Wayne Rogers leads the charge to finals day
Five past winners – including reigning champion Wayne Rogers – have booked their tickets to County Merit finals day next month, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Burway star Rogers, who triumphed in 2016 by beating Peter Farmer 21-17 in the final at Wem BC, came through his qualifying session on Sunday at Dorrington.
He beat Craig Wilson 21-14 and Carl Bowers 21-8 to secure a place at Pontesbury on June 25, where he will be joined by two double past champs in Andy Moss and Callum Wraight. Shropshire No.1 Wraight was fired up at Bicton as he beat Graeme Wornell 21-11, Gary Neal 21-9 and Duncan Pressley 21-11.
Chester Road ace Moss came through one of two North Shropshire qualifiers held on Saturday night.
He starred at former club Archibald Worthington alongside his Woore team-mate Charlie Weaver, the Merit champion in 2001, while the other past winner safely through is 1995 star Colin Beaman of Meole Brace.
But it is generally a youthful-looking line-up for the last 32 that includes Bowring trio Josh Bradburn, Jamie King and Kieran Buckley, Adam Jones, Rob Fuller, Sam Millward, Martin Gaut and Craig Baugh.
New county competition secretary Mike Potter praised the clubs involved, saying: “I would like to thank on, behalf of the SCGBA, the clubs that generously donated their time and green on Saturday or Sunday hosting a qualifying session of the Shropshire Senior Merit.”
