CLARRIE Dunbar have won the central region of the Wessex League and booked their place in the end-of-season play-offs, with one match still to go this weekend - a derby against Melksham's Christie Miller, writes DAVE EATON.

Dunbar clinched the title in style last Sunday when thrashing Nailsea by a massive 54-shot margin, winning on three of the four rinks to collect 14 of the 16 points on offer.

The win took Dunbar ten points clear of nearest rival Bristol and 21 points ahead of third-placed North Wilts.

Despite losing on one rink Clarrie Dunbar were always bossing Nailsea.

They led 31-7 overall after five ends and moved 57-23 clear at 10 ends.

The advantage was extended to 78-40 at 15 before finally recording a 97-43 victory at 18 ends.

Andy Colebrook’s home rink took the highest rink honours with a winning margin of 24 shots while the other two skips Russell Francis (16 shots) and Keith Bailey (17 shots) weighed-in with useful winning contributions.

Clarrie conclude their central section of the Wessex League on Sunday when they play local rivals Christie Miller (Melksham).

RESULTS

Home - Rink 2: Ian Perkins, Andy Taylor, Duncan McGovern & Russell Francis beat John Couch 25-9. Rink 3: John Jones, Allan Brown, Dale Taylor & Andy Colebrooke beat Debroy Gregory 32-8.

Away - Rink 1: Nick Greening, Colin Easton, Fred Pope & Keith Bailey beat M Rowsell 27-10. Rink 2: Pete Hooley, John Freemen, Barry Barry & Craig Doughty lost to I Blatchford 13-16.

Score: Clarrie Dunbar beat Nailsea 97-43 and by 14pts to 2pts.

THE Clarrie Dunbar Open Singles tournament has switched dates.

Instead of being staged on the last weekend of February as in the past three years as part of the Open Singles Circuit tournaments (OSC), the fourth Open Singles will become the 24th and last for the 2016/17 OSC campaign at Standerwick on the weekend of April 29-30.

A top-class field is guaranteed with this being the last chance for bowlers to acquire ranking points to gain a possible place in the 2017 Grand Prix final to be staged at Potters Leisure Resort (Norfolk) on the weekend of November 24-26.

The top 32 in the rankings will compete for a prize pot of over £3,000.

Previous winners of the Clarrie Dunbar Open are 2014 home star Andy Colebrooke, 2015 Carl Fountain (Dolphin, Poole, Dorset) and last year Jamie Chestney (Exonia, Exeter, Devon) who edged out Colebrooke.

A PREVIOUS winner in 2005 and 2013, Graham Shadwell made an early exit from this year’s champion of champions tournament at Warner Leisure, Hayling Island, last weekend.

Trowbridge's England international went out in the last 16 surprisingly beaten 21- 14 by Kings Lynn’s Stephen Winter (Lynnsports, Norfolk), who then became the second victim of eventual winner Devon’s Jamie Chestney (Exonia, Exeter).

The national championships in Area 16 are bubbling up with plenty of local men and lady players deeply involved and through to at least Area 16 semi-finals.

Russell Francis (Clarrie D) has qualified for the area singles final and has to play Clevedon’s Mark Wood while in the pairs Duncan McGovern (C Dunbar) and partner face Dave Howes (Cotswold, Stroud).

Russell Francis’ trio from Dunbar have reached Area 16 final in the triples and meet Clevedon’s Nick Pearce while in the area fours final Craig Doughty’s team have to play Bristol led by Andy Wright.

John Freeman (CD) is through to the O60s singles final against North Wilts’ Dave Williams and in the O50s men’s triples Andy Moore’s trio from Christie Miller, beaten national finalists four year’s ago, are close to a return this season to the last 16. They have to play Richard Doughty’s Bristol team in the area final.

Sheila Garlick’s Christie Miller trio or Teresa King’s triple from Clarrie Dunbar have to meet in the ladies O50s two wood triples Area 16 semi-finals with the winners possibly facing the holders of the national crown in the Area 16 final Jean Collier, Sue Cooke and Alex Jacobs (North Wilts).