County bowlers on target for top titles

Former Shropshire junior ace Joe Killen was the talk of the venue after the first qualifier for the 20223 competition at Fleetwood on Saturday.

For Shifnal-based Killen, who now bowls for St Georges in the Premier League, had the reigning Autumn Waterloo and recent Spring Waterloo winner Paul Dudley as one of his three victims.

Not only that but Killen beat the Radcliffe man 21-10 before booking his place in the latter stages in the last week of September with a 21-17 victory over Steven Gilroy. Winner of the North Shropshire Parks’ Under-25 Merit the previous weekend, Killen was a beaten finalist in the Whitchurch League Merit earlier in the season.

Only one Shropshire bowler has ever won the British Veterans' Merit in 31 years, but that doesn’t bother Tony Roche or Mark Thomas.

They are the county’s qualifiers for tomorrow’s (WEDS) 2023 finals at Prees (10am start), sponsored by the Grocott Family Charitable Trust.

Shropshire over-60s champion in 2016 Roche (Sir John Bayley) and Premier League man Thomas (Meole Brace) came through the qualifier at Madeley Cricket Club and now aim to follow in the footsteps of 2021 British champion Keith Pessall.

But Roche has to overcome 2019 title winner Paul Stretton in round one while Thomas is paired with another Derbyshire bowler in John Colebourne at the top of the draw for a field of 32 that includes the legendary Noel Burrows.

Car parking and admission at the north Shropshire village club tomorrow is free and refreshments will be available.