THE LAST two places to represent Wiltshire in the main events at the ladies national championships at Royal Leamington Spa were decided last Saturday at Spencer Melksham.

Geraldine Reade (Westlecot) and Rose Ellis (Amesbury) emerged victorious from the quarter and semi-finals of the county ladies singles championship and will meet in the final at Westlecot this Saturday – but more importantly will represent the county at Leamington in early August.

Reade and Ellis eliminated Box duo Alex Jacobs and Jean Collier.

In the bottom half of the draw Jacobs trailed Ellis 10-5 at ten ends but edged 12-11 ahead at 17, however, Ellis then scored nine shots in the next four to lead 20-12 at 21 and two ends later clinched a 22-14 win.

In the other quarter-final match Linda Kingston (Highworth) led Janice Bull (Amesbury) 18-8 at 18 ends and finally beat her 21-14.

In the semi-final, Ellis was always in charge leading 18-10 at 15 ends before Kingston rallied to cut the final deficit to 21-16.

The top half saw Collier lead Reade early on 4-3 at five ends but trail 10-5 at ten, 16-6 at 15 and finally lost 21-13.

In the other game Wanborough’s Julia Hunt blitzed Jean Renicks (North End) 21-3 in just 14 ends.

However in the semi-final Reade always had the upper hand and led Hunt 9-2 at nine ends and 13-5 at 14 but Hunt fought back to cut the gap to only 13-11 at 18 but then promptly dropped a four on the next and lost finally 21-12 after 22 ends.

The semi-finals in the junior ladies singles (U25s) were also played at Spencer Melksham last Saturday.

They saw the holder, Wootton Bassett’s Lucy Smith always in control against her younger sister Katy. She led 7-2 at five ends, 13-4 at 11, 18-7 at 15 and finally won 21-11 after 21 ends.

In the other semi-final Joanna Richman blasted Rachel Martin away. She led 12-2 at five ends and won 22-4 after only 12 ends.

Smith and Richman meet in the U25 junior singles final at Westlecot this weekend and will represent Wiltshire at Leamington in this U25 event.

RESULTS Singles quarter-finals Jean Renicks (Swindon North End) lost to Julia Hunt (Wanborough) 3-21; Geraldine Reade (Westlecot) beat Jean Collier (Box) 21-13; Alex Jacobs (Box) lost to Rose Ellis (Amesbury) 14-21; Janice Bull (Amesbury) lost to Linda Kingston (Highworth) 14-21.

Semi-finals G Reade beat J Hunt 21-12; R Ellis beat L Kingston 21-16.

Junior singles semi-finals Lucy Smith (Wootton Bassett) beat Katy Smith (WB) 21-11; Joanna Richman (Highworth) beat Rachel Martin (Purton) 22-4.

TEN CLUBS will be represented at the Bowls Wiltshire Ladies finals day being held at Westlecot on Saturday.

Only two of the clubs, Wootton Bassett and Highworth, will compete in more than one of the six events to be decided.

Bassett trio Maureen Rogers, Charlie Harding and Doris Woodley face Spencer Melksham’s Jenny Couch, Marilyn Jay and Delia Godwin in the afternoon triples final.

Bassett’s other representative Lucy Smith will be bidding to retain her U25 singles crown against Highworth’s Joanna Richman, the only player in two finals as she competes in the afternoon fours final for her club.

Devizes duo Bev Little and Sheila Garlick make their first appearance in a county pairs final when they face Jacki Pearce and Janet Willis from Stratton Churchway.

And for the first time in recent season’s Box, who have been regarded as Wiltshire’s strongest ladies’ club, only have an interest in one county final with Sue Cooke facing Babs Salter in the two wood singles.

PROGRAMME

County ladies finals at Westlecot, Saturday, July 26

10.30am - Four Wood Singles: Geraldine Reade (Westlecot) v Rose Ellis (Amesbury) Junior Singles (U25): Lucy Smith (Wootton Bassett) v Joanna Richman (Highworth).

11am - Two Wood Singles: Babs Salter (Wroughton) v Sue Cooke (Box).

12.30pm - Pairs: Jacki Pearce & Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway) v Bev Lilley & Sheila Garlick (Devizes).

1.30pm - Triples: Maureen Rogers, Charlie Harding & Doris Woodley (W Bassett) v Jenny Couch, Marilyn Jay & Delia Godwin (Spencer Melksham); Fours: Chris Mitchell, Sue Crouch, Julie Jones & Alison Fail (Purton) v Maggie Jordan, Joy Evans, Jo Richman & Linda Kingston (Highworth)

4pm approx - Presentations

WILTSHIRE Ladies South-West Counties side continued their winning run with a narrow 112-108 victory over Devon.

They led across the board for most of the home match played at Salisbury being 34-17 up at five ends, 63-46 at ten and 86-73 at 15.

However, they then had an extremely poor spell only scoring six shots but dropping 24 to trail 97-92 at 18 ends.

A late flourish though saw them turn the tide picking up 20 shots in the last three ends and only conceding 11 to record a four shots win.

Rink honours were shared three-all resulting in Wiltshire collecting 16 out of the 22 points on offer for the match.

Wiltshire’s three winning rinks were skipped by Delia Godwin who led the way by a 13 shots margin, while skip Maureen Woolley won by seven shots and Margaret Annetts by five shots.

This latest success maintains Wiltshire ladies high standing in the South West Counties League table.

RESULTS

Rink 1: Margaret Annetts beat J Martin 21-16; Rink 2: Sue Ochyra lost S Devonport 13-23; Rink 3: Sue Cooke lost to L Heley 16-22; Rink 4: Maureen Woolley beat J Hiles 22-15; Rink 5: Joan Coleman lost to M Thomas 17-22; Rink 6: Delia Godwin beat C King 23-10.

Score: Wiltshire beat Devon 112 (16pts) – 108 (6pts).

MORE BOWLS NEWS & PICTURES IN THIS WEEK'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND WILTSHIRE TIMES