WILTSHIRE LADIES were in great form last weekend, recording two away victories over Cornwall in both the Johns Trophy, inter-county championship and Walker Cup double rinks competition.

They thumped their Cornish opponents by 38 shots as they ran out 134-96 victors at Tiverton West End to join Somerset at the head of the Johns Trophy West A group and set up a top-of-the-table decider in just over a week’s time at home at Devizes on Saturday, July 7.

Wiltshire and Somerset are tied at the top of group A on 33 points each from wins over both Dorset and Cornwall.

But Wiltshire hold top spot on shots difference as they took 17 points out of a maximum 22, exactly the same as Somerset but increased their shots advantage considerably from +15 to + 53 while Somerset only moved from + 11 shots to +27.

To reach the quarter-finals and west regional final all Wiltshire need to do at Devizes is beat Somerset on aggregate shots for 10 points and win on one rink for another two points.

The two counties have already met this season. That was three weeks ago in the South-West Counties League when Wiltshire triumphed 119-72 at Salisbury by 18 points to four.

At Tiverton, Wiltshire made a quick start and led Cornwall across the board 32-19 at five ends and had moved 62-44 up at 10.

They increased the lead to 20 shots 93-73 at 15 ends and virtually sealed victory in the next three ends going 115-81 up at 18 ends and finally winning 134-96 to boost their shots difference considerably.

The victory charge was led by Alex Jacobs’ rink who won their game by 27 shots while Marcia Hartley’s foursome weighed in with a 30-14 win. The other success came from a narrow 19-17 win from Purton’s Alison Fail skipped rink while Linda Young’s rink although 18-16 up at 18 ends had to settle for a 20-20 draw.

Twenty four hours later Wiltshire ladies completed a double over Cornwall in the Walker Cup, the women’s national county two fours competition to book a place in the west regional final on July 15 at Victoria BC, Weston-super-Mare (Somerset).

Both of Wiltshire’s two rinks, skipped by Marcia Hartley (Avon) and Alex Jacobs (Box) won by three shots - the former by 22-19 and the other by a scoreline of 20-17 at Vivary Park, Taunton.

Wiltshire led narrowly overall 10-9 after five ends but had moved 26-14 clear at 10. They were 32-22 up at 15 ends but Cornwall hit back to cut Wiltshire’s final victory margin to six shots 42-36.

RESULTS

Johns Trophy v Cornwall, Rink 1: Georgina Newman (Avon), Jean Collier, Debbie Shadwell (both Box) & Marcia Hartley (Avon) beat N Gilbert 30-14. Rink 2: Ann Roberts-Phare (North Wilts), Wendy Anderson (Stratton Churchway), Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (both Box) beat Jenny Prime 31-4. Rink 3: Chris Mitchell, Julie Jones (both Purton), Janice Bull (Amesbury) & Alison Fail (Purton) beat Shirley Coad 19-17. Rink 4: Maggie Jordan (Highworth), Bev Lilley (Devizes), Jo Hicks & Linda Young (both Highworth) drew with R Clegg 20-20. Rink 5: Ann Hindley (Wilton), Margaret Annetts (Salisbury), Charlie Godwin (Royal Wootton Bassett) & Kathryn Yeoman (Box) lost to Jennie Maunder 17-20. Rink 6: Sue Griffiths (Supermarine), Viv Baskerville (Chippenham Town), Deanne Davis (Wanborough) & Janet Willis (Stratton C) lost to Michelle Moore 17-21.

Score: Wiltshire beat Cornwall 134-96 and by 17 pts to 5 pts.

Walker Cup v Cornwall, Rink 2: Georgina Newman (Avon), Jean Collier, Debbie Shadwell (both Box) & Marcia Hartley (Avon) beat Shirley Coad 22-19. Rink 4: Chris Mitchell (Purton), Kathryn Yeoman (Box), Alison Fail (Purton) & Alex Jacobs (Box) beat Jennie Maunder 20-17.

Score: Wiltshire beat Cornwall 42-36 and progress to regional final.

THE quarter-finalists are now known in the last of the six main ladies county championship events, pairs and four wood singles championships.

Four qualifiers from the north section of the county will do battle with the four qualifiers from the south for a place in the Wiltshire women’s county finals at Avon (Melksham) on Saturday, July 28 and the right to represent Wiltshire at the national finals at Leamington in August.

DRAW

Pairs quarter-finals at Salisbury on Sunday, July 1 (10.15am): Chris Mitchell/Alison Fail (Purton) v Georgina Newman/Marcia Hartley (Avon); Nikki Kemble-Young/ Bev Millen (Supermarine) v Jo Hicks/Linda Young (Highworth). Glenda Hibberd/Cathy Burrows (Wilton) v Ann Hindley/Ros Corke (Wilton); Aileen Bates/Paula Meekins (Malmesbury) v Sue Cooke/Alex Jacobs (Box).

Four wood singles quarter-finalists at Holt on Sat, June 30 (10.15am): Deanne Davis (holder, Wanborough) v Ann Roberts-Phare (North Wilts); Lucy Smith (Royal Wootton Bassett) v Sue Cooke (Box); Janice Bull (Amesbury) v Linda Young (Highworth); Kathryn Yeoman (Box) v Jenny McShane (Salisbury).

The quarter-finals will take place in the morning with the semi-finals being contested in the afternoon and the last two players remaining progress to county final at Avon and a place in national championships.