WILTSHIRE under 25 men will tomorrow attempt to book a place in the National Championships at Worthing in August.

The county junior team that contains four local players will compete in the west regional finals of the White Rose Trophy, the men’s national county under 25 two fours competition.

Two years ago Wiltshire reached the semi-finals of this competition at Worthing before losing out to Huntingdonshire.

In Sunday’s regional finals at Bath Bowls Club, Wiltshire have been drawn against Dorset in the semis and could face either Devon or Warwickshire in the final.

They clinched their place in the last four with a 46-40 first-round victory over Worcestershire, leading overall from start to finish.

The county juniors won on both rinks with skip Tom Walkley (Wootton Bassett) edging home 19-18. Michael Richards (Westlecot) led his four to a 27-22 win having been 24-0 up at nine ends.

Wiltshire make one change and one positional switch in Richards’ rink. Wayne Snook (Holt) comes in at three with Paul Stokes dropping back to two and Craig Hatherall (Westlecot) reverting to the reserves’ bench.

TEAM

Rink 1: Gary Jackson, Paul Stokes (both Westlecot), Wayne Snook (Holt) and Michael Richards (W’lecot). Rink 2: Jordan Moody, Tom Warner, Nick Revell (all Amesbury) and Tom Walkley (Wootton Bassett).

Res: Craig Hatherall and Michael Titcombe Jnr (both W’lecot).

  • THE White Rose Trophy clashes with the Wiltshire men’s national championship semi-finals.

Chippenham Town should have been hosting last-four clashes in both the triples and fours tomorrow.

But as five of the players named in the Wiltshire under 25 side were still involved in the national triples and fours earlier in the week, county competitions organiser Mike Jackson has been forced to rearrange some of the matches.

The triples semi-final between holders Wootton Bassett (James Nobbs, Neil Smith and Gary Morphet ) and Chippenham Town will take place tomorrow as planned.

However, the other all-Holt semi has been played already because of Wayne Snook’s involvement in the White Rose Trophy.

It resulted in a shock with 2010 winners Wayne Simmonds, Snook and Ben Gadd losing to Holt clubmate Justin Davis 20-10.

Davis’ trio have booked a place in the triples at Worthing and in the county final at Devizes in September.

One of the two fours semi-finals will not be played on Sunday afternoon, the all-Wootton Bassett clash between Lawrence Smith, Dave Snell, Tom Walkley and Steve Snell versus James Nobbs, Chris Cheesley, Gary Morphet and Neil Smith. It has been rearranged for Sunday, June 30.

The other semi is between Wootton Bassett and Holt, which will be played tomorrow.

RESULTS

Outstanding fours quarter-finals: Rob Jeffreys, Keith Bailey, Kevin Oliver and Don Gray (Holt) beat Jordan Moody, J Ford, Tom Warner and Nick Revell (Amesbury) 19-17; Richard Buckland, Dave Pugh, Harold Jones and Andy Crump (Wootton Bassett) beat Wayne Simmonds, Justin Davis, Wayne Snook and Ben Gadd (Holt) 21-12.

SEMI-FINALS

Chippenham Town tomorrow (Sunday) Triples (10am) James Nobbs, Neil Smith and Gary Morphet (holders, Wootton Bassett) v Dave Godwin, Paul Macdonald and Neil Connor (Chippenham Town).

Wayne Simmonds, Wayne Snook and Ben Gadd (Holt) lost to Rob Jeffreys, Don Gray and Justin Davis (Holt) 10-20.

Fours (10am): Rob Jeffreys, Keith Bailey, Kevin Oliver and Don Gray (Holt) v Richard Buckland, Dave Pugh, Harold Jones and Andy Crump (Wootton Bassett).

Lawrence Smith, Dave Snell, Tom Walkley and Steve Snell (WB) v James Nobbs, Chris Cheesley, Neil Smith and Gary Morphet (WB) - this match rearranged for Sunday, June 30 (10am) at Westlecot.

  •  WILTSHIRE men will hope to follow up victory in their opening Middleton Cup group match with another win today.

After triumphing 120-108 at Gloucestershire a fortnight ago, the unchanged county side face Worcestershire at Broadway.

The Moonrakers’ final group game is at home to Warwickshire on Saturday, July 6 at Wootton Bassett.

Wiltshire need to win all three group games to be certain of progressing to the quarter-finals on July 20.