THE SUPERMARINE foursome of Cheryl Walker, Ann Andrews, Nicki Kemble-Young and skip Susan Griffiths, plus holders Box, have become the first in Wiltshire to book a place at the 2018 Ladies National Championships at Royal Leamington Spa at the start of August.

They were both victorious in the quarter and semi-finals of the county ladies national fours at Amesbury last Saturday and will meet on county ladies finals day at Avon (Melksham) on July 28, as well as clinching their national berths.

It is only the second time that a ladies four from Supermarine have reached the national stage, the other was two years ago, but the 12th time since the turn of the century that a Box foursome have done so.

At Amesbury, in the bottom half of the fours quarter-final draw surprise qualifier Marine beat a more experienced host side 22-13, while Highworth edged past Stratton Churchway 24-22.

In the top half, Alex Jacobs' four from Box beat Wroughton 20-13 in a repeat of last season’s final to set up a meeting with Spencer Melksham, who had edged home 16-15 against Devizes.

Against Highworth in the last four, Marine led 15-7 after 10 ends and 26-7 at 15 before finally winning comfortably 31-15.

In the other semi-final holders Box raced into a 14-0 lead against Spencer Melksham after only five ends and never looked back to claim a 27-5 success with only 14 ends played.

FOURS RESULTS

Quarter-finals: Julie Crew, Marcia Cottle, Delia Godwin & Marilyn Jay (Spencer Melksham) beat Patricia Reeve, Ellen Styles, Josie Mulligan & Mary Jones (Devizes) 16-15; Carol Grenfell, Kathryn Yeoman, Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (holders, Box) beat June Corbett, Margaret Dowthwaite, Carole Woodward & Babs Salter (Wroughton) 20-13. Jackie Pearce (sub Kathryn Riach), Johanna Bryant, Wendy Anderson & Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway) lost to Maggie Jordan, Ashley Lin, Patricia Pearce & Joanna Hicks (Highworth) 22-24; Ann Humphries, Julie Mitchell, Janice Bull & Joan Coleman (Amesbury) lost to Ann Andrews, Cheryl Walker , Nicki Kemble-Young & Susan Griffiths (Supermarine) 13-22.

Semi-finals: Marilyn Jay (Spencer Melksham) lost to Alex Jacobs (holder, Box) 5-27; Joanna Hicks (Highworth) lost to Susan Griffiths (S’marine) 15-31.

PURTON'S trio of Chris Mitchell, Julie Jones and Alison Fail, the reigning national triples champions, begin the defence of their crown in earnest this morning at Box Bowls Club (10.15am).

After wins over Malmesbury, Wanborough and Stratton Churchway in the northern section, they have reached the quarter-finals of the 2018 Wiltshire competition along with Highworth, Royal Wootton Bassett and Chippenham Town while in the south region hosts Box, Wilton, Bradford-on-Avon and Spencer Melksham or Devizes have all qualified.

Two places at Royal Leamington Spa, where Purton triumphed last year, are on offer as well as a place in the county ladies triples final in late July at Avon.

The quarter-finals will be played at 10.15 am with the semi-finals in the afternoon after lunch.

DRAW

Quarter-finals at Box BC, Saturday, May 27 (10.15am): Jan Boden, Viv Baskerville & Barbara Land (Chip Town) v Chris Mitchell, Julie Jones & Alison Fail (holders, Purton); Barbara Twine, Ginny Nash & Patricia Murray (Royal Wootton Bassett) v Jenny Couch, Marilyn Jay & Delia Godwin (Spencer Melksham); Maggie Jordan, Jo Hicks & Linda Young (Highworth) v Glenda Hibberd, Dawn Toomer & Cathy Burrows (Wilton); Betty Wilkes (Sue Walters), Peggy Akerman & Ruth Gerrish (Bradford-o-A) v Debbie Shadwell, Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (Box).

The semi-finals will be played at 2.30pm approx.

WILTSHIRE Ladies representative teams were beaten for the first time this season, going down heavily in a friendly match at Highworth last Thursday afternoon.

They lost by 44 shots as they crashed 135-91 to Warwickshire.

Wiltshire won on one of the six rinks courtesy of Pewsey’s Trish Jarrett. Her quartet won 23-12 and Fizz Mace’s (North Wilts) four drew 16-16.

Wiltshire made a good start and led 33-18 after five ends overall but were then pegged back to trail 50-47 after 10.

However, they then fell away badly to suffer a big loss.

They trailed 93-65 at 15 ends, 115-82 at 18 and finally lost 135-91.

The ladies bounced back after their heavy loss to Warwickshire last week with an eight shots away success.

They beat Oxfordshire 117-109 at Witney Town on Tuesday winning on four of the six rinks contested.

Top rink honours went to the foursome of Julia Hunt (Wanborough), Ellen Stiles (Devizes), Sue Gravell (Swindon Town Gardens) and skip Babs Salter (Wroughton) who won their match by nine shots 22-13.

This area’s other winning skip was Stratton Churchway’s Janet Willis who led her four to a six shots win.

Wiltshire ladies turn their attention to the Johns Trophy away against Dorset next Saturday, June 2 and the home South West Counties match versus Somerset at Salisbury on June 13.

County ladies next friendly match is at home against Berkshire at Pewsey Vale on Tuesday, June 19.

RESULTS (v Warwickshire, skips only)

Rink 1: Janice Rowe lost to M Edwards 14-27. Rink 2: Trish Jarrett beat C Cooke 23-12. Rink 3: Margaret Annetts lost to J Corn 8-30. Rink 4: Babs Salter lost to M Harris 17-20. Rink 5: Pat Jones lost to J Williams 13-30. Rink 6: Fizz Mace drew with P Gagg 16-16.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Warwickshire 91-135.

RESULTS (skips only)

Rink 1: Barbara Land lost to C Penson 12-24; Rink 2: Trish Jarrett lost to J Berry 17-20; Rink 3: Janet Willis beat W Cross 21-16; Rink 4: Babs Salter beat S Blackmore 22-13; Rink 5: Margaret Annetts beat D Jacob 21-20; Rink 6: Fizz Mace beat C Bloomfield 24-16.

Score: Wiltshire beat Oxfordshire 117-109.