17. Spencer Clarke
Club: Sir John Bayley
Qualifier: Beat Scott Harries 14 at Allscott
Spencer won this competition back in 2018 and 2019, beating Callum Wraight in the Final both times. This can’t happen this time, but they could meet in the second round. Spencer will know the Sinclair green well, and despite a poor start to the season, he is now gaining some form going into this.
18. Aaron King
Club: Newport
Qualifier: Beat Chris Newbrook 8 at Edgmond
Aaron has returned to form this season at his new home of Newport after a few indifferent seasons after making his mark at Bowring and earning two caps at Senior County level. He won the Junior Merit twice, and could be one of the few to have won both competitions.
19. Callum Wraight
Club: Castlefields
Qualifier: Beat Andy Marshall 8
Callum is the favourite understandably for his fourth Merit crown, and will be despite to win this one for the first time since 2016. He has a tough quarter though, but his form this season having won both Meole and Burway opens as well as other open competitions, means he won’t be phased.
20. Liam Stevens
Club: Wrockwardine Wood
Qualifier: Beat Dale Rudrum 14 at Allscott
Liam has come back to the form that he had when he was younger before taking a break from the game for university and work. He won the SPBL Merit in 2019, and has only lost 2 games this season so far in the Premier League, meaning he is in form going into this competition. He will know the green well as well as enjoying playing it.
21. Michael Beer
Club: Castlefields
Qualifier: Beat Adie Rowe 8 at Monkmoor
Mike hasn’t come close to winning this since reaching this final in 2006, but has the talent to do so. He has won the Champion of Champions after winning the Talbot Trophy, and is consistently at the top of the Premier League Averages season on season. He has an excellent record in the county side too, and has won the County Handicap 3 times.
22. Harry Parsonage
Club: Burway
Qualifier: Beat Liam Page at Bayston Hill
Harry has broken into the Burway side in the Premier League and that experience will put him in good stead for this competition. He was one of the key players for Shropshire Juniors over the years, and surely will get some wise words from his Dad, who won this competition back in 1997.
23. Simon Rhodes
Club: Bylet
Qualifier: Beat Kane Beaman
Simon has qualified many times for this competition but has yet to make his mark on it. He has been a solid player for a number of years at Wrockwardine Wood, St Georges and now Bylet in their Premier League teams.
24. Rich Lawson
Club: Hanwood
Qualifier: Beat Clay Flattley 17 at District
Rich has been a finalist twice, in 1985 and 2001, and has the experience and talent to go one further this time around. He has been an ever stay of the county team over the last few years, having now moved to play at Hanwood after being at Bowring for a number of years. He won the County Handicap three times in a row.
25. Peter Farmer
Club: St Georges
Qualifier: Beat Akeel Khan at Edgmond
Pete has won this competition four times, also reaching the final on another four occasions, so knows how to win this. He hasn’t done so since 2007 though, but is still a consistent performer on the Premier League and County stage, having now moved back to St Georges after spells at Childs Ercall and Newport.
26. Chris Jones
Club: Meole Brace
Qualifier: Beat Nick Davies at Bayston Hill
Chris Jones is enjoying an excellent first season in the Premier League at Meole Brace after moving there from the Prince Hotel. He helped the Juniors to success in 2006, and is now proving himself at the very top level.
27. Russell Pugh
Club: Castlefields
Qualifier: Beat Jesse James 14 at Monkmoor
Russell has had a good season having established himself in the Castlefields Premier League side after a number of years in and out of the side. He has won 9 out of 12 games so far, which is the amount he won in the entire 2015 season.
28. Keith Pessall
Club: Sir John Bayley
Qualifier: Beat Harry Ryder 10 at Allscott
Keith has returned to the big stage for the first time in about 20 years, and on his return to the game has shown he can win the big competitions, having won the Jack & Jean Isherwood Veterans Championship last season at Prees. He won this back in 1998, and would love to roll back the years again today, but it all depends on how the knees hold out!
29. Matthew Beeston
Club: Hanmer
Qualifier: Beat Martin Lloyd 17 at Joules
Matt had a fine win in the qualifier beating former winner Martin Lloyd to get through. He has established himself at Hanmer in the Premier League team having come through the ranks at District, and then having played at Wem USC for a few games in the league before.
30. Derek Wright
Club: Wem USC
Qualifier: Beat Scott Moseley 20 at Joules
Derek is the only player here that has won this competition on Sinclair back in 1994, and would love to roll back the years till then. He has been a consistent performer for Wem USC over their stay in the Premier League, as well as reaching 100 caps for the Senior County side.
31. Ben Hinton
Club: Chester Road
Qualifier: Beat Will Brookes 19 at Joules
Ben won the Junior Merit back in 2019 after being a key Junior for Shropshire, and has now graduated from District into the Chester Road Premier League side, gaining much experience playing in that league.
32. Tim Jordan
Club: Hadnall
Qualifier: Beat Jack Purcell 6 at District
Tim made a late switch to play for Hadnall after having played Premier League bowls at Meole Brace recently. He has gained more experience playing for the North Shropshire Parks side lately.
