WILTSHIRE'S men made a positive start to their 2015 Middleton Cup campaign.

The 24-strong team, including nine players from Wootton Bassett and five from Westlecot, began their quest for glory in West Group B of the inter-club championship with a fine 21-shot win over Warwickshire.

Losing semi-finalists last year, the Moonrakers made a first successful step towards qualification for the last four again this season at Leamington with a 131-110 success at Rugby in their first group match.

With wins on four of the six rinks Wiltshire collected 18 of the 22 points.

They trailed by one shot to the hosts Warwickshire after five ends across the board 28-27 but by halfway had moved 61-53 ahead and then just gradually pulled away to victory.

Moonrakers led 91-73 at 15 ends, had extended the advantage to 113-91 at 18 and finally won the tie comfortably.

Mel Biggs’ local rink of Kyle Anderson, Graham Hatherall and Mike Jackson led the way for the Moonrakers with a 17-shot win, while Wootton Bassett’s Neil Smith led his rink to a 10-shot success.

Spencer Moulton’s Graham Shadwell skipped his quartet to a 12-shot success while Holt’s Ben Gadd’s four, although 11-0 up at five ends, had to settle for a final winning score of 22-13.

However, Russell Francis’ quartet, who struggled early on and dropped a maximum count of eight (hotshot) on the ninth end to trail 16-2, hit back to only lose by four shots 23-19.

But Wiltshire struggled badly on rink two as Gary Morphet’s four were outplayed throughout only scoring on six of the 21 ends and crashed to a heavy 32-9 reverse.

Delighted Wiltshire Middleton Cup team manager Dave Snell said, “We couldn't have asked for a better start to this year’s campaign.

“We said before the game that any type of win would be good, but to win on four rinks and secure an 18-4 result was a real bonus.

“Although it is early days, last week’s results and Worcestershire's win against Dorset has put us in a good position.

“We have another tough game (today, away to Dorset) on the Greenhill Green in Weymouth and if we can come away with any positive result that will only improve our position with two home games (at Wootton Bassett) remaining.

“The (Warwickshire) result was even more pleasing as the green (at Rugby) was very tricky and patchy and although quick the pace was not even due to the brown and green patches and it was very difficult to find a consistent length, but we did overcome it better than the home players.''

The team named for the second Cup game today (Saturday) at Greenhill (Weymouth) against Dorset shows two changes.

Holt’s Craig Doughty, who was unavailable for the Warwickshire game, comes into the side replacing player/manager Snell at number two in Graham Shadwell’s rink.

Bassett’s Snell reverts to lead in Biggs’s rink as Kyle Anderson is unavailable.

RESULTS Rink 1: Wayne Simmonds, Kevin Rowden (both Holt), Andy Colebrooke & Russell Francis (both Spencer Moulton) lost to Andy Smith 19-23. Rink 2: Barry Sictorness, Chris Cheesley, Dave Godwin & Gary Morphet (all Wootton Bassett) lost to Dan Box 9-32. Rink 3: Tom Warner, Nick Revell (both Amesbury), Wayne Snook & Ben Gadd (both Holt) beat Alan Apsey 22-13. Rink 4: Gary Jackson (Westlecot), Dave Snell, Stephen Snell (both WB) & Graham Shadwell (S Moulton) beat Colin Jacox 27-15. Rink 5: Kevin Embling (West), Keith Bailey (Holt), Tom Walkley & Neil Smith (both WB) beat Calvin Wells 27-17. Rink 6: Kyle Anderson (WB), Graham Hatherall, Mike Jackson & Mel Biggs (all West) beat Tom Millership 27-10.

Score: Wiltshire beat Warwickshire 131-110 and 18pts to 4pts.

West B Group Scores

May 30: Somerset 128 (18pts) Worcestershire 106 (4pts); Dorset 115 (16pts) Warwickshire 113 (6pts).

June 6: Warwickshire 110 (4pts) Wiltshire 131 (18pts); Worcestershire 139 (16pts) Dorset 92 (6pts).

Fixtures - June 13: Dorset v Wiltshire; Warks v Somerset.

June 20: Somerset v Dorset; Wilts v Worcs (at Wootton Bassett); July 4: Worcs v Warks; Wilts v Somerset (at W Bassett).

LOCAL players dominate the Wiltshire U25 side chosen by the county selectors to compete in the White Rose Trophy regional final tomorrow (Sunday) at Bristol Bowls Club, Ashton Gate (10am).

The sextet of Westlecot’s Gary Jackson, Mike Titcombe and Craig Morphet, along with Wootton Bassett’s Kyle Anderson and Matt Daniell and Highworth’s James Richman are supplemented by Amesbury duo Nick Revell and Tom Warner to contest tomorrow’s inter-county U25s national two fours (double rink) competition regional final.

Wiltshire, who beat Dorset in round one, have been drawn against Devon in the morning semi-finals, while in the other Cornwall face Somerset.

The two winners will meet in the grand final in the afternoon with the regional winner progressing to the White Rose semi-finals at Bowls England Headquarters at Royal Leamington Spa at the end of August.

Wiltshire have won the White Rose Trophy west group regional final twice in the past four years.

TEAM

Rink 1: James Richman (Highworth), Mike Titcombe, Gary Jackson (both Westlecot) & Kyle Anderson (Wootton Bassett). Rink 2: Craig Morphet (West), Matt Daniell (W Bassett), Tom Warner & Nick Revell (both Amesbury). Reserves (alphabetical order): Ben Choules (High), Craig Hatherall (West) & Ashley Plumb (Ames).

THE county's men’s side under the stewardship of 2015 president Richard Gardiner (Supermarine) remain unbeaten.

They stretched their run to three matches with a narrow 108-103 home win over Worcestershire on the Supermarine green last Thursday.

Wiltshire took the honours on three of the six rinks and drew on another, which contained Wiltshire county president Richard Gardiner and was skipped by Martin Salter.

They led 14-8 after 11 ends but a run of seven losing ends saw them trail 19-14 after 18 but hit back on the last three to salvage a 19-19 draw.

Wiltshire’s next friendly game is against Isle of Wight at Salisbury on Tuesday, June 16 (1.30pm).

RESULTS (skips only) Rink 1: Geoff Toomer beat Les Case 22-15. Rink 2: Keith Evill beat Keith Manning 16-14. Rink 3: Martin Salter drew with Mike Bond 19-19. Rink 4: Graham Annetts beat Richard Woodward 17-13. Rink 5: Bob Fredericks lost to Vernon Evans 15-19. Rink 6: Brian Merritt lost to Bill Hadley 19-23.

Score: Wiltshire beat Worcestershire 108-103.

THE MEN’S national and county semi-finals in the triples and fours championships, that were originally scheduled for tomorrow, have been switched.

They will still be played on Chippenham Town’s green, but will now be staged a fortnight later on June 28.

Three Bassett quartets and one from Westlecot have reached the fours semi-finals while two teams from Bassett have been drawn against each other in the triples.

The other semi will feature holders Holt versus Chippenham Town.