.
Oswestry League
A driving force of Shropshire’s oldest bowling league has earned a title reward for his sterling efforts.
Trevor Roberts, who used to run the competitions for the 100-year-old Oswestry League and is now fixture secretary, is its new Veterans Singles champion.
The Johnstown stalwart won six games on Sunday at The Rhyn to triumph, beating first division regular for Ye Olde Crofte, Andy Knott, 21-17 in the final.
Sunday’s semi-finals saw Roberts defeat Steve Turner 21-13 while Knott had a 21-17 success over Bob Greenaway.
League plans flounder
Moves to form a new Saturday bowling league in Shropshire look to be floundering.
North Shropshire Parks joint secretaries, husband and wife Phil and Marie Scott, had contacted all their affiliated clubs to see if there was any interested after being asked about the possibility.
“Only six clubs sent in a reply in the timescale – three that were interested being Woore, Ellesmere and District, and three that replied no (Whixall, Chester Road and Victoria)," said Phil. “There was no response from the other 29 clubs who were sent the email, which is a poor response and apathy from clubs.”
The aim was to give new players more chance of game time and the probable format would be eight-a-side teams with four singles and two doubles fixtures starting at 2pm on Saturdays.
