Marshall steps up for more Merit age-group success in Shropshire

One year on from being crowned the county’s Junior Merit champion, the Castlefields youngster won the Shropshire 18-23 Merit at Trench.

Having reached the quarter-finals of the Senior Merit at Bowring the previous weekend and losing to eventual winner Josh Bradburn, Marshall was not to be denied on Saturday.

He came out on top of eight entries on a showery day with victory over Harry Parsonage of Burway in the final.

“From 3-3, Rhys forged himself into a good 10-4 lead that Harry countered as he nearly levelled at 12-13,” said county comps chief Mike Potter.

“Rhys changed on to a corners mark that took him to the brink at 20-12 before Harry responded by taking three single chalks, but Rhys finally crossed the winning line 21-15 after 30 ends.”

Trench club secretary Dave Evans and treasurer Lucy, his daughter, made the presentations and Marshall and Parsonage will represent the county in the British finals day at Florence Private in Stoke on August 11.

Two past Shropshire Junior Merit winners lost in the semi-finals, Ben Hinton 21-12 against Marshall and Joe Killen 21-11 to Parsonage.

England’s footballers in Germany 1, Mid Shropshire bowls knockout 0.

That’s the result the league’s competition secretary Rob Burroughs expects tonight when it should be last-16 time in the Harris Cup.

He is pretty sure most teams, including Hadley USC who beat Horsehay’s Premier side in the last round of the five home-five away knockout, will take the chance to switch the date of the ties.

“Due to England playing at 8pm (in the Euro semi-finals against Netherlands), clubs can move their games to be played earlier tonight or anytime before Thursday, July 25 – that’s in time for the Harris Shield first round on Wednesday, July 31,” he said. “Both clubs must agree and I need to be informed of the new date.”

But one event that definitely goes ahead tomorrow is at Newport where Shropshire host the regional round of the British veterans county championship in a round robin format that also includes Staffordshire, Warwick & Worcester and North Midlands.

It’s rare for a team to resign so far into the bowling season – but that’s exactly what has happened in Shropshire’s longest-running league.

With the campaign at the halfway stage, Cynwyd have pulled a side out of the Oswestry League’s evening divisions.

“Unfortunately Cynwyd C have had to withdraw from division five and this will create a bye in place of their planned fixtures,” said a league spokesperson.

But Oswestry’s competitions have been going well this year and the Mixed Pairs is next up on Sunday at Overton from 10am,entries (£10) to Roger Candlin on 07398 444248 by Thursday night.

Then on Friday it is quarter-finals time at neutral venues in the Peter Kendall Shield and Gwynfor Hughes Cup for veterans teams, both being two doubles and three singles ties.