Breeze blows rivals away to retain his Merit crown
A past County Merit winner has become only the fourth bowler to successfully defend the title of Mid Shropshire League Senior Merit champion.
John Breeze joined the select band of Jack Driscoll, Andy Stevens and Jamie King in the 92-year history of the league when he triumphed again at Broseley late on Friday evening.
And in beating Paul Beer in the final of the Shropshire Vertidrain & Turf Services-backed singles knockout, the Newport star denied the Shifnal bowler his own piece of history as the first to win the Over-60 and Senior Merits in one year.
“John retained the Mid Shropshire Senior Merit with a clinical display of bowling in the final against the Over 60s champion Paul Beer,” said league competition secretary Rob Burroughs.
“He raced 17-2 up in the final after losing the first end and, despite Paul getting back in, he couldn’t get a run going and John won 21-9.
“In the semi-finals John beat Chris Lodge (Madeley CC) to 14 after going 9-4 and 16-7 up while Paul defeated Simon Madeley (Sinclair) 21-18 in a close game, trailing 8-4 early on and then 16-15.”
A sunshine evening saw 16 qualifiers from a huge entry of 79 contest the title in front of a big crowd, three of the quarter-final ties going all the way down to the wire with 21-20 cards.
Those scores were: Lodge 21 Roy Bradburn (St Georges) 20; Breeze 21 Sian Skelton (Wrockwardine Wood) 20; Beer 21 Les Mumford (Madeley CC) 15; Madeley 21 Darrell Handley (Shifnal) 20.
n A pair from top Shropshire club Sir John Bayley landed the first Donnington Wood two-bowler team title.
County senior team-mates Scott Harries and Dan Taylor shared a £360 first prize thanks to victory over recent Fleetwood Open Pairs winners Chris Stretch and Joe Killen.
Taylor beat Stretch (Adderley) 21-11 in Saturday night’s climax and Harries got the better of Killen (St Georges) 21-12 to seal a 19-chalk inaugural success.
“In the semi-finals Scott beat Dave East 21-11 from just 11-9 up after Paul Busby had defeated Dan 21-14 from 14 across,” said promoter Rob Burroughs.
“The other semi saw Joe and Chris get past Jesse James and Kiah Roberts (Burway) after Joe beat Jesse 21-9 from 6-3 down and despite Kiah defeating Chris to 19.”
