WESTLECOT fell at the final hurdle in their bid to win another Wiltshire men’s Four Rink League title, losing to Holt in the play-off final.

Winners ten times in the past 13 years, Westlecot missed-out this season as they went down by 20 shots as Holt grabbed the title for only the second time in their history.

Westlecot trailed 18-13 at five ends but by 11 held a 43-35 advantage and still led at 15 ends 57-55.

But then the wheels came off as Holt came storming through and Westlecot only took the honours on one rink in the end, Mel Biggs’ quartet 20-16.

  • DESPITE that disappointment, Westlecot still proved to be the top club in the area at the Bowls Wiltshire finals, staged last weekend at Devizes.

Sixteen competitions featured local players, with Westlecot represented in five and winning three.

Highworth, Purton, Rodbourne Cheney and Wootton Bassett all won one event apiece.

Star of the show for Westlecot was Mel Biggs as the 59-year-old reigned supreme in the men’s county championship singles final, beating Bassett’s Dave Godwin 21-10.

Westlecot claimed another Bassett scalp as Craig Hatherall won his first U25 singles title by beating Kyle Anderson 21-16.

However, the winning touch did not rub off on his father Graham Hatherall who lost the all-Westlecot two wood singles final 14-13 to Mike Jackson.

Bassett then suffered two more setbacks as James Nobbs, Chris Cheesley and Gary Morphet were outplayed by holders Holt in the men’s championship triples final, losing 22-9.

Meanwhile, Lawrence Smith was beaten 21-18 by Highworth’s Shaun Hicks in the unbadged singles final.

In the county competitions on day one, Purton’s Alison Fail and Paul Boyles won the secretary and treasurers pairs title 16-15 against Winsley.

Stratton Churchway’s Lil Dalrymple, Wendy Anderson and Janet Willis lost 18-17 to Amesbury in the BW ladies county benevolent triples.

Wroughton’s Brian Coles, Babs Salter and Brian Whittingham lost in the BW Officers triples 23-15 to Pewsey Vale.

Day two opened with a 21-20 win for Rodbourne Cheney’s Steve Cornish over John Ellis (Amesbury) in the greenkeeper’s singles.

There was finally a win for Basset in the men’s Tourist Trophy Double Rinks over Salisbury 36-34.

In the other team finals, Westlecot lost the men’s Four Rink League final to Holt 82-62, Chippenham Town thumped Trowbridge Westbourne 60-24 in the mixed double rinks, while Box edged home 2-1 on extra ends in the ladies Top Ten final against North Wilts.