Reece goes Farr as he reaches Senior Merit final
Reece Farr flew the flag for Shropshire Premier League bowlers at the British Senior Merit finals with a brilliant run all the way to the final.
The young Highley captain delivered five victories at Heaton Park in Manchester on Saturday to stand on the brink of being crowned champion.
But then Wolverhampton-based Farr came face to face with Simon Coupe, the Preston ace who is one of Callum Wraight’s main rivals to the British No.1 tag.
And it was Coupe who prevailed 21-15 in the final, leaving the Staffordshire qualifier – a member of the Bowring Premier side that won the Harris Cup in 2018 – to reflect on what might have been.
Farr enjoyed 21-8, 21-9 and 21-15 wins before beating Anthony Walker (Greater Manchester) 21-19 in the last eight and Cheshire Merit winner Andy Hamman to 14 in the semi-finals.
Shropshire Merit winner Rich Lawson, Farr’s captain at Bowring, suffered a 21-20 defeat in round two against Walker while his Hanwood team-mate Ash Wellings had two wins before falling 21-9 to Coupe.
The county’s other qualifiers, Merit runner-up Jamie King (Wrockwardine Wood) and Harry Church (Sinclair) both fell at the first hurdle with narrow defeats against Darren Day and Ian Jones respectively.
The heroics of Malpas Sports in this season’s British Super Cup are over.
Shock conquerors of mighty Lloyd Hotel in the four home-four away 31-up knockout, Malpas took on Wigan big guns Garswood Hall full of hope. And they looked a good bet to make the last 16 when they won their home leg by 30 shots, Paul Bradley the best of three winners with a 31-20 card.
But 24 hours later the dream of winning the Arthur Land Trophy was over as Garswood dominated their home leg, leaving Malpas spokesman Paul Latham to declare: “Well done Garswood, great performance.”
Hanmer will attempt to reach the last 16 when they take on Leeds club Crossgates away on Saturday (11am) and then at home on Saturday, August 12 (6pm start).
Sir John Bayley have been drawn against Dudley-based Woodman, Castlefields must tackle Phoenix Foxes (Nuneaton) while Wrockwardine Wood are paired with Birmingham’s King George V in ties to be played by September 2.
