Bowls round-up: Tom Killen breaks new ground
Tom Killen has achieved something no Shropshire bowler has managed before, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
The 20-year-old from Shifnal is the first to have won both the British Parks junior and senior Merit titles after a superb success in Burton.
The Wrockwardine Wood star, under-18 champion in 2022, completed the unique double by winning the adult version, beating Derbyshire ace Conor Chamblerain in the final at Stretton BC.
Killen beat Chamberlain, who has been playing for Sinclair in the Mid Shropshire League and was runner-up in this year’s British Senior Merit, 21-19 to land the £300 first prize and ticket to the Champion of Champions next month.
“I’m over the moon with the result,” said Killen, who started his fine campaign by winning the North Shropshire Parks Merit and, added the Shropshire 18-25 Merit and was then a semi-finalist in the British 18-25 finals.
He defeated his twin brother Joe – who also bowls for Adderley in the Whitchurch League – 21-19 in the semi-finals, Josh Furniss (East Midlands) 21-20 in the quarters and his friend and County Merit champion Chris Stretch 21-20 in the last 16.
Mid Shropshire League double-header
Another new competition is launched on Saturday for bowlers in the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire League on a double-header of a day for the Telford-based organisation.
The first Junior & Adult Doubles will have lift-off at Wellington’s Sir John Bayley Club at 11am with organiser Rob Burroughs taking entries, costing £5, on the day.
Then he will head a quarter of a mile up the road to Bowring for the finals of the Ashton Cup and Ashton Shield, which feature four Monday Division Four teams.
Newport D will be going for a fourth straight Cup success when they take on Wrockwardine Wood in the main 10-a-side final on Bowring No.1 (6.30pm start) while the C teams of Sir John Bayley and Sinclair do battle for the Shield on Bowring No.2 from 7pm.
It’s a big day on Saturday too for the North Shropshire association as they run their draw-for-partners St Alkmunds Doubles at Whitchurch’s Archibald Worthington Club, entries £6 taken on the day before the 10am start time.
Inter-league championship
Affiliated bowls leagues are being urged to enter this year’s Shropshire senior inter-league championship – but the signs are the Premier League won’t be taking part.
The six-a-side championship is on Saturday, September 13, at Old Shrewsbury from 10am and county association secretary Dawn Gray said: “We will need a minimum of eight teams to make this event viable.”
A new handicap system has been introduced this year to try and level the playing field and encourage more non-Premier leagues to enter.
The same system was used for this season’s veterans inter-league and did result in more entries, ending with a final which saw Mid Shropshire A pip a Premier team to the Derek Wright Shield.
And now Premier officials have organised their annual Inter Area competition for the same date as the senior inter-league – Saturday, September 13 – with a 6.15pm start at Bylet in Bridgnorth.
