Shropshire bowlers fall short at Meole Brace Open

Warwick & Worcester raider Ryan Prosser made off with the £1,000 top prize and Champion of Champions ticket on a day when 2007 winner Andy Moss flew the flag furthest for the host county.

Chester Road star Moss made the last four before tiring as the previous day spent in A&E on family duty took its toll and he bowed out 21-8 against Kevin Boon of Congleton Railway.

But Boon was no match for Prosser, the Midland Masters champion of 2012 and 2014, as the younger man raced to a 21-8 sunshine success after starting the day as a 10-1 shot with the bookies.

Moss picked up £250 for his efforts, which was at least some reward for his stunning quarter-final recovery from 16-8 down to beat Darren Plenderleith of the Greville Arms 21-20.

It was at the same stage that Prosser ended the superb run of consistent Hanwood bowler Phil Lyttle 21-12 while Shropshire No.1 Callum Wraight was falling 21-14 victim to the impressive Boon.

Ironicially, Castlefields king Wraight had beaten Prosser 21-19 the day before at the ECC Open finals in Wolverhampton before again bowing out in the last eight there.

But the bowler who really caught the eye at Meole was young Yorkshireman Josh Mordue, son of Chris, who beat past winners Glynn Cookson and Graeme Wilson before going down 20 in a classic semi-final against Prosser.

Stunning weather, a good turnout and top-class action had father and son organising team, Barry and Ade Jennings, smiling while the final was a memorable occasion for Shrewsbury referee Roger Griffin. For not only did he officiate for the big game on the big day, he is also one of the small group who have got the Meole greens in tip-top condition so early in the year.

But the ominous sign for Shropshire’s senior team, given that they face Warwick & Worcester in their County Championship opener in a month’s time, is that one of the second city’s bowls stars is already in red-hot form.

Full scores

First round - Gwerydd Buckland - Bangor City 14 John Jones - Mold BC 21; Andy Moss - Chester Road 21 Paul Evans - Sir John Bayley 16; Gary Owen - Birches Head Hotel 13 Elliot McGuiness - The George 21; Darren Plenderleith – Greville 21 Clay Flattley - St Georges 3; Alan Bailey - Congleton Park 16 Kevin Boon - Congleton Railway 21; Ben Harris - Great Barr 21 Greg Smith - West Brom 8; Andrew Armstrong – Cunliffe 21 Stuart Mort – Kirkham 18; 0/1; Callum Wraight – Castlefields 21 Paul Kissock – Cumbria 15.

Josh Mordue – Pudsey 21 Glynn Cookson - Wharton Cons 18; Michael McDonnell – Lloyds 21 Andy Hughes – Cunliffe 15; Graeme Wilson - Lower Hopton 21 Steve Freer – Castlefields 15; Paul Leah - Ashton CC 11 Chris Ward - Victoria Park 21; Ryan Prosser - The George 21 Barry Booth - Birches Head Hotel 5; Jack Dyson – Meltham 21 Martin Jones – Cunliffe 19; Steve Pratt - Bedworth BC 21 Stuart Rutter - Wrockwardine Wood 10; Kirk Stevens - Moor Lane 17 Phil Lyttle – Hanwood 21.

Second round – Jones 18 Moss 21, McGuinness 15 Plenderleith 21, Boon 21 Harris 15, Armstrong 10 Wraight 21, Mordue 21 McDonnell 19, Wilson 21 Ward 20, Prosser 21 Dyson 13, Pratt 10 Lyttle 21.

Quarter-finals – Moss 21 Plenderleith 20, Boon 21 Wraight 14, Mordue 21 Wilson 17, Prosser 21 Lyttle 12.

Semi-finals – Moss 8 Boon 21, Mordue 20 Prosser 21. Final – Boon 8 Prosser 21.