HOLDERS Holt, Chippenhan Town and two trios from Wootton Bassett have qualified for the men’s county triples championship semi-finals.

They all booked their places in the last four at Chippenham Town on Sunday, June 14, with victories in the quarter-finals at Westlecot last Friday.

The Holt team of Wayne Simmonds, Wayne Snook and Ben Gadd are still on course to retain their crown after defeating Craig Morphet’s threesome from the host club 20-14.

Another Westlecot triple, skipped by county stalwart Mel Biggs, also bit the dust as Chippenham Town’s Steve Heseltine pulled off a shock 21-10 victory, gaining revenge for being ousted by Biggs in the fours quarter-finals three days earlier.

The trio of Andy Blake, Will Jones and Heseltine only led 6-5 after five ends, but gradually pulled away to a 21-10 success and only allowed Biggs four winning ends in the 16 that were played.

Wootton Bassett triples, skipped by Gary Morphet and Dave Godwin, claimed the other two semi-final places.

Morphet’s trio easily saw off the challenge from Spencer Moulton's Peter Hooley, Ian White and Nick Grenfell 26-12, being greatly aided by a count of eight on the 13 end when tied 12-12 after 12.

Despite leading 22-15 at 15 ends Godwin’s trio had to stave off the fightback from Nick Revell’s Amesbury team to win 22-19 at 18 ends.

In the semi-finals the two Bassett triples teams have been drawn against each other, while Holt will face Chippenham Town side on their own green.

RESULTS

Quarter-finals (Westlecot): Wayne Simmonds, Wayne Snook & Ben Gadd (holders, Holt) beat Paul Kistle, Des Rideout & Craig Morphet (Westlecot) 20-12; Andy Blake, Will Jones, & Steve Heseltine (Chippenham Town) beat Graham Hatherall, Mike Jackson & Mel Biggs (West) 21-10 (16 ends); James Nobbs, Chris Cheesley & Gary Morphet (Wootton Bassett) beat Peter Hooley, Ian White & Nick Grenfell (Spencer Moulton) 26-12; Kyle Anderson, Stephen Snell & Dave Godwin (WB) beat Mike Tyler, Tom Warner & Nick Revell (Amesbury) 22-19.

DRAW

Semi-finals (Chippenham Town, Sunday, June 14): Ben Gadd (holders, Holt) v Steve Heseltine (Chippenham Town); Gary Morphet (Wootton Bassett) v Dave Godwin (WB).

WILTSHIRE men begin their bid for glory in the inter-county championship for the Middleton Cup this weekend.

They reached the semi-finals last season at Royal Leamington Spa but lost to Hampshire who then beat Norfolk in the final.

This year Wiltshire have been drawn in a five counties west group, with only the winners qualifying for the quarter-finals.

The Moonrakers open their cup bid with a visit to Rugby to face Warwickshire on Saturday (2pm).

Then they face Dorset at Greenhill BC (Weymouth) on June 13 before ending their west group matches with two home fixtures against Worcestershire (June 20) and Somerset (July 4) at Wootton Bassett.

The team named by the selectors for the Warwickshire opening match is drawn from five clubs.

Wootton Bassett have the largest representation with nine in the 24-strong side while Holt and Westlecot both have five each, Spencer Moulton three and Amesbury two.

The team shows six changes to the side that lost in the semi-finals of the Cup to Hampshire last season.

The significant change is the inclusion of Bassett player and Wiltshire’s Middleton Cup team manager Dave Snell in the side.

He won the national senior singles (over 60s) at Leamington in 2014 and will play against Warwickshire at number two in the rink to be skipped by Spencer Moulton’s England international Graham Shadwell as Holt’s Craig Doughty is unavailable for this match.

THE draw has been made for the west regional final in the White Rose Trophy, which Wiltshire U25 men’s side qualified for with a 41-35 first-round victory over Dorset last month.

In the men’s national county U25’s two fours competition Wiltshire will face Devon in the semi-finals at Bristol BC on Sunday, June 14 (10am) while in the other semi-final Cornwall play Somerset.

The two victors meet in the final in the afternoon with the west regional final winner qualifying for the last four in the 2015 Bowls England National Championships.

They will compete in the semi-final at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa on Sunday, August 30. The final will be played on the same day.

Wiltshire U25s have twice reached the semi-final stage in recent years losing to the overall on each occasion.

WILTSHIRE men have made a fine start to their 2015 friendly fixtures under the leadership of president Richard Gardiner (Supermarine).

They drew their opening match 117-117 against Gloucestershire at Highworth and then recorded only their second success in ten years in the annual fixture with the West Wilts Bowls Association winning 115-108 at Trowbridge Westbourne.

Jubilant president Richard Gardiner joked: “It has to be down to the president’s initials RG as the last time we won was in 2010 when Roger Green was president.”

RESULTS (skips only) v Gloucestershire, Rink 1: Geoff Toomer lost to Clive Bennett 12-22. Rink 2: Dave Richards beat Ron Wilkes 19-13. Rink 3: John Crowder lost to David Hopkins 19-22. Rink 4: Colin Easton beat Peter Bowles 34-14. Rink 5: Roy Jones beat Roger Stolley 21-20. Rink 6: John Southern lost to Roger Harrison 12-26.

Score: Wiltshire drew with Gloucestershire 117-117.

v West Wilts BA, Rink 1: John Smith lost to Colin Easton 17-21. Rink 2: Bob Fredericks lost to Brian Routledge 16-18. Rink 3: Dave Richards beat Mick Hudd 25-8. Rink 4: Graham Annetts beat Tom Newman 24-15. Rink 5: Keith Evill lost to Graham Archard 15-22. Rink 6: Roy Jones lost to Alfie Maslin 18-24.

Score: Wiltshire beat West Wilts BA 115-108.