NORTH WILTS Ladies missed out on a place the Yetton Plate final, national inter-club team championship, at the end of the month in Northampton.

Despite leading 69-67 across the board at 18 ends they lost by seven shots (81-74) in their semi-final against Clacton & District side at Watford last Saturday.

The Westcroft (Chippenham) club took the honours on two of the four rinks, Fizz Mace and Alex Jacobs’ fours recording 13 and 12 shot victories respectively.

But there were 20 and 12 shot losses for Janet Hardie and Sue Cooke’s quartets .

Across the board North Wilts led 24-20 at five ends but then endured five poor ends to trail 52-35 at ten.

But the side dug deep and fought back brilliantly to edge in front across the board at 15 ends 63-60 and lead 69-67 at 18.

However, the Essex side produced a late flurry to snatch an 81-74 victory and a place in the final against Erewash (Long Eaton, Notts) on March 29 in Northampton.

Jacobs’ rink was always in command of their match leading 10-1 at five ends and 25-7 at 15 and finally won 25-13.

Mace’s victorious quartet were 7-6 down at five ends and 14-9 at ten but roared back to go 21-15 up at 15 and finally win their match 29-16.

However, Hardie’s rink struggled throughout trailing 7-3 at five ends, 18-3 at ten and eventually lost 27-7.

Alongside Cooke’s four were tied 5-5 at five ends, trailed 13-8 at ten but only 17-13 down at 18. However, they dropped a vital eight shots in their last three ends to finally lose 25-13.

It was a disappointing ending for the North Wilts ladies team but to have reached a national inter-club team championship semi-final is still a fine achievement and one they should be proud of.

RESULTS

Rink 2: Jan Tombs, Isabel Dawson, Kath Lloyd & Fizz Mace won 29-16. Rink 3: Molly Manning, Gillian Lillicrap, Barbara Shepheard & Janet Hardie lost 7-27. Rink 4: Norma Rowden, Jean Collier, Val Molton & Sue Cooke lost 13-25. Rink 5: Ann Roberts-Phare, Jane Taylor, Irene Button & Alex Jacobs won 25-13. Res: Viv Baskerville, Margret Walker and Carol Massey.

Score: North Wilts lost to Clacton & District 74-81.

WAYNE Snook was the best-placed North Wilts player competing last weekend in the Clarrie Dunbar Open Singles tournament, part of the planetbowls.com 2013/14 circuit.

After recording a first round 2-0 (8-2, 6-2) win over Bristol’s Tony Parsons he edged out Christie Miller Melksham’s Andy Moore coming from a set down to win on a tie breaker 2-1 (1-7, 9-4, 2-1).

Snook then accounted for Clarrie Dunbar player Craig Doughty 2-0 (8-3, 6-3) but went out in the quarter-finals beaten 2-1 by another Clarrie player Russell Francis losing out on a tie breaker (6-7, 8-4, 1-2).

Following on from the Dunbar tournament the second leg of the Wessex section of the planetbowls swing, the Bristol Open Singles, will be staged on Sunday, March 16.

The third and final leg of the Wessex swing sees North Wilts host an Open Singles tournament on Sunday, March 23.

A top class field has been assembled competing for a prize pot of over £2,200 with the winner of the event receiving £1,000.

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