Shropshire has run its inaugural Beginners Merit competition in response to the BCGBA launching a new Beginners Merit that attracted an entry of 13 of the county’s newest players to meet in Shrewsbury at Old Shrewsbury BC.
So that players would be given the chance to avoid being knocked out in their first games, I decided, with invaluable assistance from Shropshire Coach, Brenda Slingo, the players were drawn in to two groups, one on each green, and players would play a short, limited ends game against the others in their group in a “round robin” format where the top two players from each group would play in the eventual Semi-finals and Final.
Highlights from the groups
Group One
With all of the six players enjoying the success of winning a game, Harry Grimston came out topping the group as he won 4 out of 5 games with Salvatore Farruggio & Josh Williams winning 3 games each the group runner up was decided by Salvatore having the better aggregate score.
1 – Harry Grimston Played 5 Won 4 Points 8 agg +22
2 – Salvatore Farruggio Played 5 Won 3 Points 6 agg +07
3 – Josh Williams Played 5 Won 3 Points 6 agg -08
4 – Luca Moseley Played 5 Won 2 Points 4 agg -09
5 – Pippa Broadhouse Played 5 Won 2 Points 4 agg -14
6 – Jamie Pritchard Played 5 Won 1 Points 2 agg +02
Meanwhile
Group Two
Again, all of the seven group players achieved a win with, despite suffering a 0-13 drubbing in one of his games, saw Elias McNicol finish top with five wins followed by Mathew Parton, Jim Broadhouse & Charlotte Pritchard each winning three, however Mathew with two draws to Jim’s one draw saw him take the Runners Up place.
1 – Elias McNicol Played 6 Won 5 Drew 0 Points 10 +04
2 – Mathew Parton Played 6 Won 3 Drew 2 Points 08 +23
3 – Jim Broadhouse Played 6 Won 3 Drew 1 Points 07 +11
4 – Charlotte Pritchard Played 6 Won 3 Drew 0 Points 06 -03
5 – Pietro Farruggio Played 6 Won 2 Drew 1 Points 05 -16
6 – Jason Williams Played 6 Won 2 Drew 0 Points 04 -17
7 – Lorraine Hancock Played 6 Won 1 Drew 0 Points 02 -05
The top two players of each group switched green for their Semi-finals that saw on Green One, Harry Grimston play Salvatore Farruggio and Elias McNicol and Mathew Parton played each other on Green Two.
Semi-finals
Salvatore Farruggio, from 4-4 pushed hard to force himself up to a strong 17-8 lead before Harry Grimston began a fight back and closed to within 5 chalks trailing 13-18 but stalled allowing Salvatore the opportunity to finish the game 21-18.
Meanwhile
Elias McNicol had to work from 1-6 down to Mathew Parton and go in to a 13-6 lead and from 17-12, Elias took four single chalk ends to earn his ticket to the final winning 21-12.
The Final
The Final began with both players testing each other that saw Elias McNicol & Salvatore Farruggio share a 6-6(9ends) score line. However, Elias took control of the jack for nine of the next ten ends to race in to a strong 18-7(19ends) before Salvatore had a short four end run of his own that proved to be too little, too late as from 18-14(23ends), Elias secured his victory as he finished off the game winning 21-14(26ends).
Shropshire Competitions Secretary, Mike Potter thanked Old Shrewsbury BC for their hospitality and staging the event on their two greens along with Brenda Slingo’s valued assistance and Linda Potter for selling the football card that enabled a donation to be paid to the greenkeepers of O.S.B.C.
2025 County President, Simon Fullard was then asked to make the presentation of prize monies to the worthy winners.
Elias and Salvatore will represent Shropshire at the BCGBA Beginners Merit finals day in September where it is also hoped they will be joined by some or all of the five reserve players we have been asked to supply details of.
Congratulations to all.
MP
