John Breeze won the 2023 Shropshire Verti-Drain and Turf Services Senior Merit after beating John Roberts Jnr in the final 13. He was always ahead, leading 9-2 early on and held off any chance of a comeback, with John getting closest after a couple of good 2s at 18-13, but John then ran out on his favoured round pegs.
There will be pictures and thanks posted on here over the next few days.
Below are reports from the other games tonight.
Semi Finals
John Breeze was 7-0 up and then 16-3 on Greg Needham before winning 4.
John Roberts was 5-3 down on Andy Garbett before going 8-5 up. It then went to 12 across before John ran out.
Quarter Finals
Greg Needham went 7-1 up on his brother Angus Needham before Angus got back to 7-6 down. He then went 11-10 up and it was nip and tuck till 18 across before Greg scored a 1 and a 2 to win.
John Breeze and Phil Emery had an even game till 11 across when John went 15-11 up. Phil got back to 16-14 down but too many short bowls meant John won 14.
Andy Garbett was 9-4 up on Nick Marshall and kept this lead until Nick got back to 19 across. However Andy scored two singles to win.
John Roberts was 10-7 down on Pete Gaut before going 14-10 up. Pete then got back to 16-12 down but John ran out.
Last 16:
Angus Needham was 13-4 up on Harry Church before Harry got back to 14-12 down, however Angus read out.
Greg Needham was 7-1 up but was pegged back by Lee Parton to 9-8. However Greg then went 17-8 up and won 9.
Phil Emery was 5-1 down on Phil Jones but then went 13-5 up on a 25m mark over the crown. He kept this lead to win 12.
John Breeze was 5-0 and 12-2 up on Will O’Hara before Will got back to 14-9 down. But John then ran out.
Andy Garbett went 7-0 up on Graham Bleakley and despite Graham getting back to 10-8 down, Andy kept the advantage to win 14.
Nick Marshall was 5-0 up on Simon Hall but Simon hit back to go 7-5 up. He then went 15-11 up and then 20-17 before Nick ran out.
John Roberts went 9-3 down on Nick Mullinder but then went 10-9 up. He then went 18-14 up before winning 18.
Pete Gaut had a close game with Louise Cotton, trailing 10-6 but then going 14-12 up. Louise was 20-17 up before Pete finished it off with 2 doubles.