Stunning start for Shropshire juniors
Walkovers and single figure winners were the order of the day as Shropshire’s new-look team opened their Drakes Pride British Junior County Championship campaign with a huge win over the Potteries, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Eleven out of 12 winners both on Shrewsbury Severnside No.1 and at Bucknall Private took Shropshire to victory by an incredible 251 shots overall in Sunday’s qualifying group three mis-match.
There were walkovers for Josh Warner and Jacob Holden in Stoke in a 125-chalk stroll for the Whitchurch and Mid Shropshire under-18s while the Ludlow and Shrewsbury squad managed a 126-chalk margin with seven single figure winners at home.
“We won by 126 at home and 125 away, helped by two walkovers given at the away leg by their opponents, despite them having seven reserves named,” said a Shropshire association spokesperson.
But team leaders Simon Parsonage and Phil Scott and their fellow junior selectors know that the real crunch comes for this youthful side on June 11 with a clash against Warwick & Worcester.
They thrashed North Midlands by 236 shots on Sunday and beat Shropshire the last time the counties met in the infamous 2014 final that was marred by bad behaviour at both legs.
Camilla Parsonage was voted home player of the match against the Potteries for her cracking 21-20 win while Liam Edwards was the best winner away with a 21-4 card.
