WILTSHIRE began their 2018/19 Division Three British Inter-Counties Championship campaign with a narrow 19-17 loss at the hands of Northumberland in Ashington.

With seven new faces coming into the squad, Wiltshire got under way with the ladies B team winning their match 4-2, Linzi Holton and Nipa Smith claiming 3-0 wins.

Debutant Smith also claimed the best category average of 21.17, while there were also victories for April Polden and another debutant Rachel Pritchard.

The men’s B team paid the price for missed doubles with a 9-3 defeat, Martin Williams, Matt Harris and debutant Thomas Grigg notching victories.

But the ladies A side squared up proceedings overall with a 5-1 success, courtesy of Debbie Hughes, Stacey Day, Erica Hartnett, Joey Hooke and Julie Newman.

Needing seven points, the men’s A side were edged out 7-5, with the returning Luke Humphries picking up a point, along with Phil Boulton, Luke Yates, debutant Seb Parker and Dave Wicks as Northumberland won the final two matches to finish to clinch the overall win.

Wiltshire move on to their next match at home to Somerset on October 13-14 at The Ferndale Club in Swindon.