Barlows Fire & Security Senior Merit: 1 Day to Go – Preview

The Barlows Fire & Security Senior Merit takes place today with 32 hopefuls hoping to win the Charles Beddard Trophy. A quarter of the field have won a Merit, with 7 of them winning this one, and they would all love to retain it. Derek Wright won it back in 1994, on this very green, so is the only course and distance specialist on this green! He has Matt Beeston first round who has established himself in the Premier League side at Hanmer this season. Keith Pessall also won this in the 1990s back in 1998, and would love to roll back the years again, he has Russell Pugh first game who has impressed in the Castlefields Premier League side this season. Three time winner Callum Wraight is favourite but has a tough opener against Liam Stevens who is enjoying a good season in the Premier League so far. Rich Goddard is in impressive form and the two time winner has another Merit winner in Dan Taylor, who won the Staffordshire Merit in 2016. Spencer Clarke is another two time winner, winning it in 2018 and 2019, and opens up against Aaron King, who is a two time winner of the Junior Merit. Pete Farmer has won this competition four times, with another four final appearances to his name, and plays Chris Jones first game who has started playing Premier League bowls this season with Meole Brace. Charlie Weaver won this 21 years ago on Cravern Arms, and has Dave Redge first game, who has established himself at Meole Brace over the last few years.

Mike Beer lost one of those finals to Pete Farmer in 2006, and will be looking to go one better starting with a first round game against Harry Parsonage, who is consistently playing Premier League bowls with Burway. Rich Lawson is another former finalist, and plays Simon Rhodes first game, who has plenty of experience for qualifying in this competition. Paul Williams has been a former Semi Finalist in this, and plays Sir John Bayley captain Chris Worthington. Just above them in the draw is Chris’ team mate Dave Lloyd who plays Anthony Gray. Andy Judson has plenty of competition experience but has the experienced John Clarke first game, while Rob Burroughs is another with that comp experience and plays youngster Josh Warner first game. Mark Shore is back from holiday in time to face Josh Bradburn, who will be looking to make his mark on this competition having won the Shropshire Premier Bowling League Merit before. Adam Jones has become a solid player with Castlefields and plays Steve Downs, who plays for the first time in the finals. At the very bottom of the draw is Ben Hinton and Tim Jordan playing in the finals for the first time, Ben having won the Junior Merit before.

It promises to be a cracking day of action starting at 11 a.m. at Sinclair Bowling Club. TF1 5AD. Admission is £2 with a 20 page programme.

Live scores are here.

There may be some live action later on in the competition on the Facebook Page.

Good luck to all players involved.