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.

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.

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."

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.

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 in 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 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.