THE FORMBOOK was vindicated with no surprise scorelines in the semi-finals and finals of the ladies national junior singles (U25), junior pairs and over 55 fours held last Saturday at Spencer Melksham.

Royal Wootton Bassett’s Lucy Smith, 23, winner of the junior (U25) singles title for the past five successive seasons defeated Emily Jacob (Trowbridge Westbourne) comfortably 21-7 to set up a final showdown with her younger sister Katy, 21, this Saturday during ladies county finals day at Avon - the home green of Wiltshire Ladies 2018 president Dawn Edwards - after Katy beat Maisie Daniell 21-10.

The two sisters have met in the ladies U25 outdoor final once before in 2015, when Lucy came out on top at Devizes 23-8.

But the two sisters clashed in late January 2017 at City of Ely IBC in the U25 national indoor singles final with Katy gaining her revenge, winning two sets to love (7-5 and 10-3) and being crowned national ladies U25 champion.

The Smith sisters from Bassett have a proud record in the Wiltshire U25 junior pairs competition, having won it for the previous five seasons since 2013 and extended it to six in a row last Saturday with a 16-12 victory over Emily Ambridge and Emily Jacobs (Trowbridge Westbourne), having not had to play their pairs semi-final as their opponents conceded.

The Smiths will again represent Wiltshire in the U25 junior pairs in the national championships at Royal Leamington Spa next month.

The ladies over 55 fours competition saw the foursome from Box - Carol Grenfell and Johns Trophy trio Jean Collier, Sue Cooke and Alex Jacobs - beat Chippenham Town, skipped by Barbara Land, by three shots 22-19 in the first semi-final.

In the other Stratton Churchway, led by Janet Willis, thumped Salisbury skipped by Margaret Annetts 20-7.

The final between Box and Stratton Churchway was a very one-sided affair with Box running out as 24-4 winners and booking their place at Leamington representing Wiltshire in the ladies senior fours championship next month.

Five finals are due to be contested at Avon on Saturday - two and four wood singles, junior U25 single, triples and fours - but the pairs featuring Box and Highworth will have to be reschedule as both of these clubs are already involved in other finals and using the same players.

Box are represented in four finals with Bassett close behind on three with Highworth on two while Spencer Melksham, Supermarine and Amesbury all with one representation.

RESULTS

U25 singles semi-finals: Lucy Smith (holder, RWB) beat Emily Jacobs (Trowbridge Westbourne) 21-7; Katy Smith (RWB) beat Maisie Daniell (RWB) 21-10.

Final: L Smith (holder RWB) v K Smith (RWB) to be played during ladies county finals day at Avon on Saturday, July 28.

U25 pairs semi-finals: Maisie Daniell (RWB) & Jo Hicks (Highworth) lost to Emily Ambridge & Emily Jacobs (Trowbridge West)bourne ) 7-8 (match conceded as Daniell taken ill on the green); Lucy and Katy Smith (holders, RWB) beat Kara Little (Box) & Georgina Newman (Spencer Melkham) - walkover as match conceded.

Final: Lucy and Katy Smith (holders, RWB) beat E Ambridge & EJacobs (Trow West) 16-12

Smith sisters progress to represent Wiltshire at Royal Leamington Spa.

Over 55 Fours, semi-finals: Carol Grenfell, Jean Collier, Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (Box) beat Nicola Bayliss, Jan Boden, Rose Fitzpatrick & Barbara Land (Chippenham Town) 22-19; Di Kerley, Nancy Oliver, Sandy Hall & Margaret Annetts (Salisbury) lost to Deborah Hitchcock, Kathryn Riach, Wendy Anderson & Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway) 7-20.

Final: Grenfell, Collier, Cooke & Jacobs (Box) beat Hitchcock, Riach, Anderson & Willis (Stratton C) 24-4.

FINALS DAY PROGRAMME

9.30am, Two Wood Singles: Janice Bull (Amesbury) v Sue Cooke (Box)

10am, Four Wood Singles: Lucy Smith (Royal Wootton Bassett) v Linda Young (Highworth)

11am, Fours: Carol Grenfell, Kathryn Yeoman, S Cooke & A Jacobs (Box) v Ann Andrews, Cheryl Walker, Nicki Kemble-Young & Susan Griffiths (Supermarine)

2.30pm, Triples: Jenny Couch, Marilyn Jay & Delia Godwin (Spencer Melksham) v Debbie Shadwell, S Cooke & A Jacobs (Box).

Junior (U25) singles: Lucy Smith (holder, RWB) v Katy Smith (RWB) - to be arranged.

Pairs: Joanna Hicks & Linda Young (Highworth) v S Cooke & A Jacobs (Box)