SPBL Merit 2022

Scott Simpson won the 2022 Salop Leisure Shropshire Premier Bowling League Merit after producing an incredible fightback against one of the game’s best in Callum Wraight. He was trailing 12-4 to Callum on his usual 20m marks to and from the crown, but Scott produced some excellent corner bowling to lead 13-12 before Callum got back in. An excellent two shot by Scott put him 15-13 up, before he struck his own bowl off to make it 15 across. However a bad end by Callum gifted Scott a 2, then he got another good two in the opposite corner, and earned two singles to win the trophy for the first time.

In the Semi Finals and Callum raced 14-3 up on Pete Grimston before Pete got back to 14-12 down in the corners. However Callum got the block back and ran out in 2s. Scott had a close game with Phil Jones until 12 across when Scott had a break of 7 and finished the game off 13.

The Quarter Finals saw Pete overturn an early 5-0 deficit to beat Aaron King 6 mainly on 20m pegging marks off the side of the crown. Callum had another game that went with the jack, leading 8-1 then 8-6, then 13-7 and 13-11, however he ran out on Gary Neal. Phil Jones had an early 13-6 lead against Gary Whitehall, but Gary got back to 13-12 and then actually led 18-17 and 19-18 before Phil got out. Scott was always in control against record winner Pete Farmer, leading 13-3, and Pete could only match it from there on in as he lost 11.

Well done to Scott on his maiden success, and commiserations to Callum who surely will have his name on the trophy in the near future. Thank you to Old Shrewsbury for preparing a great green and being a great host, and to Mike Potter for rushing off from the Veterans Inter League to referee tonight.

Full results are here.

Below are pictures from our 2022 SPBL Merit from last Saturday at Old Shrewsbury Bowling Club.

We have our 8 qualifiers for the Salop Leisure Shropshire Premier Bowling League Final on Saturday 11th June at 6.30 p.m.

Bylet

The two former finalists in the field Scott Simpson and Pete Farmer qualified at Bylet. Pete beat Kieran Buckley 15 to get through, while Scott overcame 8-1 and 8-3 deficits in his two games against Jamie Brookes and Mike Wainwright respectively, beating them both 13. Mike had defeated Dale Rudrum in his first round game 10.

1	Scott Simpson	21	13	Michael Wainwright
2	Peter Farmer	21	15	Keiran Buckley

1	Michael Wainwright	21	10	Dale Rudrum
2	Scott Simpson	21	13	Jamie Brookes
3	Peter Farmer	21	0	Bye
4	Keiran Buckley	21	0	Bye

Wem USC

It was two Adderley bowlers who qualified at Wem USC, holding off two fightbacks from two of our most experienced players. Phil Jones defeated Matt Beeston 6 first game, and then played Paul Williams after he beat Ben Hinton 13 first game. Phil was always mainly in front and then led 20-15, before Paul came back at him and got back to 19 before he had a disappointing end. Adderley captain Gary Whitehall had two tough games to qualify, beating team mate Chris Elsbury first game 17 from 11-6 down, and then having to come back from 8-0 down against Wayne Phillips and hold off a comeback from 20-17 down to win 20. Wayne had his own battle with Will Tyler first game, leading 9-4 but then training 13-11 to go on and win 17.

1	Phil Jones	21	19	Paul Williams
2	Gary Whitehall	21	20	Wayne Phillips

1	Paul Williams	21	13	Ben Hinton
2	Phil Jones	21	6	Matthew Beeston
3	Gary Whitehall	21	18	Chris Elsbury
4	Wayne Phillips	21	17	Will Tyler

Meole Brace

Callum Wraight will look to win this title for the first time after qualifying by defeating Martin Gaut 15 from 12-8 down. He is joined by Gary Neal who beat Darren Wellings 15. Martin had beat Connor Whitehall 10 first round and Darren had defeated Michael Cooper 11.

1	Gary Neal	21	15	Darren Wellings
2	Callum Wraight	21	15	Martin Gaut

1	Gary Neal	21	0	Bye
2	Darren Wellings	21	11	Michael Cooper
3	Martin Gaut	21	10	Connor Whitehall
4	Callum Wraight	21	0	Bye

Sir John Bayley

Former home player Pete Grimston impressed as he had two comfortable wins to get through. He beat team mate John Cooke first game 10, and then Josh Cotton 5, with one break at the start to lead 10-0 and then one break at the end to run out from 12-5 up. Josh had his own comeback in the first game from 13-8 down to win 19 against Cheryl Caswell. Aaron King defeated team mate and captain Ayden Smith 14 in the qualifier to get through, Aaron having to bowl a great wood at game down against John Clarke to win the game 19. Ayden had beaten reigning champion Phil Jones 17 after being 16-9 down.

1	Peter Grimston	21	5	Josh Cotton
2	Aaron King	21	14	Ayden Smith

1	Josh Cotton	21	19	Cheryl Caswell
2	Peter Grimston	21	10	John Cooke
3	Ayden Smith	21	17	Phil Jones
4	Aaron King	21	19	John Clarke

Thank you to all four clubs for letting us use their facilities and greens today, and to those who helped mark and measure. Thank you to all those who took part and well done to our 8 qualifiers.