Meole Brace Open reaches its showpiece day
Shropshire bowlers had a field day on the second and last weekend of qualifying in the £5,660 Coors Meole Brace Open.
Spearheaded by the likes of Mike Beer, Clay Flattley, Ash Wellings and Sam Millward, they dominated the two days of sessions at the Shrewsbury club in the county’s sole Champion of Champions qualifier.
So they will be full of confidence as they all take aim at a £1,000 first prize on finals day on Sunday (11.30am start) and the ticket to the Champions day at Heaton Park in Greater Manchester in September.
“Mike Beer (Castlefields) was 12-1 down against Phil Lyttle but got back to 16-11 adrift before Mike ran out in the corners,” said promoter Rob Burroughs. “Sam Millward (Wrockwardine Wood) was 6-0 up on Gareth Coates before trailing 11-6 and he didn’t get back ahead until from 18-15 down he ran out.”
Their successes came on the last day of qualifiers when 2015 winner Andy Hughes, Sir John Bayley duo Paul Evans and Scott Simpson and Highley’s Danny Statham – runner-up in a big one-day open at Stockingford the day before – also got through.
Hanwood’s Wellings had to battle back from 17-9 down against Paul Roberts to win 21-20 and book his final ticket along with fellow Salopians Flattley, Matt Beeston, Ian Howell and Dan Williams.
Reece Farr, returning to play for Highley following the Premier demise of Newport, edged out Jamie King 21-19 in their crunch clash and the other qualifiers were Tom Vickers, Nathan Dawes, Ryan Prosser and Carl Fielding.
