British Senior Merit draw

The draw for the 2018 BCGBA British Senior Merit (sponsored by Total Insignia Ltd and Dales) has been published and sees a number of intriguing games. On Saturday 28th July the bowling world will head to Warrington and the Grange Sports Club for what should be a fantastic day of top class bowls.

Darren Plenderleith in the 2017 final against Ross Meese

This event will also be broadcast by Globegig on this link (Live Stream) and should bring the excitement direct to you.

BCGBA President Keith Andrews will be hoping his players, County Champion Ian Inman, Neil Bithell, John Durrands and Andrew Wightman do him and his county proud.

Reigning champion, North Midlands Darren Plenderleith has a tough clash with Peter Dunkley as does last year’s runner-up Ross Meese who plays North Lancs star Simon Coupe.

Wayne Ditchfield
Simon Coupe

Wayne Ditchfield has tasted success regularly this season and will surely start as one of the favourites but he faces a tough games against the experienced and battle hardened Andrew Sykes. A game sure to draw the attention of the expected large crowd is Chris Mordue against Callum Wraight in a game of seasoned competition winners.

The full draw:

1.  Gerald Merry (Cheshire) v 2. Daniel Varcoe (Cumbria)
3. Mick Andrews (Merseyside) v 4. Craig Podmore (Potteries)
5. John Kennish (IOM) v 6.  Craig Richardson (Wales)
7. Wayne Ditchfield (North Lancs & Fylde) v 8. Andrew Sykes (Yorkshire)
9. John Greenhalgh (Yorkshire) v 10. Dougan Tubey (Derbyshire)
11. Neil Bithell (Lancashire) v 12. Wayne Phillips (Shropshire)
13. Chris Heyes (Gtr Manchester) v 14. John Bailey (Wales)
15. Steve Pratt (North Midlands) v 16. Elliot McGuinness (W&W)
17. Neale Charlton (Wales) v 18. Tom Eccles (Gtr Manchester)
19. Lee Heaton (North Lancs & Fylde) v 20. Carl Fielding (W&W)
21. Tommy Johnstone (Cheshire) v 22. Ryan Clark (South Yorkshire)
23. Peter Clark (Yorkshire) v 24. Paul Lamb (North Midlands)
25. David East (Staffordshire) v 26. Neil Desmond (Derbyshire)
27. John Durrands (Lancashire) v 28. Gareth Gwilliam (Gtr Manchester)
29. John Worsnop (Yorkshire) v 30. Spencer Clark (Shropshire)
31. Peter Dunkley (W&W) v 32. Darren Plenderleith (North Midlands)
33. James Seville (W&W) v 34. Nick Wyer (Staffordshire)
35. Chris Mordue (Yorkshire) v 36. Callum Wraight (Shropshire)
37. Nigel Illiff (Derbyshire) v 38. Karl Shanks (North Midlands)
39. Andrew Wightman (Lancashire) v 40. Andy Raymond (Gtr Manchester)
41. Dean Ferris (Gtr Manchester) v 42. Mike Chamberlain (Wales)
43. Craig Gant (Yorkshire) v 44. George Chapman (North Midlands)
45. John Gurney (Cheshire) v 46. Ross Dunkley (W&W)
47. Ross Meese (South Yorkshire) v 48. Simon Coupe (North Lancs & Fylde)
49. Glenn McCafferty (Yorkshire) v 50. Ben Stapleton (Gtr Manchester)
51. Mark Blackmore (North Midlands) v 52. Steve Freer (W&W)
53. Ed Furniss (Derbyshire) v 54. Ian Inman (Lancashire)
55. Tony Rhodes (Shropshire) v 56. Chris Ward (Staffordshire)
57. Danny Barwise (Merseyside) v 58. Connor Chamberlain (Derbyshire)
59. Danny Rogers (Cumbria) v 60. Philip Holroyd (Yorkshire)
61. Peter Hulse jnr (Potteries) v 62. Colin Kelly (IOM)
63. Ashley Wellings (Shropshire) v 64. Mathew Worden (Wales)

About Steve Davies 172 Articles
Throughout his bowling career Steve has always supported the admin side of the game as well as a keen player of the game. As a club secretary, association secretary, county delegate on the BCGBA (National Governing Body) Management Committee, Media Officer for the BCGBA, Merseyside champion in 2002 and Merseyside County President (2014-15) Steve has always been keen to promote the game especially through the broadcast of the game on TV or Internet. Steve set up the LIVE BOWLS YouTube channel which became the Bowls Observer channel and, through the LDBA, runs national competitions. Seeing an avenue to report on and promote the game Steve set up the Bowls Observer on-line magazine.