Barry Jennings: Talented bowls pair can challenge

Shropshire will never have a better chance of unearthing it's third national junior bowls champion.

That's the view of Shropshire Association chairman Barry Jennings as Burway's Kiah Roberts and Jamie King of St Georges bid for British Junior Merit glory tomorrow.

The duo are part of a classy 32-strong field of the country's top Under 18 bowlers assembling at Washwood Heath in Birmingham for finals day.

And Jennings believes either of the duo are capable of emulating Shropshire's previous winners – Callum Wraight in 2003 and Ian Weaver in 1996.

"We won't have a better chance of winning it," he said. "They will have to perform on the day but both lads are capable of winning it.

"They are one-offs. They are the type of player that come along once every 10 years but we are fortunate to have two at the same time."

The pair booked their place in the national field by reaching the Shropshire Junior Merit final last month, with Roberts retaining his title.

But King proved his form by overcoming more experienced rivals to land the Mid Shropshire Merit title on the same weekend.

Tomorrow's action starts at 10am with Roberts taking on Staffordshire's Callum Bray in the first round while, in the other half of the draw, King meets Cumbria's Billy Thornton.