Bowls round-up: Phillips shows his class once again
He’s been one of the best bowlers in the Oswestry League for years and now Megis Phillips has simply reinforced the fact, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
The Ceiriog Valley man repeated his Merit triumph of 2017 with a string of fine performances on Sunday at Johnstown.
Phillips, winner of the Glyn Evans Memorial at The Rhyn in June, beat Rhys Griffiths of the host club 21-7 in the final after 34 had set off in pursuit of the trophy.
Both semi-finals ended in 21-14 wins, Phillips defeating Craig Jones while Griffiths saw off Meurig Davies.
League chiefs hope that Phillips will now attend its presentation evening at Bersham Club on Friday, October 10 – but the Wrexham venue has more too look forward to before then.
It will host the Oswestry Floodlit main and consolation finals nights later this month, a league spokesman adding: “Teams of five named players, four of whom can play in any one Floodlit game, must be submitted by Thursday.”
Merit quarter-final results - Rhys Griffiths 21 Endaf Owens 18; Meurig Davies21 Carl Pemberton 12; Craig Jones 21 Liam Badwick13; Dominic Evans 12 Megis Phillips 21.
Premier League Merit entries
It’s not just Shropshire Premier League bowlers who can enter its 2025 Merit.
“Players from Prince of Wales Hotel, Shifnal and Woore can enter,” said a spokesman for the Taylor Support-backed league ahead of this month’s singles.
Closing date for entries costing £10 is Friday and regional qualifiers will be held on Friday, September 12, and Wednesday, September 17 ( 6.30pm).
Finals night is on Friday, September 26, entries to Martin Gaut on 07964 294466.
Junior Waterloo
Shrewsbury’s Owen Hanmer went as close as he possibly could to adding his named to the short list of Shropshire winners of the Junior Waterloo.
The Castlefields and Unison bowler reeled off four victories at Fleetwood on Bank Holiday Monday to reach the final of the under-18 singles knockout.
But county junior team player Hanmer had to settle for the £75 runners-up prize, beaten 21-8 by Ryan Hocknull as his West Brom FSC opponent celebrated his 18th birthday in style.
Only Telford brothers Jamie and Aaron King have won the Junior Waterloo previously but Hanmer, a semi-finalist in the recent Tanners league Junior Merit, can be proud of his effort.
He kept his nerve to beat Oscar Cartledge 21-20 in the semi-finals on a day that saw his Shropshire colleague Harris Needham (Sir John Bayley) beaten by Hocknull in the last eight.
