SEVERAL local clubs failed in their attempts to reach the county final in the ladies national triples championships and the right to represent Wiltshire in the National Championships at Royal Leamington Spa in August.

Stratton Churchway, skipped by Janet Willis, had already qualified for the county fours final at Leamington but missed out in the triples, losing in the semi-finals at Devizes.

The trio of Ellen Bolland, Wendy Anderson and Janet Willis beat Deanna Gingell’s Purton trio 20-13 in the morning quarter-finals, but they lost 16-22 to Alderbury in the afternoon semi-finals despite holding a 10-shot lead after 10 ends.

Alderbury reached the semis after coming from behind against Alison White’s Swindon Bowls Club triple. In the bottom half of the draw, Fizz Mace (North Wilts) beat Amesbury while Sue Ochyra (Devizes) accounted for Warminster.

But in a one-sided semi-final, Mace’s trio, including Jean Harris and June Coyle, recorded a 19-5 success over Devizes to reach the final against Alderbury at Swindon’s Town Gardens on July 21 and also secure a triples place at Royal Leamington.

Attention now switches to the county ladies national pairs championship that gets under way in earnest this week.

RESULTS Quarter-finals: Ellen Bolland, Wendy Anderson, Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway) beat Maureen Marsh, Jean Hamer, Deanna Gingell (Purton) 20-13; Julie Watson, Anne Wilson, Alison White (Swindon) lost to Margaret Webber, Jean Duffield, Maureen Woolley 18-19; Jean Harris, June Coyle, Fizz Mace (North Wilts) beat Janice Rowe (Amesbury) 22-13; Rose Merritt, Pat Reeves, Sue Ochyra (Devizes) beat Nesta Parfitt (Warminster) 20-10.

Semi-finals: Willis lost to Woolley 16-22; Mace beat Ochyra 19-5.

WILTSHIRE Ladies made an impressive start in the Johns Trophy two weeks ago, winning their opening group match 124-94 against Somerset and collecting 20 out of a possible 22 points.

The county selectors had named an unchanged side for Wiltshire’s second group match today in the inter-county championship away against Gloucestershire at Redland BC, Bristol.

However, they have been forced into a change as Westlecot’s Josie Lloyd is unavailable and is replaced by Stratton Churchway’s Janet Willis.

Wiltshire’s third and last west group match in Section A is away against Warwickshire at Shipston-on-Stour on June 30. The winner of this section progresses to the quarter-finals.

THE county ladies made it two wins out of two in the South West Counties League with a five-shot home victory over Somerset.

Wiltshire took the honours on four of the six rinks, as they ran-out 108-103 victors to take 18 out of a possible 22 points.

Comfortable wins for Wendy Anderson and Alex Jacob’s rinks, plus single-figure successes for skips Delia Godwin and Marguerite Alexander compensated for the heavy loss suffered by skip Carol Grenfell on her own green at Box.

RESULTS

Rink 1: Fizz Mace lost to L Greeves 14-20. Rink 2: Marguerite Alexander beat M Dyer 18-16. Rink 3: Wendy Anderson beat M Lewis 22-12. Rink 4: Delia Godwin beat P Barnbrook 21-17. Rink 5: Alex Jacobs beat J Walmsley 21-10. Rink 6: Carol Grenfell lost to C Shearing 12-28.

Score: Wiltshire beat Somerset 108-103 and by 18pts to 4.