LOCAL players featured prominently as Wiltshire men made the perfect start to a new outdoor bowls season with victory in their opening match of the 2015 campaign at Chippenham Town last Sunday.

The junior side, boasting 11 of the 16 players from five bowls clubs around Swindon, recorded a comprehensive 40-shot win over Somerset in an U25 friendly match.

They were 23-13 up across the board after five ends and moved 47-25 up at the halfway point. The advantage was extended to 38 shots after 15 ends as they led 74-36 and finally won 99-59 after taking the honours on all four rinks.

Nick Revell’s rink produced the biggest winning margin of 20 shots, Mike Titcombe (Westlecot) led his quartet to a 10-shot success, while the Kyle Anderson (Wootton Bassett) rink won by seven and the Tom Warner four came from behind at halfway to win by three.

It was an excellent workout in preparation for the junior Wiltshire men’s opening group match in the 2015 National County Under 25s Two Fours competition against Dorset at Blandford on Sunday, May 26 for the White Rose Trophy, a competition in which they have twice reached the national semi-finals in recent years.

Wiltshire U25s are back in action again on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon at Westlecot when they defend the Four Counties U25 Festival Tournament title.

The county juniors appeared in the competition for the first time last season and took the honours at Keynsham, winning on all three rinks to lift the trophy with the maximum six points, ahead of runners-up Somerset, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

The format sees each of the four counties field three rinks, one against each of the other counties over games of 21 ends.

Two points are awarded to each winning rink, and one for a draw, with the county securing the most points being declared the winner.

Wiltshire team manager, Adam Tanner, has chosen a strong side to defend the title and has opted for ten of the team that won the tournament last year.

The only players missing from the victorious squad are skip Mike Richards and Luke Jowett. They are replaced by Amesbury duo Tom Warner (skip) and lead Ashley Plumb.

THE NEW outdoor season may only be a couple of weeks old but the ladies’ national county competitions move into full swing next week.

The preliminary round in the fours championship in the southern half of the county has to be completed by Friday, May 8 and the first round three days later for both the north (Swindon and Chippenham) and south sections.