ALEX Jacobs missed out on her bid to add an indoor senior singles crown to her outdoor double of senior national titles won a few seasons ago while the county men’s side also left the second block of national indoor finals in Nottingham empty-handed.

North Wilts’ player Jacobs reached the last 16 at Nottingham when winning the Area 16 ladies Over 60 singles title beating Julie Morgan (Malvern Hills) in the final 21-13.

On the way to the area final Jacobs’ beat in round two her pairs partner Sue Cooke 21-18 and followed it up with another 21-18 success over Teresa King (Clarrie Dunbar) in the quarter-finals. Then in the semis she beat Clevedon’s Margaret Dyer 21-17 to book her place in the area final.

At Nottingham in the first round (last 16) of the over 60s singles, Jacobs was drawn against current England international Carole Baker (Norfolk IBC, Norwich), a three-times former winner of the singles event in the last four years.

Jacobs made a fine start to the tournament as she dismissed Baker comfortably, winning 21-10.

In the quarter-finals she was always several shots ahead of Angela Spilsbury (Harrowgate, Yorks), but pegged back towards the end before finally winning 21-19.

Next up on Saturday morning was a semi-final tie against Pat Browne from the Parks club, North Shields, Tyne and Wear.

Jacobs made a slow start and trailed Browne 11-4 but made a spirited recovery to cut the gap to 16-12 and then 16-15.

However, Browne moved up a gear again and produced a big finish scoring the next five shots to win 21-15 and end Jacobs' title hopes.

In the final 68-year-old Browne beat Di Routley (Taunton Deane) 21-11 to claim her first national title.

WILTSHIRE'S men, appearing in the inter-counties semi-final for the Liberty Trophy for the first time in 21 years, saw their hopes of glory left in tatters as they felt the full force of a powerful Kent side and crashed to a heavy defeat.

Things did not go to plan as they were thumped 124-60 by Kent, led by England captain Andy Thomson, winners of the Liberty Trophy twice in the previous four seasons.

Moonrakers had collected a big scalp by knocking holders Devon out of quarter-finals but found life extremely tough throughout after a poor start against a strong Kent side.

They trailed 40-20 after five ends overall and never recovered.

The damage was done mainly on two rinks as Kent's Perry Martin and Ian Honnor went on the rampage against Ian Jefferies and Mike Titcombe’s rinks who were both 19-1 down and 21-1 down at 10 ends. They eventually lost 31-7 and 29-6 respectively so the combined 60-13 deficit on those two rinks was lethal to Wiltshire's hopes.

The other four rinks saw competitive matches being played. Christie Miller’s Andy Moore foursome which included North Wilts’ duo Steve Snook and Darren Anteney lost by 11 shots, Phil Gregory’s rink17-12, while Neil Smith’s four with Tom Newman (Christie Miller) at lead were edged out by Thomson’s late run 14-13.

Tom Warner’s all Five Rivers, Salisbury rink drew 17-17.

Wiltshire player-manager Neil Smith said: “We're very disappointed we couldn’t produce the same display as we did against Devon.

“Unfortunately a few players were poor and it cost us at the start, but there is still something to build on for next season.''

THE indoor season is rapidly drawing to a close but Clarrie Dunbar’s hopes of glory are over in the Top Club competition.

They lost on all five disciplines away to Torquay United going down 16-0 on points in the quarter-finals.

Torquay will face Falcon (Chelmsford, Essex) in the semi-finals at Dolphin (Poole) on April 28 who beat Wellingborough 10-6. The final is scheduled for April 28 afternoon at Poole (Dorset) as well.

BRISTOL City and County Indoor bowls club at Ashton Vale stage the penultimate Open Singles Circuit (OSC) tournament of the 2017/18 season this weekend.

Several local players chasing a top-32 finish in the rankings to ensure a place in the Grand Final play-offs in mid-November are taking part.

They are led by Christie Miller’s Andy Moore on 250 points currently in joint fourth place in the rankings after his recent win at North Wilts.

Also in the field from Christie Miller are Geoff Moore, Tom Newman and Jordan Moore who are all long shots for a Grand Final place.

Clarrie Dunbar will be represented in Bristol by three players Wayne Snook, Craig Hadfield-Doughty and Andy Colebrooke.

Snook is currently placed 11th in the rankings after wins at Moonfleet (Weymouth) and the Torquay United Easter tournament on 204 points.

He also looks certain to finish in the top 32 rankings. .

Andy Colebrooke, a previous OSC winner, has an outside chance of qualification as he lies on 55 points from earlier tournaments while Hadfield-Doughty falls into the long shot category.

The final OSC tournament of the season is at Ipswich next weekend April 28-29. It is rescheduled after being snowed off on March 3.

THE Wessex League play-offs final for the overall title was staged last Sunday at Swindon Westlecot between Atherley and Bromsgrove.

Both wildcard entrants after finishing third in the coastal and midland regions respectively the final saw Bromsgrove win on three rinks and lose on one to beat Atherley (Southampton) 87-53.

It was Bromsgrove’s second triumph having won the crown in 2004.

The victory rounded off a fine season for Bromsgrove who knocked out holders Clarrie Dunbar 82-73 in the opening round (last 16) of the play-offs and then Westlecot 75-71 in the quarter-finals and Cotswold (Stroud) 82-55 in the semi-finals.

It was the last season for the Wessex League in its present format as the six regions are being revamped into eight next season (2018-19) but the central region that includes North Wilts, Christie Miller and Clarrie Dunbar will remain the same as will the West region.

Only East, North, Midland and Coastal regions are all changing to smaller regions to cut travelling distances and fixture congestion.