ROGER Green, the 2010 Bowls Wiltshire Men’s President, and a member of Spencer Moulton Bowls Club in Bradford-on-Avon, concluded his season of friendly fixtures with a highly successful president’s tour to the Weymouth area, writes DAVE EATON.

A total of four games were played over a long weekend with the touring party of 28 players based in Weymouth.

The party consisted of the current president, five former Wiltshire presidents, two ex-South Western Counties presidents, a Bowls England director, the 2010 county senior vice president, several county officials, and other players from around the county with 14 clubs being represented in total.

Four matches were played in excellent sunny conditions with the touring party winning three of them.

On the opening day Wiltshire Tourist beat local side Weymouth and Melcombe 128-102 taking the honours on four rinks out of six.

Day two produced a comfortable 131-109 victory at Poole Park and once again four wins out of six.

The Sunday, however, saw the tourists well beaten by a select Dorset Bowling Association team 141-99 with only the rink skipped by county secretary Bernard Crabb recording a victory.

Green ended his playing stint as county president in perfect style on the Monday in the final game of the tour at Shaftesbury.

His touring team, in a tight contest, were 111-101 victors winning on four of the six rinks with Green having the distinction of skipping his rink to the biggest winning margin of nine shots.

Green’s final task as county president, before handing over the position, is to present the prizes to all of the county championship and competition winners at the annual dinner and presentation evening at Melksham on Saturday, November 13.

The 2010 Wiltshire President’s tour also raised the handsome sum of just over £700 for the county benevolent fund from donations, raffles, involuntary contributions and other fund raising schemes.

Next year’s tour has already been decided with the in-coming president, Mike Hallam (Downton), opting to go to Northants and the party being based in Northampton.

The 2010 outdoor campaign closed last weekend for most clubs in Wiltshire with the traditional end of season drives.

The bowls action now switches to the five indoor rinks in the county at North Wilts (Chippenham), Christie Miller (Melksham), Five Rivers (Salisbury), Westlecot (Swindon) and Swindon Oasis Leisure Centre for the next six months.

2010 tourists: Fred Beckett (Spencer Moulton); Ken Bray (Avon); Howard Brewer (Trowbridge Westbourne); Maurice Brown (Wootton Bassett); Bernard Crabb (Malmesbury); Hugh Deacon; Malcolm Ellis (both Marlborough); Ray Fernandes (Swindon); Ian Francis, Roger Green (president), Cliff Gumm (all S Moulton); Mike Hallam (Downton); Victor Hilton (WB); Frank Hinchliffe (Westlecot); Harry Langley, Tudor Lloyd (both Swindon); John Northover (Chippenham T); Howard Pryse (S’don); Brian Raymond (Chipp T); Dave Richards (Trow West); Dave Royle (Rodbourne Cheney); Frank Smith (Cricklade); John Snell (Alderbury); Stan Twine (WB); Eddie Wells (Cricklade); Barry and Ross Wheeler (S’don); John Wilks (WB).

RESULTS

v Weymouth & Melcombe Regis BC (at Weymouth)

Rink 1: Vic Hilton beat R Dodwell 28-18; Rink 2: Ian Francis lost to D Dench 17-22; Rink 3: Bernard Crabb beat D Ramsey 29-14; Rink 4: Eddie Wells beat T Samways 16-15; Rink 5: Dave Royle beat A Crawford 22-13; Rink 6: Roger Green lost to D Plumpton 16-20.

Score: Wiltshire beat Weymouth & Melcombe 128-102.

v Poole Park (at Poole) Rink 7: Eddie Wells beat R Hobby 20-15; Rink 8: Tudor Lloyd beat G Brown 28-18; Rink 9: Stan Twine lost to J Smith 8-17; Rink 10: Dave Royle beat K Power 34-12; Rink 11: Bernard Crabb beat R Jeffery 27-16; Rink 12: Roger Green lost to R Atkins 14-31.

Score: Wiltshire beat Poole Park 131-109.

v Dorset BA (at Blandford) Rink 1: Tudor Lloyd lost to Barry Males 11-25; Rink 2: Eddie Wells lost to Max King 19-22; Rink 3: Dave Royle lost to Frank Hall 13-23; Rink 4: Ian Francis lost to John Davies 16-20; Rink 5: Bernard Crabb beat Bill Ogden 25-23; Rink 6: Ray Fernandes lost to Mike Jones 15-28.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Dorset BA 99-141.

v Shaftesbury BC (at Shaftesbury)

Rink 1: Ray Fernandes beat R Bowden 24-16; Rink 2: Eddie Wells lost to R Alford 14-17; Rink 3: Dave Royle beat J Blandford 17-16; Rink 4: Roger Green beat T Bastable 23-14; Rink 5: Bernard Crabb lost to J Sainsbury 14-25; Rink 6: Vic Hilton beat J Davies 19-13.

Score: Wiltshire beat Shaftesbury 111-101.

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