John Roberts keeping up winning habit with another title
A bowls season that started with an agonising near-miss is turning into a summer of success for Telford’s John Roberts.
He made it two titles in the space of two weeks when he won the Highley League’s Mark Bennett Memorial Trophy as its first division singles champion.
Representing Madeley Cricket Club, Roberts beat Robert Weir of host club Stockton 21-13 in the final to add to his Wenlock Olympian singles gold medal won at Broseley a fortnight before.
Celebrated his 34th birthday this week, those two honours have helped ease the memory of losing to John Breeze in the final of the Mid Shropshire League’s Senior Merit at Bylet early in the campaign.
“Congratulations to John Roberts jnr and to Darren Bailey (Horsehay) on winning the DivisionTwo singles trophy at Stockton on the same day with a 21-9 win over Murial Parton,” said league chief John Palmer. “I must apologise for not attending the finals due to a family bereavement but thanks go to Jeanette & Martin Bennett, John Pritchard and John Baines of the host club for organising things.
“I remind bowers that any further entries for the Division One and Division Two doubles need to reach me by today, with qualifying on Tuesday, August 8, and the finals taking place on Sunday, September 10.”
Division One singles semi-final scores: Roberts 21 Cheryl Caswell 12; Weir 21 Kevin Carter 10. Division Two singles semi-final scores: Bailey 21 Alan Ludlow-Rhodes 12; Parton 21 John Pritchard 19.
Multi-titled bowler Paul Evans is fit to return for Shropshire to face his former team-mates on Sunday in the semi-finals of the Endsleigh British Senior County Championship.
Sir John Bayley man Evans has recovered from sciatica and plays against Staffordshire at No.1 in the home leg on the No.2 green at Meole Brace.
And 2012 County Merit champion Kiah Roberts of Burway also returns to the county fold in the home 12 in Shrewsbury as Julian Cooke and Andy Judson stand down.
Neighbours Staffs have picked The Rag, near Cannock, for their home leg, with the winners on Sunday to play either reigning champions Yorkshire or Derbyshire in September’s final.
