THE annual showdown between the county ladies and men at Avon (Melksham) resulted in an honourable 111-111 draw after six rinks of 21 keenly-contested ends last week.

The men made the early running at the home club of women’s county president Dawn Edwards, to lead until halfway but the ladies came roaring back to snatch a 14-shot advantage after 18 before being caught in the final run-in.

After five ends across the board the men were 29-25 up at five ends and still led 58-55 after 10 ends.

But by 15 ends overall the women had grabbed the lead and moved 83-74 ahead and had extended the gap to 99-85 after 18 ends.

Not to be outdone the men launched a strong finish to collect 26 shots as opposed to the ladies' 12 to produce an exciting finish and grab a last-gasp draw.

Bob Fredericks' rink scored seven shots and Bassett national senior fours winner Alan Small grabbed six to ensure the men shared the match overall.

The men won the rinks battle, taking the honours on four of the six. But the 11 shots success recorded by the foursome skipped by Winsley’s Sandra Bartlett helped to restore parity.

In the battle of the two 2018 Wiltshire presidents, Edwards and Stewart Allison (Chippenham Park) the honours went to the latter, who skipped his rink to a 19-11 success over the rink containing Edwards at number two but skipped by last year’s president Mo Woolley (from Alderbury).

RESULTS

Rink 1: Glenda Hibberd (Wilton), Susan Griffiths (Supermarine), Jean Collier (Box) & Sue Gravell (Town Gardens) lost to Harold Bird, Ivan Hadlow (both Chippenham Park), Dave Richards (Trowbridge Westbourne) & John Crowder (JVP, Avon) 16-18. Rink 2: June Coyle (North Wilts), Bev Lilley (Devizes), Janice Bull (Amesbury) & Delia Godwin (Spencer Melksham) beat Bob George (Wroughton), Philip Wells (Avon), John Smith (Malmesbury) & Martin Salter (Wrough) 19-13. Rink 3: June Corbett (Wroughton), Dawn Edwards (ladies pres, Avon), Babs Salter (JVP, Wrough) & Mo Woolley (IPP Alderbury) lost to Colin Easton, Ken Bray, Tom Newman (all Avon) & Stewart Allison (Chip Park) 11-19. Rink 4: Val Botting (Salisbury), Gill Chandler (Winsley), Karen Kirby (Blue Circle) & Sandra Bartlett (Winsley) beat Frank Botting, Graham Annetts (both S’bury), Richard Gardiner (Marine) & Dave Williams (SVP, Chip P ) 25-14. Rink 5: Dawn Toomer (Wil), Jane Taylor (Box), Ruth Gerrish (SVP, Bradford) & Joan Coleman (Ames) lost to Alec Burden (Ames), Mike Kilburn (Marine), Brian Merritt (S’bury) & Alan Small (RW Bassett) 18-23. Rink 6: Ann Hindley (Wil), Margaret Webber (Ald), Marilyn Kilburn (Marine) & Janice Rowe (Ames) lost to Richard Francis (Trowbridge T), Neil Gillespie (Downton), Pete Sanders (S.Melk) & Bob Fredericks (S’bury) 22-24.

Score: Wiltshire Ladies drew with Wiltshire Men 111-111.

IT HAS been confirmed that Wiltshire ladies have won the South-West Counties Women’s League.

They played six matches winning five and only losing narrowly to Devon.

Wiltshire defeated Cornwall, Somerset, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Dorset only losing to Devon in late July.

Only Devon could have denied Wiltshire of the SWCL title but they lost their last game to bottom county Somerset.