BOWLS: Indoor season gets under way (From Swindon Advertiser)

BOWLS: Indoor season gets under way

7:00am Saturday 20th October 2012 in Sport

THE indoor bowls campaign starts in earnest this weekend as the national inter-club competitions commence.

The first round of the Denny Cup and Egham Trophy, men’s and mixed national inter-club championship events, will be staged today and tomorrow.

All the Wiltshire men’s clubs take to the green today in the Denny Cup first round - two rinks both home and away.

In Area C Westlecot face Thornbury, North Wilts (Chippenham) have drawn Cotswold (Stroud) while Christie Miller (Melksham) will meet Gloucester.

If Westlecot are successfully then they will meet the winners of North Wilts and Cotswold on November 3.

Only Westlecot and Fairford from this area have entered this year’s mixed Egham Trophy.

In Area B of the competition tomorrow Westlecot open with a first-round tie against Gloucester. However, Fairford have been seeded to the second round on November 4 where they will face Carterton.

The ladies equivalent national inter-club championship competition for the Yetton Trophy does not begin until November 1.

• PRELIMINARY round matches in national team competitions such as men’s and ladies’ over 60s inter-club double rinks have already been played.

In the Mason’s Trophy, ladies over 60s double rinks, Westlecot B beat Fairford 40-35 to set up a Westlecot A & B first-round clash to be played by October 26.

Westlecot are due to face MidGlos by October 26 in a first round men’s over 60s tie while Fairford have drawn Thornbury.

It is early days in the men’s and ladies main national competitions but Dave Snell (Westlecot) is out of the men’s singles.

• WESTLECOT men made a fine start to the 2012/13 Wessex League last weekend.

The two regional sections - coastal and east - with the most teams in them, 10 and nine respectively, began their new campaign.

Westlecot opened with a 115-58 victory over Chipping Norton as they collected 15 out of a possible 16 points.

The opening exchanges were close with Westlecot only leading 28-21 across the board after five ends before pulling away and leading 60-31 at 10.

Away in Chipping Norton Chris Cheesley’s rink were 7-0 down after two ends but led 9-8 at five and 19-9 at 10 before securing a 31-14 success.

Alongside Tom Walkley’s rink were never headed leading 6-2 at five and 15-5 at 10 ends and eventually winning 30-13.

At home at Westlecot Ian Jefferies’ rink were tied 5-5 at five ends but then pulled right away to lead 15-6 at 10 and 23-9 at 15 before eventually winning 33-10.

But Dave Snell’s quartet had to settle for a share of the spoils in a tight match.

They led 8-6 at five ends and tied 11-11 at 10, but had edged 17-14 up at 15 and moved 21-15 clear at 18.

However, their Chipping Norton opponents hit back over the last three ends to tie the match 21-21 including a three on the last end.

RESULTS

Home - Rink 2: John Anderson, Tom Pittuck, James Nobbs & Dave Snell drew with Keith Field 21-21. Rink 3: John Wilson, Mike Shawyer, Kevin Embling & Ian Jefferies beat Paul Robbins 33-10.

Away - Rink 2: Dave Matthews, Mike Titcombe Jnr, Rod Holborow & Tom Walkley beat Martin Shepherd 30-13. Rink 3: Joe Mazzotta, Denis Holborow, Paul Kistle & Chris Cheesley beat Jim Stevens 31-14.

Score: Westlecot beat Chipping Norton 115-58 and by 15-1.

LATEST SCORES Oxford & District 81(14) Rivermead 74(2); Carterton 66(3) West Berks 80(13); Chipping Norton 58(1) Westlecot 115(15); Loddon Vale 67(4) Oxford City & County 74(12). Banbury - no game.

NEXT FIXTURES October 28: Banbury v Oxford & D; Carterton v Rivermead; Chipping Norton v West Berks; Loddon Vale v Westlecot.