Ben bowls to success in the Ludlow Merit
He has just made the breakthrough on the open circuit and now Ben Allen has another Ludlow Bowling League title to add to his collection.
But winning the Ludlow Motors-backed league’s Merit at Cleobury Mortimer was still special for the Burway boy as it was the first time he’d done it.
The 31-year-old, winner of the first Bylet Open last month, raced to victory over clubmate and good friend Lee Wilding in Sunday’s final.
“Allen was taking no prisoners and the current Bylet Open champion stormed into a 12-4 lead and showed his liking for the green,” said league secretary Steve Burmingham.
“Wilding scored a couple of twos to give himself a chance, but Allen was dominant after Wilding got it back to 15-9 and Allen won the trophy for the first time by winning 21-9.”
A delighted Allen said: “I had a tough draw in the early rounds and had to beat some good home bowlers and kudos must go to the green keeper as the green was in a fantastic condition.
“Happy to beat Bert Morris in the quarter-finals as he gave me a great game and good to play a good mate in the final – really pleased to have won the trophy for the first time.”
Both semi finals were all Burway affairs, Allen beating Harry Parsonage 21-15 and Wilding holding off a late burst from Ben James to win 21-14.
Despite late drop outs, reserves called in meant 22 contested the title, the quarterfinal scores being: Allen 21 Morris 18; Parsonage 21 Kiah Roberts 20; Wilding 21 Jesse James 15; James 21 Warren Euddaf 8.
It looks like John Clarke is starting to collect veterans’ bowls titles for fun.
Having won the Highley League’s over-60s singles last year, the Wrockwardine Wood stalwart turned is the new Merit champion of the Mid Shropshire Senior Citizens’ League.
Clarke won that title by beating team-mate Steve Faulkner 21-6 in the final on the bottom green at St Georges on Thursday afternoon.
Losing semi-finalists when the eight qualifiers battled it out were Les Mumford (Madeley Cricket Club) and Dave Brown (Sinclair).
Clarke beat league comps chief Rob Renke in the quarter-finals when Brown defeated the county’s first winner of the British Veterans Merit, Keith Pessall.
