THE quarter finals of the men’s triples played last Friday evening at Holt produced several close finishes and the holders crashing out.

Devizes snatched a last-gasp one-shot victory over Westlecot as did Spencer Moulton over Malmesbury.

In the other two triples matches Holt teams despite having home advantage were outgunned by combinations from Westlecot with the holders Wayne Simmonds, Wayne Snook and Ben Gadd crashing out.

Devizes trio of Dave Reeves, Trefor Jones and Gerald Webb were 8-2 down at five ends against Mike Richards (Westlecot), 11-4 adrift at ten but had pulled back to only trail 13-11 at 16.

They picked up a single on the 17th and then a two on the 18th to lead for the first time 14-13 and snatch a last-gasp victory to book a place in the county men’s triples semi-finals on their own green at Devizes on Sunday, June 19.

National triples champions in 2014 the Spencer Moulton trio of Andy Colebrooke, Russell Francis and England international Graham Shadwell were 4-2 up against Malmesbury (skip Tim Bailey) after five ends in their quarter-final tie but dropped a four on the tenth end to trail 9-5 and were still adrift at 14 ends 13-8.

Then the match turned on it head as Shadwell and co notched a big count of five on the 15th end to draw level at 13-13 and then score a two on the next to lead 15-13.

Back came Malmesbury with a two themselves to draw level at 15-15 after 17 ends and set-up a last end decider which Spencer Moulton took with a single to edge over the winning line 16-15.

The big shock came in the match on green five between holders Holt, the two Wayne’s, Simmonds and Snook and skip Ben Gadd against Westlecot’s trio of Keith Williamson, Kevin Carter and Ray Sowden.

Gadd led for the only time in the match 2-1 on end number two with a double and drew level 5-5 at seven and 7-7 after nine ends.

But they were 9-7 down at 10 ends and 15-9 adrift at 14.

They did manage to cut the gap to 15-13 after 17 but then dropped a single on the 18th and last end to lose 16-13 and see their hopes of retaining the title disappear.

The other trio from Holt of Malc Clift, Malcolm Barker and Martin Oliver suffered a heavy 24-3 defeat at the hands of another Westlecot team.

DRAW

Semi-finals, Sunday, June 19 (at Devizes): Keith Williamson, Kevin Carter & Ray Sowden (Westlecot) v Dave Reeves, Trefor Jones & Gerald Webb (Devizes); Gary Jackson, Craig Hatherall & Mike Titcombe Jnr (Westlecot) v Andy Colebrooke, Russell Francis & Graham Shadwell (Spencer Moulton).

THE MEN’S fours championship quarter-finals that were washed-out last Tuesday evening at Chippenham Town have been re-arranged for this Friday, June 10 (6.15pm) at Royal Wootton Bassett.

The draw sees two teams from Bassett skipped by Mel Biggs and Stephen Snell clash in the top game of the round.

Elsewhere Holt have two foursomes competing. The rink of Chris Poole, Howard Davis, Matt Tucker and Stuart Oliver face Amesbury led by Nick Revell while the 2014 champions Wayne Simmonds, Justin Davis, Wayne Snook and Ben Gadd will play a senior fours combination from Westlecot led by Mike Hall.

And in the final fours quarter-final match Purton face Highworth.

The four winners will progress to the fours semi-finals due to be staged at Devizes on Sunday, June 19.

TOP men’s national bowls action continues at Royal Wootton Bassett over the weekend with the club hosting both a Wiltshire Middleton Cup and Balcombe Trophy inter-county championship tie.

Wiltshire men open their bid for glory in the Middleton Cup on Saturday (2pm) when they play Warwickshire in their first west group match of the 2016 season.

The team of 24 players selected is only drawn from five clubs around the Moonraker county.

Hosts Royal Wootton Bassett will have the largest representation with nine. They are followed by Westlecot with seven, Holt five, Spencer Moulton two while Amesbury have one representative.

Less than 24 hours later Wiltshire entertain Somerset at Royal Wootton Bassett (10am) in a first round Balcombe Trophy inter-county double rinks tie with a win ensuring Wiltshire of a place in the west regional final at Clevedon (Somerset) on Sunday June 26 (10am).