TONY Watchman has joined an exclusive band of Wiltshire bowlers.

He has become only the third true Moonraker (Wiltshireman) and the first for over 30 years to have held the position of both indoor and outdoor county president.

He emulates Denis Uncles from Bradford on Avon, who was outdoor president in 1971 and indoor 1975-76 and Westinghouse’s Percy King (outdoor 1976 and indoors 1980-81).

Watchman, who plays indoors at the North Wilts Club in Chippenham, recently took over the role of county president at the Wiltshire Indoor Bowls Association annual general meeting from Westlecot’s Keith Baker.

Born in Swindon in 1941, he is a former outdoor president and held the post in 2004 when a member of the now-defunct Westinghouse Bowls Club before switching to Chippenham Park in 2009.

“I would recommend anyone thinking of considering being president to take it up. We need more people interested in the role,” said Watchman.

“The structure of both codes, outdoors and indoors will give all the help that is needed.

“You don’t have to be a skip to be a president or an outstanding bowler - just competent.

“I play all my games at two and you get all the banter at the front end, which I enjoy.”

Watchman made the perfect start to his tenure, leading his representative side to victory at Westlecot in the opening county friendly of the 2014-15 season.

Despite trailing overall against neighbours Oxfordshire for most of the match, Wiltshire produced a super late rally to snatch a five-shots win.

Across the board the Moonrakers trailed 30-28 at five ends, 55-48 at ten and were 73-70 down at 15.

But then, from only three shots adrift at 15 ends, found themselves 15 down as they trailed 92-77 at 18.

A brilliant final surge saw the team collect 25 shots and only concede five over the last three ends across the board, snatching an unlikely 102-97 victory.

As a result of the late rally, Wiltshire took the honours on four of the five rinks, with Watchman’s rink, skipped by Steve Remington, winning the battle of the presidents and also recording Wiltshire’s highest winning margin of eight shots.

Wiltshire’s next friendly match is this Sunday, October 19 (2pm) at home at North Wilts against Devon.