IN their first Middleton Cup trial match held on Saturday at Bath Wiltshire went down by nine shots, losing 124-115 to Somerset.

However, the county selectors will have been pleased with some excellent individual performances, which will give them food for thought before they announce the final trial team to play Hampshire this Sunday at Wootton Bassett.

Showing several enforced changes from the original selected team, Wiltshire battled hard against an experienced Somerset team, winning on two and drawing on one rink.

Dave Snell's rink just lost out by four shots, but Neil Hope's quartet, aided by a timely six on the 19th end, won 22-21.

The rink skipped by Mike Jackson slipped to a nine shot loss, but Graham Shadwell's rink finished with a flourish scoring five and two on the last two ends to win 25-20.

Mark Dyer's quartet rink narrowly lost a hard-fought battle by two shots while the rink skipped by Ian Jefferies held their nerve to cap a great revival and force a well-deserved 21-21 draw.

They had dropped two heavy counts of seven and four in the middle of the match to trail 16-6, but then fought back with a five on the last end.

Results (Wiltshire names first): Rink 1: Dave Snell 15 Clive Edwards 19; Rink 2: Neil Hope 22 Kevin Rowdon 21; Rink 3: Mike Jackson 14 Steve Remington 23; Rink 4: Graham Shadwell 25 Graham Luker 20; Rink 5: Mark Dyer 18 Simon Bruford 20: Rink 6: Ian Jefferies 21 Neil Williams 21.