BOWLS: Chippenham's Bill into last four (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

BOWLS: Chippenham's Bill into last four

4:00pm Thursday 12th July 2012 in Wiltshire Sport By Dave Eaton

BILL McCay is through to the semi-finals in the Wiltshire men’s national singles championship at Westlecot on Sunday.

The Chippenham Town bowler booked his place in the last four after a commanding 21-7 quarter-final victory over Westlecot’s Paul Kistle on his own green on Monday.

McCay made home advantage count, coming from 6-1 down after five ends to win 21-7 with final counts of four and two on the 15th and 16th ends.

His opponent in the semis will be either Nick Revell (Alderbury) or Alan Gough (Stratton Churchway) who beat Ben Gadd 21-20 in a delayed last 16 game at Wootton Bassett on Monday. Revell and Gough meet later in the week in the quarter-finals.

In the other two quarter-finals at Chippenham Town, there were comfortable wins for reigning champion Mel Biggs 21-9 over Mike Tyler (Amesbury) and his Westlecot colleague Ian Jefferies who beat Nick Grenfell (Box) 21-7.

THE county stages in the last 16 of the men’s national pairs championship were washed out last Friday evening at both Devizes and Swindon Bowls Clubs.

County national championship co-ordinator Mike Jackson has re-arranged for the four matches that were halted to be continued at Devizes and played to a winner this Friday (6.15pm) while the four matches that never started at Swindon have been re-arranged among the players themselves for this week.

One tie has already been re-played with holders Mike Jackson and Mel Biggs, who beat Chippenham Town’s Jeremy Haselton and Steve Heseltine 18-10 in last year’s final, defeating Holt duo Justin Davis and Ben Gadd 27-12.

LAST 16 DRAW

At Swindon: Gary Fippen & Ian White (Spencer Moulton) v Barry Sictorness & Mike Snell (Wootton Bassett); Barry Folland & Brian Pike (Salisbury) v Richard Buckland & Harold Jones (WB); Mike Braddon & Nick Grenfell (Box) v Dennis Shipp & John Ellis (Amesbury); Mike Jackson & Mel Biggs (holders, W’lecot) beat Justin Davis & Ben Gadd (Holt) 27-12.

At Devizes: John Crowder & Frank Gatfield (Avon) v Mike Savin & John Lucas (Chippenham Town); Andy & Richard Moore (Alderbury) v Nigel Burgoyne & Dave Williams (Chippenham Park); Pete Watts & David Johns (Calne) v Tom Walkley & Dave Snell (WB); Dave Godwin & Paul Macdonald (Chip T) v Derek Barton & Dave Edmonds (WB).

RAIN was the only winner in Devon last weekend as both the Wiltshire senior and junior (U25) teams matches in the South West Counties League at Tiverton West End and Culm Valley against Cornwall were postponed owing to flooded greens.

Wiltshire will be hoping for better fortunes this Sunday when they are scheduled to face Somerset in the SWCL at Amesbury (seniors) and Wilton (u25s) respectively (2pm).

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