NORTH Wilts ladies and Clarrie Dunbar mixed side are the only local clubs still with an interest remaining in national team competitions.

The ladies at North Wilts, Chippenham, have reached round four in the Mason Trophy, O60 ladies double rinks competition, while Clarrie Dunbar are through to the quarter-finals in the mixed Top Club.

North Wilts have beaten Purnell 42-26 and Clevedon 49-31, then in round three they thumped neighbours Christie Miller 53-29 to book a round four slot against Taunton Deane o Friday - one rink home and away.

Clarrie Dunbar were losing finalists to Swale (Kent) in the mixed Top Club final last season and this season have blitzed Purnell 14-2, Malvern Hills 16-0 and Westlecot 16-0.

At the end of January, they accounted for Victory (Portsmouth) 12-4 in round four to book an away quarter-final place against top Devon side Torquay United on April 15.

Meanwhile, in Area 16 in the men’s and ladies’ national championship events, locals are well represented.

In the triples final staged at Westlecot last Sunday, Craig Hadfield-Doughty, Russell Francis and Graham Shadwell beat Marcus and Neil Smith and Mike Holmes (Malvern Hills) 20-12.

They now go into an inter-final against the Area 17 winners for a last 16 place at Melton & District in late March.

Francis and Shadwell are also through to the pairs final and were due to play earlier in the week, as was Shadwell in the area singles final against Malvern Hills’ Mark Atkins.

In the men’s O60s singles, Keith Bailey (Clarrie Dunbar) lost to Martin Smith (Malvern Hills), while Clarrie’s John Freeman and colleague are due to play Martin Smith and his partner in the pairs final.

And in the O50s triples, the Moores trio from Christie Miller of Chris, Steve and Andy are due to play a trio from Malvern in the final.

In the ladies national championships, Alex Jacobs (North Wilts) is through to the area singles final after a 21-12 win over Sheila Short (Clevedon). She will now meet Gill Fry (MidGlos) or Teresa King (Clarrie Dunbar).

After a 21-10 win over Pamela Harris (Malvern H), Fizz Mace and her North Wilts partner will meet either Dunbar’s Jo Dunford or Stefanie Branfield (Clevedon) and their respective partners in the pairs area final.

The Clarrie Dunbar team of Debbie Shadwell, Thelma Bailey and Jeanette Wheeler are through to the triples final and will play Maryann Pye’s trio from MidGlos.

While in the area fours final, Marcia Hartley’s team are due to face either Maryann Pye’s four from Mid Glos or a quartet from Malvern Hills led by Pamela Harris.

And in the two-bowl singles, Clarrie’s Thelma Bailey is into the final after beating Alex Jacobs 21-13 and will play either Clevedon’s Margaret Dyer or Jean Collier (North Wilts).