HIGHWORTH Bowls Club are celebrating their 80th anniversary this year with a series of special mixed matches to mark the landmark.

Formed originally as men’s club in 1936, with ladies becoming full playing members in 1955, Highworth marked their 80th birthday with a special match played between the club and a representative mixed Bowls Wiltshire team over six rinks.

Rink honours were shared 3-3 but the overall 119-106 victory went to Highworth.

This was entirely due to the officers match on rink three where Highworth president Gordon Pearce playing at three to skip John White enjoyed a handsome 27 shots success in a 35-8 victory over Bowls Wiltshire chairperson June Corbett’s rink, skipped by Brian Whittingham.

The best for Bowls Wiltshire and their highest winning rink was the foursome of Karen Guy, Jim Cremin, Janice Bull and Sue Ochyra with a 22-shot winning margin.

  •  PAT JONES and her Supermarine colleague Marilyn Kilburn have booked a place in the ladies county pairs final and have also earned the right to represent Wiltshire in the national pairs championships at Royal Leamington Spa in early August.

Quarter-finals: Marilyn Kilburn & Pat Jones (Supermarine) beat Joanna Richman & Linda Kingston (Highworth) 18-13; Karen Funnell & Jean Collier (Box) beat Lucy & Katy Smith (Royal Wootton Bassett) 21-20; Eileen Hawker & Marilyn Jay (Spencer Melksham) beat Lolly Braddon & Carol Grenfell (Box) 22-21; Rose Merritt & Sue Ochyra (Devizes) beat Jean Crepaz & Deanne Davis (Wanborough) 17-16.

Semi-finals: Kilburn & Jones beat Funnell & Collier 27-18; Hawker & Jay lost to Merritt and Ochyra 11-21.

  • There was no joy for Ginny Nash (Royal Wootton Bassett), Laura Latham (Swindon Town Gardens) or Joanna Richman (Highworth) as they attempted to book their place in the county final of the two wood singles.

Quarter-finals: Jean Collier (Box) beat Ginny Nash (Royal Wootton Bassett) 14-7; Irene Button (Chippenham Town) lost to Ann Hindley (Wilton) 10-15; Joanna Richman (Highworth) beat Sue Cook (Box) 16-15; Alex Jacobs (Box) beat Laura Latham (Swindon Town Gardens) 16-3.

Semi-finals: Collier (Box) lost to Hindley (Wilton) 15-16; Jacobs (Box) beat Richman (Highworth) 17-9.

  • REIGNING South West Counties champions Wiltshire narrowly lost their opening match of the 2016 campaign 117-111 to Cornwall.

But they bounced back last week at Amesbury defeating Somerset 131-102.

  • WILTSHIRE Ladies made a poor start to their Johns Trophy campaign, losing 133-105 away at Culm Vale to Devon.

They will be looking to bounce back today at Devizes when they entertain Dorset in their second West group match (2pm).

  • DEVIZES will host Wiltshire ladies’ first round Walker Cup match against Dorset (1.30pm).