With our Senior Merit just 6 days away at Sinclair, we look back at last year’s event, as written by Mike Potter our Competitions Secretary.
Shropshire Senior Individual Merit 2021 – Sunday 29th August 2021 – Nantwich Park Rd BC
Having lost all bowling in 2020, due to health & safety restrictions along with lockdowns placed on the country, there was an air of relief as County President, Wendy Icke welcomed everyone, albeit two months later than usual, to her choice of host venue, Nantwich Park Rd BC at 11am on mild. late Summer’s morning where the 32 qualifying players were to contest the finals day of the 2021 Shropshire Senior Individual Merit.
Our Finalists’ route to the Final
Round One
Being the first match taking to the green, Jack Hewitt made his intentions clear for all to see as he moved from 6-0 to 11-2 against a luckless, Martin Gaut who struggled to stop Jack as he took 8 double scoring ends on his way to a 21-8 win. Will Tarrell’s first game saw him face 2015 champion, Robert Roden in a very even game as their scores went 4-4, 7-7, 14-14 & 16-16. Then Will made a run to go 20-16 up, but Robert hit back to level 20-20. Eventually after 32ends, Will edged the 21-20.
Round Two
In his next game Jack trailed Andrew Judson 1-6 before gradually clawwing his way back to level 12-12 and pulled in to a 17-13 lead only to stall that allowed Andy to almost snatch victory by going 20-17 but Jack regained possession of the jack and scraped home in the 31st end to win 21-20. Meanwhile, Will was enduring a game where neither player could hold on to the jack against Matt Beeston, however from Matt leading 11-7, Will took control and after taking 9 consecutive ends ran out, winning 21-11.
Highlights from the quarter finals
Early exchanges saw Jack Hewitt tie 8-8(13ends) with Phil Jones before Will took 9 of the next 11 ends that took him in to a commanding 20-11 lead which he soon converted into a win, 21-12(26ends). David Lloyd took 9 unanswered ends to turn a 4-4 card into a strong 16-4 lead over Richard Lawson which proved to be enough of an advantage as the pair shared the remaining ends that saw David win through 21-13(27ends). A close game between Will Tarrell and Peter Farmer saw the scores go 4-4, 7-7, 12-12 until Will mad a run to go close 19-14, Peter responded to almost level that was too little, too late as Will finished it off 21-17(32ends). The game between Stuart Rutter and Gary Beff saw honours even at 12-12(15ends) until each had mini runs, Stuart moved onto 17-13 then Gary went to the edge 20-19 only to drop the last 2 ends for Stuart to win21-20(29ends)
Semi finals
Jack Hewitt and David Lloyd shared the first half of their game until from 12-11(17ends), David fought his way ahead to 18-13 then Jack hit back to level 19-19 and managed, just to get in 21-20(32ends). Meanwhile, Will Tarrell knew he was up against it in Stuart Rutter who dropped only 2 ends and was going well to lead 13-4(12ends) before Will, too began a run, dropping only 2 ends himself to force himself into a 16-15(22ends) and eventually got the better of Stuart to win 21-17(26ends)
The final
Jack Hewitt hit back hard to turn a 0-5 deficit into a very strong 15-8(15ends) lead over Will Tarrell mainly using a 30metre mark from near to a corner to just over the centre of the crown of the green. Although Will managed to change things to close the gap to 15-11, Jack showed he had learnt enough green knowledge to use turn over bowls to get the jack back and move on to 18-11(21ends) and eventually reached his goal, winning 21-13(26ends)
Earlier in the day, President, Wendy Icke was delighted to bestow awards of recognition upon three of the county’s stalwarts as deserving unsung heroes for their respective clubs.
Competition Secretary, Mike Potter thanked Nantwich Park Rd for their hospitality and staging the event on behalf of the SCGBA before inviting county President, Wendy Icke to make the presentations to the worthy prize winners and the superb winner’s cup to the 2021 Individual Merit Champion, from Hanmer BC, Jack Hewitt.
