Festival date ends the Kings’ hat-trick hopes
Next week’s Isle of Man June Festival has ended the bowls history hopes of the King family from Telford.
Wrockwardine Wood star Jamie King and his dad Phil have won the County Father & Son title the last twice it has been contested – at Bridgewater in 2019 before Covid and at St Georges last year – and no pairing has ever won it three times in a row.
But Jamie is heading to the week-long Manx bonanza, leaving Phil to play with his younger son, Aaron, tomorrow when the 2022 competition is played at Meole Brace from 10am.
Organiser Mike Potter, the county president, will take entries on the day (£12 per pair), dress code rules apply and home bowlers are allowed with a handicap of two shots per player.
Burway No.1 Wayne Rogers and son Steve won the Father & Son crown in 2008 and 2009 but Mid Shropshire League competition secretary Phil King and Aaron, now playing Premier bowls for Newport, will be tough to beat tomorrow.
There’s more local action tomorrow night when the SPS Whitchurch League stages its Under-18 and Under-25 Merits at Nantwich Park Road (6pm start), the last eight in the older age group to qualify for the British Parks’ Under-25 Merit next month.
On the open comps circuit, Martin Gaut (St Georges) qualified from the first session of the big money Naz Worthington Memorial at Stretton Anglesey in Burton last weekend with 21-20, 21-16 and 21-8 cards.
And British No.1 Callum Wraight is in for a busy weekend, starting tonight with his bid to qualify for the finals of the £4,200 Brighouse Classic and continuing on Sunday with qualifying in the £4,350 Sandal Classic in Wakefield before he heads to the Isle of Man.
