WESTLECOT duo Wendy Anderson and Janet Willis missed out on lifting another national championships title for the Old Town club at Nottingham.

They qualified for the last 16 in the Over 60 ladies pairs after winning the Area 14 final 23-13 against Desborough (Maidenhead)’s Eileen Devonald-Batt and Mary Price.

In the first round at Nottingham, they outgunned Wellingborough (Northants) 20-13. Westlecot trailed Celia Morris and Diane Brumwell 6-2 at five ends and 11-9 at 10 but went on a brilliant run over the next eight ends.

The quarter-final proved to be a lot harder against the Barwell (Leics) pairing of Val Hobart and Barbara Lewis.

Anderson and Willis made a reasonable start and only trailed 5-4 after five ends but had slipped 13-6 down after 10. However, there was to be no revival like in their previous game as they slipped further back, finally losing 25-9.

It was a disappointing finish to the indoor season for Westlecot ladies but they can be well pleased with their contribution this season.

ATTENTION now swings away from the indoor scene to the opening of the numerous outdoor greens in the Swindon area over the Easter period.

Local clubs will once again play in both the women’s and men’s Swindon & District Leagues. The ladies county leagues are unaffected but the men will play in a revamped Wiltshire Four Rink League.

The old Salisbury, West Wilts, North Wilts and Swindon areas A, B, C and D have been scrapped and replaced by two 15-team groups North and South – top four in each group compete in play-offs.

Fifteen clubs in the north section are Cricklade, Haydon Wick, Highworth, Marlborough, Purton, Rodbourne Cheney, Royal Wootton Bassett (holders), Stratton Churchway, Supermarine, Swindon BC, Swindon Town Gardens, Swindon West End, Wanborough, Westlecot and Wroughton.

The southern section of 15 clubs consists of Amesbury, Avon (Melksham), Box, Chippenham Park, Chippenham Town, Corsham, Devizes, Holt, Pewsey Vale, Spencer Melksham, Spencer Moulton, Salisbury, Trowbridge Westbourne, Warminster and Winsley.

WILTSHIRE will compete this season in a group of four in the ladies inter-county championship for the Johns Trophy and also a group of four for the men’s Middleton Cup.

They face Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset in the Johns Trophy, with two home games at Devizes and one away against Somerset.

The men also have two home games against Devon and Worcestershire at Royal Wootton Bassett and have to travel to Gloucestershire.

In both cases, only the group winner will advance to the quarter-finals in mid-July against the other west regional winner.

The county ladies will hold two Johns Trophy trials, the first at Devizes on April 26, the other at Wroughton on May 6.

The men have a Middleton Cup trial organised for May 13 at Royal Wootton Bassett.

THE Smith sisters, Lucy, 21 and Katy 20 have both been invited to take part in the Bowls England ladies Junior International trial at Royal Leamington Spa on May 29.

The Wootton Bassett girls are both U25 indoor internationals, while Katy is already an outdoor international but only at U18 level.

Earlier this year representing Westlecot indoor club, they contested the ladies U25 singles final at City of Ely, with Katy taking the honours.