The curtain came down on the League’s 2026 programme on a soggy but special night for 1 bowler.
Stuart Rutter won his 2nd League title in just 6 days when he added the Thursday Merit trophy on Newport No.1 to his triumph in the first Mid Shropshire Champion of Champions.
The Sir John Bayley man beat Sinclair star Peter Farmer, winner of the Newport Open last month, 21-16 in the Merit final in front of a decent number of spectators sheltering from the rain.
Stuart had won the delayed 2025 Thursday Merit final earlier in the season so had successfully defended the title.
The 8 finalists from an entry of 46 are PICTURED before the start at Newport and the full scores were:
| Final | |||||
| 1 | Stuart Rutter P | 21 | 16 | Peter Farmer | |
| Semi Finals | |||||
| 1 | Peter Farmer | 21 | 16 | Nick Mullinder | |
| 2 | Stuart Rutter P | 21 | 15 | Jamie Millman | |
| Quarter Finals | |||||
| 1 | Nick Mullinder | 21 | 14 | Nigel Ferrington | |
| 2 | Peter Farmer | 21 | 15 | Stuart Church | |
| 3 | Jamie Millman | 21 | 15 | Peter Millington | |
| 4 | Stuart Rutter P | 21 | 20 | Lee Walmsley | |