Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
There are 7 days to go when our Shropshire County President Mick Jones is in the limelight with the finals of the 2023 Shropshire Senior Merit take place at Newport.
Mick himself had a great run in the 1999 Shropshire Senior Merit when reaching the final. He beat Mike Hinton 16, Colin Beaman 7, Shaun Pickering 18 and Kevin Jones 18 in the Semi Finals at Whixall. However he ran into Andy Moss in the final, who won his first Merit crown by winning 10.
In his later years he has become an official for this league, being Chairman in 2015 until 2017, and then League President in 2018 until 2021, when he stepped down to become County Deputy President.
Below is a Player Profile of Mick which he compiled in 2019 as part of the top 25 players in the league. I have updated his clubs as he’s added a few on in the last few years, but he has now been playing bowls for 65 years! There is also the speech from when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame
Mick has won the league the most times, 10, captaining St Georges 4 of those 5 times, and then being a key part of Newport’s successive 5 wins, as well as many Pool As and Alan Mayhew Trophies. He won the Most Consecutive Wins in 2009, after finishing in the top three of the League Averages in 2001. He also won the Mike Hinton Pairs in 2014 with Pete Farmer, and finished runner-up in our Merit in 2004 to Martin Lloyd. He was man of the match in the 2015 Alan Mayhew Trophy Final when bringing the match home for Newport when last on. He donated a trophy for the Top 16 competition which became the Most Consecutive Wins award.
| Name: Mick Jones | |
| Year started bowling: 1958 | |
| Clubs played for: Newport St GeorgesChadsmoor WoodfieldHawkins BattlefieldHodnet Short Heath Liberals Sir John Bayley | |
| Major Honours: | |
| Individual: | Team: |
| Meole Brace Open | 10 times Premier League Winner |
| Bryant & Knott Open | County Cup Winner |
| Express & Star Open | Winsford Homes |
| County Handicap | Team Federation |
| Mid Shropshire Merit | |
| Shrewsbury Merit | |
| BCGBA Gents Pairs | |
| Sychden Pairs Twice | |
| Kenilworth Pairs Twice | |
| Chester Road Pairs | |
| Burway Doubles | |
| County Doubles | |
| Mike Hinton Pairs | |
| Florence Mixed Pairs | |
| Maddocks Mixed Pairs | |
| Father & Son | |
| Occupation | Retired |
| Birthplace/Date | Oakengates |
| Favourite FooD | Indian |
| favourite Drink(s) | Lager |
| Favourite MEAL | Lamb Korahi |
| Favourite TV Programme | Sky Sports |
| FAVOURITE comedian | Boris Johnson |
| FAVOURITE PLACE | Golf Del Sur |
| first car/current car | Ford Anglia/Lexus |
| most famous person met | Bruce Grobbelar |
| Who was the biggest influence on your bowling career?
Johnny Hancocks started me off at a very early age. | |
| What do you consider to be your best individual performance in the Premier League?
Winning 21-1 at Donnington Wood. Didn’t win coppers as Kevin Keary won 0! | |
| What was the highlight of your bowling life?
Winning the Meole Open and St Georges winning the Arthur Land Team Competition. We were 20 behind with the last two on the green. Tony Rhodes won about 6 and I managed to win 14. Some celebrations! | |
| What has been the lowlight of your bowling life?
Losing to Thommo! | |
| What are your favourite/most memorable greens in the Premier League?
Burway | |
| What are your least favourite/least memorable greens in the Premier League?
Wrockwardine Wood | |
| What nicknames do you have? How did they come about?
Bullseye – Ask Ticker | |
| What memorable matches have you played in or watched in the Premier League?
Winning at Battlefield last match of the season 11-3 to win the league in 2001 |