WILTSHIRE Ladies made a brilliant start to their 2018 campaign in the inter-county championship for the Johns Trophy with a 15-shot (124-109) victory over Dorset at Sherborne.

They shared the rink honours at 3-3 but won easily on aggregate scores to bag 16 points out of the 22 on offer.

Wiltshire took 10 points for the aggregate win and six points for the three rink successes.

The ladies flew out of the traps and led 40-23 across the board at five ends but were hauled back to parity at 58-58 after 10 hard-fought ends.

The next five ends saw Wiltshire ladies re-establish their supremacy moving 90-75 clear after 15 ends and maintaining it at 18 to lead 108-92.

They finally won 124-109, their best start to a Johns Trophy campaign for several seasons.

Top rink honours went to the Purton trio of Chris Mitchell, Julie Jones and skip Alison Fail, who won last season’s national triples title but on this occasion were ably served at number three in the foursome by Janice Bull (Amesbury).

They won by 15 shots, two shots better than Marcia Hartley’s quartet of Avon club colleague Georgina Newman, and Box duo of Jean Collier and Debbie Shadwell who won their game 29-16.

The third rink success was achieved by the foursome of Ann Hindley (Wilton), Margaret Annetts (Salisbury), Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Godwin (Royal Wootton Bassett) and skip Kathryn Yeoman (Box) who won 25-13.

Wiltshire were forced into a change during the match with Highworth’s Joanna Hicks withdrawing through illness after eight ends and being replaced by Spencer Melksham’s Delia Godwin.

There was no fairytale ending as this rink lost their game 22-10.

After one game Wiltshire ladies head the West A group in the Johns Trophy on shots difference.

They are tied on 16 points with Somerset but hold top spot as Somerset only beat Cornwall 124-113 for a plus-11 shot difference while Wiltshire are plus 15 having beaten Dorset 124-109.

Wiltshire ladies next match is away against Cornwall at Tiverton West End on June 23 which is deemed to be roughly halfway between the two counties bases at Devizes and St Austell as more than 100 miles travelling is involved to play the match.

The team for this game and the Walker Cup national county two fours competition against Cornwall at Vivary Park, Taunton the following day on June 24 has not been announced yet.

RESULTS

v Dorset (Johns Trophy) at Sherborne, Rink 1: Georgina Newman (Avon), Jean Collier, Debbie Shadwell (both Box) & Marcia Hartley (Avon) beat Penny Cresswell 29-16. Rink 2: Ann Hindley (Wilton), Margaret Annetts (Salisbury), Charlie Godwin (Royal Wootton Bassett) & Kathryn Yeoman (Box) beat Lyn Howard 25-13. Rink 3: Maggie Jordan (Highworth), Bev Lilley (Devizes), Joanna Hicks (High, sub Delia Godwin Spencer Melksham after 8 ends) & Linda Young (High) lost to Bridget Hodder 10-22. Rink 4: Viv Baskerville (Chip Town), Sue Bird (Warminster), Deanne Davis (Wanborough) & Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway) lost to Ann Chislett 10-21. Rink 5: Dawn Toomer (Wilton), Wendy Anderson (Stratton C), Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (capt, both Box) lost to Sue Willis 24-26. Rink 6: Chris Mitchell, Julie Jones (both Purton), Janice Bull (Amesbury) & Alison Fail (Purton) beat Gill Mitchell 26-11.

Score: Wiltshire beat Dorset 124-109 and by 16 pts to 6pts.

THE national pairs have reached the last eight stage in the southern and northern sections of the county ladies draw and are scheduled to be contested on Friday night to leave four qualifiers from each section to join up for the quarter-finals to be played at Salisbury on July 1.

In the south section Box have a powerful line-up through to Friday night’s last eight with three pairings skipped by Michele Williams, Alex Jacobs and Kathryn Yeoman. However, Jacobs and Yeoman unfortunately have to play each other.

Wilton have two pairings still running and have been kept apart. Ros Corke faces Spencer Melksham’s Marilyn Jay and partner while Cathy Burrows has to play a Box duo skipped by Michele Williams.

The final tie in the south sees Avon’s Marcia Hartley and partner play Winsley’s Gill Viles.

The northern section which incorporates Chippenham clubs as well as Royal Wootton Bassett and Malmesbury has five duos still running.

Katy and Lucy Smith(RWB) meet Bev Millen (Supermarine) while fellow Bassett skip Bev Williamson is drawn against Linda Young (Highworth).

North Wilts have two pairings still active Fizz Mace and partner face Purton’s Alison Fail and Chris Mitchell while Janet Hardie and partner meet Paula Meekins and partner from Malmesbury.

The national two wood singles competition clicks into gear this Saturday morning with matches being played in the northern section at Pewsey BC and in the south section on both greens at Devizes BC (10.15 am start at both venues).

The last four players left standing at Pewsey and Devizes will progress to the quarter and semi-finals at Avon on Friday, June 16 (5.45pm).

Once again two places at Royal Leamington Spa representing Wiltshire ladies in the national two wood championship singles are up for grabs.