Like father, like son for Carl and Ben in Shropshire doubles

Just hours after both had lost heavily playing for Chester Road away to Premier League leaders Wrockwardine Wood, the quiet duo bounced back in style to win the county title.

And they did it by beating two-time champions Wayne and Steve Rogers 21-5 with a stunning display in Saturday’s final at Meole Brace.

“The paths the finalists had trod on their way to the final were very different,” said organiser and county president Mike Potter. “Wayne & Steve Rogers had won all their four games with single figure scores, only conceding 24 chalks, while Carl & Ben Hinton scraped through two of their games that included a 20 and 19 win.

“With the jack being edged around the ends in the final, all in the Hinton’s favour, they took six ends on the trot to open up a strong 16-2 lead.

“And, after conceding a triple chalk score, the game closed with the Hinton’s scoring their fourth triple chalk end of their own to win 21-5 after 13 ends.”

It was the fifth time Burway’s Wayne and Steve (Chester Road) had lost in the final after they had looked red hot favourites to come out on top of 24 entries.

In the semi-finals, the first-time winners defeated Jamie & Harry Brookes 21-6 while Wayne & Steve Rogers – who play together for Woore in the Whitchurch League – were racing to a 21-5 card against Paul & Rhys Marshall.

Potter congratulated club steward, Terry Rollins, and Meole members for the provision of excellent greens, facilities and refreshments before make the presentations, adding: “Congratulations everyone concerned, another successful competition!”

Quarter-final scores: Carl & Ben Hinton 21-20 Geoff & Josh Warner; Jamie & Harry Brookes 21-20 Stuart & Harry Church; Paul & Rhys Marshall 21-14 Simon & Haydn Lewis; Wayne & Steven Rogers 21-8 Phil & Aaron King.

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A new competition in memory of a Shropshire bowls league’s leading light is launched tonight.

The Mark Bennett Memorial is a singles knockout in tribute to the man who drove the Highley League forward before he passed last year.

New league chief John Palmer said: “The Mark Bennett Memorial is at Bridgnorth and Worfield tonight (6.45pm scratch) with four to qualify from each venue for the finals at Stockton on Sunday, July 24.”

Tonight is also Division Two Singles qualifying time on both greens at Bylet with eight bowlers to make a joint finals day at Bennett’s former club Stockton.

Tomorrow from 11am is ladies and gents singles knockout day for the Market Drayton Senior Citizens League at Tilstock while the afternoon sees the semi-finals of the three team knockouts run by the Malpas Seniors League.