BEATEN narrowly by Norfolk in last year’s final, Wiltshire men will hope to go one better in this season’s national inter-county championship for the Middleton Cup, writes DAVE EATON.

They have been drawn in West Region Section A alongside Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, with their first match away at Barnwood, Gloucester on Saturday, June 1.

In preparation for this opening game, Wiltshire team manager Dave Snell has named 32 players for a Middleton Cup trial at Wootton Bassett Bowls Club on Sunday, May 19 (10am).

The players that he and his fellow selectors have named are drawn from seven clubs with local clubs dominating the line-up.

Westlecot supply 10 of the players, those being Mel Biggs, Kevin Embling, Paul Stokes, Mike and Gary Jackson, Graham and Craig Hatherall, Ian Jefferies, Jay Titcombe and Paul Kistle.

For Wootton Bassett, Kyle Anderson, Chris Cheesley, Gary Morphet, James Nobbs, Neil Smith, Stephen Snell and Tom Walkley are named while Highworth supply Kevin Carter and Craig Morphet.

“Again this year we will have to make changes from the start,” said team boss Dave Snell.

“Three players from last year’s successful side are not available as Michael Snell is now working in South Africa, Michael Richards has work commitments and Barry Sictorness has decided to have a year out.

“However, on the positive side, Steve Wiltshire has moved to Wiltshire and Kyle Anderson is available this year, while we have several under 25s pushing hard for places.”

TRIALLISTS

Mel Biggs, Kevin Embling, Mike and Gary Jackson, Graham and Craig Hatherall, Paul Stokes, Ian Jefferies, Jay Titcombe and Paul Kistle (all Westlecot); Neil Smith, Stephen Snell, James Nobbs, Kyle Anderson, Tom Walkley, Chris Cheesley and Gary Morphet (all Wootton Bassett); Kevin Carter & Craig Morphet (Highworth T); Tom Warner, Nick Revell and Jordan Moody (all Amesbury ); Dave Godwin, Paul Macdonald and William McCay (all Chippenham T); Keith Bailey, Wayne Snook, Ben Gadd and Wayne Simmonds (all Holt); Russell Francis, Graham Shadwell and Steve Wiltshire (all Spencer Moulton).

SWINDON & District ladies commence a series of friendly matches on Wednesday when they face Portsmouth & District.

The match will be played at Haydon Wick Bowls Club (2pm), the home green of this year’s new president, Wendy Thrush.

Eight clubs supply the 24 players for the hosts with Wroughton having seven selected while Haydon Wick and Wootton Bassett supply four each and Westlecot three.

The game is the first of 11 matchdays for Thrush to lead the association into as well as on a four-day tour to Bournemouth at the end of June.

TEAM

Swindon & District v Portsmouth, rink 1: Carol Jayne (Westlecot), Sue Williams (Purton), Maureen Rogers and Doris Woodley (both Wootton Bassett). Rink 2: Charlotte Harding, Doreen Croucher (both WB), Joyce Lewis (Wroughton) and Sue Baker (Cricklade). Rink 3: Ida Morton, Pat Bevan (both Wr’ton), Pat Jones (Supermarine) and Eileen Oliver (Haydon Wick). Rink 4: Val Groves, Pauline Eagle (both HW), Lynda Whittingham (Wr’ton) and Carol Coombs (W’lecot). Rink 5: Sylvia Williams (Purton), Vera Sheppard (Wr’ton), Glynis Truman (S’marine) and Carol Woodward (Wr’ton). Rink 6: Julia Hunt (Wanborough), Bronwen Rees (Wr’ton), Linda Perfitt (W’lecot) and Wendy Thrush (pres, H Wick).

WILTSHIRE ladies commence the defence of their South West Counties League title on Tuesday when they visit Topsham (Exeter) to face Cornwall.

They have already held two Johns Trophy trials, the national inter-county team championship, involving 57 players at Devizes and Wroughton in the past week.

The county selectors have chosen a strong side for the Cornwall match with all of the selected team having Johns Trophy experience.

Fifteen clubs are represented with four players named from Box, three from Warminster and two from Chippenham Town and Amesbury.

Eight local players have been chosen in the South West Counties side, two each from Purton and Stratton Churchway with Wroughton, Town Gardens, Wootton Bassett and Westlecot each having a single representative in the 26-strong side.

TEAM

Rink 1: Alison Fail (Purton), Margaret Annetts (Salisbury), Sue Cooke and Alex Jacobs (both Box). Rink 2: Irene Button (Chippenham Town), June Corbett (Town Gardens), Babs Salter (Wroughton) and Marguerite Alexander (Devizes). Rink 3: Rose Ellis, Janice Bull (both Amesbury), Barbara Land (Chip T) and Doris Woodley (Wootton Bassett). Rink 4: Chris Mitchell (Purton), Sue Burgess (Warminster), Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway) and Fizz Mace (North Wilts). Rink 5: Christobel Francis (Spencer Melksham), Cathy Hill (War), Josie Lloyd (Westlecot) and Wendy Anderson (Stratton C). Rink 6: Karen Funnell, Jean Collier (both Box), Jo Dunford (War) and Maureen Woolley (Alderbury). Reserves: Sue Ochyra (Devizes) and Lesley Trattles (Wilton).

WANBOROUGH Bowls Club will be represented at the village’s sports open day at Hoopers Field on Sunday, May 19 from 10am-4pm.

Tennis, cricket and football will also feature and refreshments will be available from the bowls club.