CHRISTIE MILLER and Clarrie Dunbar teams are through to the latter stages in the English Indoor National Championships, but there was no joy for North Wilts.

The trio from the Melksham club of Ron Morland, Nigel Price and Andy Moore won the Area 30 final in the Men’s Over 50 Triples, beating John Gover’s triple from Clevedon 22-17 to book a place in the national last 32 in Northampton from February 15-17.

Joining them in Northampton will be the Mixed Fours team from Clarrie Dunbar of Debbie Shadwell, Kim Smith, Graham Shadwell and skip Russell Francis.

They appeared to be cruising to victory in the Area 30 Mixed Fours final staged at Cotswold (Stroud), but then had to hold on for a very nail biting victory.

Francis’ rink made an excellent start and led 9-4 at ten ends and had extended the advantage to 16-6 at 15.

But then their Bristol opponents skipped by Ryan Collier came roaring back to cut the deficit to 18-13 at 18 ends and win the last three ends as well but Francis’ quartet just held on to win 18-17.

They now progress to Northampton and the last 32 stage which is scheduled to be played between February 16-18.

Kim Smith missed out 24 hours later on reaching Northampton in the Mixed Pairs also.

She and partner Andy Colbrooke went down 16-15 on an extra end to Bristol’s Ros Constant and Ryan Collier.

North Wilts hopes of reaching the final stages in the Men’s Over 60s Fours at Northampton were ended by a Bristol quartet.

Bob George, Richard Jennings, Colin Hicks and Malcolm Curtis despite leading 8-1 at five ends in the Area 30 final and 14-11 at 14 only collected one more shot in the last seven to lose 15-24.

NORTH WILTS ladies have been thwarted in the Area 30 women’ national championship finals with all three of their representatives losing out to Clevedon.

England junior international Stephanie Rose Branfield proved a big stumbling block, beating Sue Cooke 21-9 in the Area 30 ladies singles final, then teaming up with England U25 reserve Laura Holden to see off North Wilts’ Carol Grenfell and Janet Hardie lost 21-14 in the pairs final.

To complete an unfortunate a treble for the Chippenham-based club against Clevedon,Grenfell, Hardie and Alex Jacobs lost 18-15 to Holden, Jacqui Branfield and Stephanie Branfield.

North Wilts woes continued as Grenfell and Hardie went down 25-12 to the Nailsea duo of Barbara Steed and Muriel Lewis in the Over 60s Pairs.

In the Over 50s Two Wood Triples final at North Wilts, Jean Collier, Cooke and Jacobs lost 8-19 to the Bristol trio of Ros Constant, Joyce Parslow and Sue Osborne.

North Wilts ladies have battled their way through to the last eight in the Vivienne Trophy and will play East Dorset next Thursday (1.30pm).

THE men from North Wilts and Christie Miller will be in action on Sunday when they clash in the Wessex League.

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