JEAN Collier, from Box, has reached the final of the county ladies singles championship for the third year in a row and booked her place in the national championships at Royal Leamington Spa.

County singles winner in 2015 and losing finalist last season, Collier won both of her matches last weekend at Rodbourne Cheney in the singles quarter-finals and semi-finals to qualify for the final again.

In the final at Alderbury on July 29 she will face Wanborough’s Deanne Davis, who successfully came through the other section of the quarter and semi-finals of the draw.

In her first match Collier was drawn against fellow club colleague and rising star Kathryn Yeoman.

After five ends Collier trailed Yeoman 7-4 and 13-10 at 11 but was tied 13-13 at 12. She then fell behind again 16-14 at 15 and 17-16 at 17.

However, on the next scored a two to move 18-17 up- the first time she had led since the fourth end.

Collier added a single on end 19 to go 19-17 up and closed out the match with a count of two for a hard-fought 21-17 win after 20 ends.

In the other match in the bottom half of the draw Michele Williams (Box) was 10-1 up on Laura Laytham (Swindon Town Gardens) after seven ends but pegged back to only 10-9 at 11. Williams then pulled away again to lead 19-10 at 20 ends and 20-12 23 ends.

But Williams could not find one more shot to cross the finishing line, conceding counts of 2, 2 and 3 to be tied 20-20 after 26 ends and then dropped a single to lose 21-20.

In the final Collier was always in control over Laytham opening with a three and leading 10-2 at seven ends and 16-11 at 17 before two twos and a single gave her a 21-12 semi-final victory at 21 ends and a county singles final place for the third year in a row.

In the top half of the draw Chippenham Town’s Viv Baskerville had a comfortable 21-10 win over Joan Coleman (Amesbury), while Davis (Wanborough), after leading 15-5 against Linda Young (Highworth) at 15 ends, trailed 17-15 after 20 but rallied to win the next four and claim a 21-17 win after 24 ends.

Baskerville led Davis 4-2 after five ends of their semi-final but was 19-7 down at 16 and eventually lost 21-10. Davis securing her first appearance in the county women’s final.

RESULTS SINGLES

Quarter-finals at Rodbourne Cheney: Viv Baskerville (Chippenham Town) beat Joan Coleman (Amesbury) 21-10; Linda Young (Highworth) lost to Deanne Davis (Wanborough) 17-21; Jean Collier (Box) beat Kathryn Yeoman (Box) 21-17; Laura Laytham (Swindon Town Gardens) beat Michele Williams (Box) 21-20.

Semi-finals: D Davis (Wanborough) beat V Baskerville (Chippenham Town) 21-10; J Collier (Box) beat L Laytham (Town Gardens) 21-12.

The two winners progress to the county singles final at Alderbury on July 29 and will represent Wiltshire in national championships in the ladies singles at Royal Leamington Spa in August.

The first round in a new ladies county competition Over 55s Fours (Senior Fours) was played on Friday evening.

It resulted in wins in the first round for foursomes skipped by Alex Jacobs (Box) and Sheila Garlick (Devizes) who were due to meet in round two on Tuesday.

Also into round two was Georgina Coomber (Avon) .

There were eight entries in the north area including one from both North Wilts and Royal Wootton Bassett but 12 entries in the south area.

A quartet from Bassett skipped by Pat Edmonds beat a four from North Wilts led by Fizz Mace and will now face Wanborough in the quarters.

The quarter-finals in both the north and south areas will be played this Friday night with the area semi-finals planned for next Monday, July 10.

The final is set for Purton on July 22 along with the ladies U25 pairs semi-finals and final.

COUNTY selectors have named the teams for the final Johns Trophy group match against Somerset and the regional final in the other inter-county championship event, Walker Cup double rinks competition.

Despite the narrow Johns win over Cornwall, the selectors make several changes to the three losing rinks that were skipped by Margaret Annetts (Salisbury), Kathryn Yeoman (Box) and Delia Godwin (Spencer Melksham) plus several positional switches.

Three new players Kara Little (Box) moves from Delia Godwin’s rink, Jean Collier (Box) is recalled in place of Mo Woolley (Alderbury) while Janice Bull switches from Kathryn Yeomans rink also to Annetts quartet to form a completely new rink.

There are two changes on Kathryn Yeoman’s rink as Charlotte Daniell (RWB) is replaced by the returning Ann Roberts-Phare (North Wilts) at lead and Carol Grenfell (Box) returns at three for Amesbury Janice Bull.

Finally there is a recall on Delia Godwin’s rink for Linda Young (Highworth) at three who comes in for Bev Lilley (Devizes).

It is a vital match that Wiltshire must win against Somerset away at Clevedon this Saturday if they are to have any chance of pipping their west country rivals for top spot in the group and qualifying for the Johns Trophy quarter-finals.

SAME again is the county selectors' decision for the Walker Cup, double rinks competition, regional final due to be played at Victoria BC (Weston-Super-Mare) on Sunday, July 16.

They have opted for the same eight players that beat Gloucestershire by four shots in a 49-45 victory at Devizes last Sunday to qualify for the west regional final.

Wiltshire will play Herefordshire in the morning semi-finals and if successful would meet either Somerset or Cornwall in the west final in the afternoon with a place in the last four at the national championships at Royal Leamington Spa in August the prize for the winner.

Wiltshire made a slow start against Gloucestershire at Devizes and were 12-10 down overall after five ends but led 22-20 after ten Alex Jacobs rink were 12-7 up while Kathryn Yeoman’s quartet were 13-10 down.

At 15 ends, Jacobs had extended her lead to 20-12 while Yeoman was only one shot down 17-16 but Wiltshire were 36-29 up overall.

However at 18 ends Jacobs only led 20-19 but Yeoman had gone into a 23-19 lead due mainly to a county of five on the 18th end.

Wiltshire held their nerve with Jacobs winning 25-21 and Yeoman drawing 24-24 to make the final score 49-45 overall and book a place in the regional final in two weeks time.

RESULT

Rink 2: Georgina Newman (Avon), Ann Hindley (Wilton), Marcia Hartley (Avon) & Kathryn Yeoman (Box) drew with J Sheward 24-24.

Rink 3: Chris Mitchell (Purton), Sue Cooke (Box), Alison Fail (Purton) & Alex Jacobs (Box) beat K Gent 25-21.

Score: Wiltshire beat Gloucestershire 49-45.

WILTSHIRE Ladies' latest friendly match last Wednesday against Glamorgan in Cardiff had to be switched indoors because of the extremely wet weather conditions.

Rink honours were shared 3-3 but Wiltshire were just edged out on shots losing the friendly 98-94.

Fizz Mace (North Wilts) and Delia Godwin (S Melksham) both skipped their rinks to one shot victories while Mo Woolley (Alderbury) won the presidents battle with a nine shots win.

The next ladies county friendly is at home at Pewsey Vale on Tuesday July 11 against Hampshire prior to that Wiltshire ladies are back in South West Counties League action away to Worcestershire on Wednesday at Hewell and away again to Herefordshire at Ross on Wye on July 12.

RESULTS (skips only)

Rink 1: Pat Jones beat E Davies 18-17; Rink 2: Mo Woolley beat J de Souza 19-10; Rink 3: Babs Salter beat T Gowan 15-14; Rink 4: Margaret Annetts lost to P John 13-18; Rink 5: Delia Godwin lost to G Miles 14-22; Rink 6: Fizz Mace lost to M Newman 15-17.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Glamorgan 94-98.