King bidding to keep his crown

King, now bowling for Wrockwardine Wood, will return to the scene of his triumph last year, Allscott Heath, to attempt to qualify for the last 16 for finals day on Saturday, July 6.

And the 2012 winner of the title is in really good form, being top of the Wrockites’ Premier League averages and having just won the County Father & Son with his dad Phil.

Tonight’s other Senior Merit qualifying sessions, also starting at 6.30pm, are at Bowring, Maddocks and Sinclair.

“A total of 58 bowlers have entered at a cost of £8 each, meaning a prize fund of in the region of £420 will be up for grabs at the finals as 90 per cent of the entry fees are paid out and 10 per cent kept to add to the prizes for junior comps,” said a Mid Shropshire spokesman.

The league’s under-25 Merit follows on Saturday at Bowring (6pm start, dress code rules apply, £3 entry fee and enter on the night) and comps chief Phil King is now taking entries for this year’s Dixon Driscoll Doubles to be played on Saturday, June 29 (£10 per pair).

An all-Premier final is on the cards in the revamped Shropshire Senior Inter-League championship.

The draw for the semi-finals of the new-look eight-a-side knockout later this month has kept the Premier League’s two teams apart.

Premier A, who beat holders Whitchurch A in the quarter-finals, will face Whitchurch B in the last four on Saturday, June 29, while the same 7pm start time will see Premier A take on Mid Shropshire A.

Both ties will be played at Old Shrewsbury and the final will follow on a date yet to be confirmed.