PURTON and Amesbury became the first clubs in the county to book a place at the 2013 Ladies National Championships at Royal Leamington Spa at the end of July.

They were victorious in the semi-finals of the Wiltshire ladies national fours championship held at Purton on Saturday.

Purton, winners of the county fours trophy on three occasions and Amesbury, whose only previous win was in 2002 will meet on finals day at Salisbury on Saturday, July 20.

More importantly the two foursomes will travel to Leamington to represent Wiltshire in the national championships.

Eight fours combinations had battled their way through to the latter stages of the county national fours at Purton last weekend.

In the top half of the draw Alison Fail’s rink comfortably won their quarter-final accounting for Amesbury, skipped by Janice Rowe 24-12, while Warminster led by Jo Dunford beat Alderbury 28-19.

In the semi-finals, Purton booked their place in the final over a battling Warminster team with a dramatic one shot victory on an extra end after the sides were tied 14-14 at 21 ends.

In the bottom half of the draw another Amesbury combination skipped by Joan Coleman recorded a handsome 26-9 win over Wroughton while Pat Edmond’s Wootton Bassett rink, aided by a last end count of three beat Stratton Churchway 20-17.

However, in the semi-final Wootton Bassett just missed out dropping a two on the last end to give second best to Joan Coleman and her Amesbury rink being pipped at the post 16-14.

The attention now switches from the fours to the ladies triples competition which commences in earnest this Friday, May 24.

FOURS RESULTS

Quarter-finals: Chris Mitchell, Julie Jones, Alison Fail & Carole Holland (Purton) beat Penny Cooper, Lyn Stanford, Pat Sharp & Janice Rowe (Amesbury) 24-12; Sadie Farrell, Sue Burgess, Cathy Hill & Jo Dunford (Warminster) beat Margaret Webber, Jean Duffield, Margaret Sweetman & Maureen Woolley (Alderbury) 28-19; Rose Ellis, Linda Hancock, Ann Richards & Joan Coleman (Amesbury) beat Bronwen Rees, Jill Webb, Carol Woodward & Babs Salter (Wroughton) 26-9; Ginny Nash, Maureen Rogers, Barbara Twine & Pat Edmonds (Wootton Bassett) beat Lil Dalrymple, Jan Bright, Mavis Wakefield & Mavis Morris (Stratton Churchway) 20-17.

Semi-finals: Alison Fail (Purton) beat Jo Dunford (Warminster) 15-14 (extra end); Joan Coleman (Amesbury) beat Pat Edmonds (WB) 16-14.

WILTSHIRE LADIES led by new president Margaret Annetts (Salisbury) have made an excellent start to the 2013 season with victories in their opening two matches.

On Tuesday they travelled to Topsham (Exeter) to face Cornwall in their first match in the defence of the South West Counties League crown.

The game was played in very difficult conditions with heavy rain from the start and resulted in an early finish with all of the six matches going to at least 13 ends.

Wiltshire led 29-26 across the board at five ends and 55-51 at ten but when a halt was called they were tied 84 shots each with Cornwall.

However, Wiltshire took the spoils as they won on two rinks (four points), drew on three (three points) and only lost on one. The overall score was tied at 84-84 (five points each) therefore Wiltshire won 12-10 on points.

RESULTS (skips only)

Rink 1: Marguerite Alexander drew with T Prime 14-14 (15 ends); Rink 2: Alex Jacobs drew with N Gilbert 17-17 (15 ends); Rink 3: Fizz Mace beat M Johnson 23-8 (14 ends); Rink 4: Maureen Woolley drew with G Thomas 15-15 (14 ends); Rink 5: Wendy Anderson beat M Carthew 11-10 (13 ends); Rink 6: Doris Woodley lost to E Bray 4-20.

Scores: Wiltshire drew with Cornwall 84-84 but won 12-10 on points.

TWENTY-FOUR hours later Annetts led her Wiltshire representative side to a 124-108 victory over West Glamorgan in her first county friendly of the season at Box Bowls Club.

In sharp contrast to the previous day the weather was greatly improved with Wiltshire winning on three rinks, drawing on one and losing on the other two.

And in the battle of the presidents Annetts took the honours by five shots on rink three.

RESULTS

Rink 1: Delia Godwin drew with Y Davies 18-18; Rink 2: Babs Salter lost to J Amos 18-25; Rink 3: Margaret Annetts beat M Davies 22-17; Rink 4: Maureen Woolley lost to G Thomas 15-20; Rink 5: Sandra Bartlett beat M Cowley 24-11; Rink 6: Marian Menzies beat W Evans 27-17.

Scores: Wiltshire beat West Glamorgan 124-108.

MORE SPORTS NEWS & PICTURES IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES