BOWLS Wiltshire men’s annual tour this year was a successful President’s tour to Devon which also brought to an end the series of special matches to celebrate the county’s centenary.

Under the stewardship of 2014 county men’s president Dave Richards (Trowbridge Westbourne) a total of four games were played over a long weekend with the touring party of 33 who were based in Exmouth winning two matches and losing two.

Besides the current president, the touring party consisted of eight former men’s presidents, a Bowls England director, several county officials, and other players from around the county with 17 Wiltshire clubs represented in total.

The opening day saw Wiltshire Tourists face local Exmouth club Madeira by the seafront but lost narrowly by four shots 109-105 despite sharing the rink honours 3-3.

The victorious rinks were skipped by Keith Hutchens and Dave Royle, who both recorded 13 shot wins and Howard Pryse who won by five shots.

On day two Wiltshire tourists recorded a heavy loss as they were thumped by a strong Bowls Devon representative side 143-98.

However, they did manage a lone rink success as Howard Pryse’s quartet won by six shots meanwhile Dan Harvey’s four came from 21-19 down at 18 ends to draw 22-22.

The next day, Sunday, the tourists finally found the winning formula as they defeated Ottery St Mary by 12 shots as they ran-out 113-101 victors although rink honours were shared 3-3.

Top skips on the day were Keith Hutchens again (18 shots), Tudor Lloyd (15 shots) and Royle (three shots).

And the winning formula was continued on the final day at Shaftesbury on the way home where the Moonrakers registered a comprehensive 135-109 victory.

It was a fitting way to conclude the 2014 tour and special matches as Shaftesbury, who were originally members of the Wiltshire men’s Bowling Association prior to the formation of the Dorset County Bowls Association in 1921, are also celebrating their centenary this year.

The Moonrakers took the honours against Shaftesbury winning on four of the rinks and only losing on two of them.

Howard Pryse’s quartet and Dave Royle’s four who came from 23-10 down at 15 ends to only lose by a single shot were the only rinks to suffer a defeat.

Top rink was the foursome of Tom Phillips, Bernard Crabb, Tudor Lloyd and skip Steve Rose who won by 26 shots – the biggest winning margin recorded by any of the rinks during the tour.

Also skipping their fours to victory at Shaftesbury were Dan Harvey (ten shots), Ray Fernandes (five) and Keith Hutchens (three).

The win at Shaftesbury maintained Chippenham Park’s Hutchens unbeaten skip record of three out of three while Pryse won two out of three and Royle two out of four but star of the show on the last day was undoubtedly Steve Rose who on the only occasion he skipped won his match by the very healthy margin of 26 shots.

Next year Wiltshire men’s annual UK tour will be a past president’s tour to Worcestershire and based in Worcester as 2015 Bowls Wiltshire men’s president Richard Gardiner (Supermarine) has opted for a mixed tour abroad early in the season.

Dave Richards final task as the 2014 county men’s president, before handing over the chain of office to Gardiner, is to present the prizes to all of the county men’s championship and competition winners at the annual dinner and presentation evening at the Assembly Hall, Melksham, on Saturday, November 1.

The President’s Devon tour also raised the handsome sum of £600 for the county men’s benevolent fund.

2014 Wiltshire Tourists: Doug Bartlett (Blue Circle), Ken Bray (Avon), Alec Burden (Amesbury), Bernard Crabb (Malmesbury), Dave Eaton (Shrivenham & WB), Malcolm Ellis (Marlborough), Ray Fernandes (Swindon), Ian Francis, Roger Green, (both Spencer Moulton), Cliff Gumm (Winsley), Mike Hallam (Downton),Dan Harvey (Rodbourne Cheney), Vic Hilton (Wootton Bassett), Frank Hinchliffe (Westlecot), Keith Hutchens (Chippenham Park), Keith Jopling (WB), Tudor Lloyd (S’don), John Northover (Chippenham T), Jack Peterson, Tom Phillips (both Supermarine), Howard Pryse (S’don), Brian Raymond (Chip T), Dave Royle, Steve Rose (both RC), Ron Salsbury (W’lecot), Colin Sheppard (Ames), Frank Smith (Cricklade), John Snell (Alderbury), Andy Watson (S’don), Eddie Wells (C’lade), Barry and Ross Wheeler (S’don); John Wilks (WB).

RESULTS

Maderia BC (at Exmouth) Rink 1: Keith Hutchens beat I Thoorvson 23-10; Rink 2: Ray Fernandes lost to R Burch 15-26; Rink 3: Howard Pryse beat D MacAllay 22-17; Rink 4: Andy Watson lost to G Darke 10-29; Rink 5: Dan Harvey lost to R Finch 14-19; Rink 6: Dave Royle beat C Skinner 21-8.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Madeira 105-109.

v Bowls Devon Men (at Topsham), Rink 1: Tudor Lloyd lost to S Symons 16-29; Rink 2: Ian Francis lost to H Riley 18-20; Rink 3: D Harvey drew with D Raddon 22-22; Rink 4: Dave Richards lost to M Theedom 8-34; Rink 5: H Pryse beat E Melluish 20-14; Rink 6: D Royle lost to E Edworthy 14-24.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Bowls Devon Men 98-143.

v Ottery St Mary BC (at Ottery St Mary) Rink 1: T Lloyd beat E Saunders 28-13; Rink 2: K Hutchens beat M Parker 28-10; Rink 3: D Royle beat G Kille 16-13; Rink 4: Vic Hilton lost to T House 18-21; Rink 5: D Richards lost to N Lawrence 14-20; Rink 6: D Harvey lost to M Smith 9-24.

Score: Wiltshire beat Ottery St Mary 113-101.

v Shaftesbury BC (at Shaftesbury) Rink 1: K Hutchens beat S Butler 20-17; Rink 2: D Royle lost to J Sainsbury 22-23; Rink 3: D Harvey beat B Dowell 27-17; Rink 4: H Pryse lost to R Alford 13-30; Rink 5: Ray Fernandes beat C Battell 18-13; Rink 6: Steve Rose beat S Thompson 35-9.

Score: Wiltshire beat Shaftesbury 135-109.

THE 2014 OUTDOOR season draws to a close this weekend with clubs staging a traditional end of season drive.

However, the winter indoor season began this week with the commencement of the numerous winter leagues but the national competitions do not start for another fortnight.

On the Wessex League front Chippenham-based North Wilts men will initially play in a seven team Central Section and face Bristol, Christie Miller, Clarrie Dunbar, Nailsea, Purnell and Thornbury.

This section begins on Sunday, October 19, but with there being seven teams it is North Wilts turn to firstly sit on the side lines and they do not start their 2014/15 campaign until November 23 when they face Bristol – two rinks at home and two away.