SWINDON & District Bowls Association representative side won their traditional annual opener to the outdoor season against a mixed Bowls Wiltshire team at Highworth.

Swindon were victorious on three of the six rinks, drew on another and only lost on two in this friendly.

Maurice Simpson (Faringdon) led the way for the district side skipping his all Faringdon team to a convincing and match winning 14 shots success.

Other wins were gained for S&D by the all-Supermarine rink skipped by Jerry Kemple-Young (three shots) and the all-Garrards rink led by Dave Williams (two shots).

And Stuart Murray skipped his Highworth rink to an 18-18 draw against the Bowls Wiltshire foursome led by Brian Whittingham (Westlecot).

Bowls Wiltshire competitions co-ordinator Gerald Webb (Devizes) led his quartet to a 26-20 win for the county while the other Wiltshire success a 23-19 win came from the foursome skipped by the county ladies secretary Babs Salter (Wroughton).

And in the presidential battle on rink four S&D men’s president Roy Major (Supermarine) was victorious over Bowls Wiltshire’s chairperson June Corbett (Wroughton) by three shots.

Wiltshire have named their junior side to face Gloucestershire in the White Rose Trophy tomorrow at Royal Wootton Bassett (10.30am).

Team manager Adam Tanner has chosen four players from Westlecot, one from Highworth and one from hosts Royal Wootton Bassett. The other two both playing as number twos Holt and Spencer Moulton.

Team selected is: Rink 1: James Richman (Westlecot), Chris Poole (Holt), Craig Hatherall & Michael Titcombe (both W’lecot). Rink 2: Gary Jackson (W’lecot), Jamie Shadwell (Spencer Moulton), Ben Choules (Highworth) and Craig Morphet (Royal Wootton Bassett).

Wiltshire men’s U25s were beaten 80-70 in a friendly away at Oxfordshire last weekend.

County Ladies opening two rounds in the national fours championship have been played over the past week or so in both the northern and southern sections of the national competition.

In the north section fours skipped by Alison Fail (Purton), Babs Salter (Wroughton), Linda Whittingham (Westlecot) and Barbara Land (Chippenham Town) are through to the quarter-final stages scheduled for Royal Wootton Bassett on Saturday, May 20 (10.15am).

The men’s first trial for the Inter-county championship side to play in the Middleton Cup, was due to take place at Royal Wootton Bassett today (10am).