WESTLECOT, runners-up in the northern section of the Wiltshire men’s four-rink league, have missed out on a place in this season’s final.

Winners of the county competition 10 times and losing finalists three times since 2002, Westlecot lost on a last-end decider 82-80 to Chippenham Town in the play-offs semi-final that was played at Avon last Sunday morning.

Having edged Avon 66-65 on the last end against Avon in the quarter-final the previous week, the Old Town club ran out of luck as Mike Titcombe's rink dropped a three on the last end to lose out.

The second semi-final between Royal Wootton Bassett and Holt was due to take place at Avon (Melksham) under lights prior to this weekend's Bowls Wiltshire finals at Devizes, with the four-rink final scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

RESULTS

4RL semi-final Westlecot v Chippenham Town (at Avon), Rink 2: James Richman, Paul Sloman, Mike Shawyer & Mikey Titcombe beat Rich Ellis, Mike Travers, Andy Coles & Rich Gainey 20-17. Rink 3: Kevin Carter, Ben Choules, Des Rideout & Mike Jackson beat Jim Fitzpatrick, Keith Fletcher, Dave Williams & Willie Jones 19-15. Rink 4: Paul Kistle, Dave Matthews, Brian Whittingham & Ian Jefferies lost to Alan Stell, Rob Clews, Tino Riccio & Neil Connor 17-21. Rink 5: Gary Jackson, Miles Roberts, John Thomas & Michael Richards lost to Kevin Ringham, John Lucas, Nobby Tucker & Jeremy Haselton 24-29.

Score: Westlecot lost to Chippenham Town 82-80.

ROYAL Wootton Bassett have qualified for the men’s Top Club final stages at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa next weekend.

The Dorset/Wilts champions booked their place in the quarter-finals at Leamington for the third consecutive season with a narrow 3-2 win over Hampshire/Isle of Wight champions Boscombe Cliff, Hants on Sunday in the inter-area final at Bannister Park, Eastleigh, Southampton.

Bassett won both the two wood and four wood singles, courtesy of Neil Smith (16-13) and Dave Godwin (21-10) respectively, but Phil Gregory, Gary Morphet and Mel Biggs lost the triples 10-21.

The pairs and fours both went to extra ends. James Nobbs, Chris Cheesley, Kyle Anderson and Steve Snell were tied 14-14 but lost on the 22nd and extra end 15-14 for the match to be tied 2-2 overall.

The partnership of Graham Hatherall and Neil Collett came from 15-10 down to snatch a single on the last end to tie their game 16-16 and keep Bassett’s hopes of success alive.

The duo became the Bassett heroes, scoring a two to win the pairs 18-16 on the extra end to send Bassett, who were runners-up in the men’s Top Club competition in 2016, to the final stages.

BOWLS Wiltshire's domestic finals will be staged at Devizes Bowls Club on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

They will also feature three of the four county national championship events in the men’s singles and pairs plus ladies pairs that were not played over the weekend of July 28 and 29 owing to torrential rain and flooded greens, with the men's fours still to be arranged.

Highworth duo Joanna Hicks and Linda Young play in the ladies county national pairs final on Saturday morning (9.30am) against last year’s runners-up Sue Cooke and Alex Jacobs (Box).

In the men’s pairs Bassett duo Dave Godwin and Steve Snell, who were losing semi-finalists by a shot on an extra end at Leamington in the national pairs recently, face Holt's Wayne Simmonds and Wayne Snook, the 2014 Wiltshire champions, on Saturday morning (9.30am).

Godwin and Snook face each other again at Devizes in the afternoon in the top men’s event county national singles final. Godwin won the title for the first time in 2016 after being runner-up the previous year.

It is a busy weekend for Godwin as he will also feature in the men’s champion of champions competition on Sunday morning and possibly the men’s four rink league final against Chippenham Town.

Westlecot meet Box in the Top Ten ladies final, Box having won the competition in the last eight consecutive seasons since 2010.

In other team events Pewsey Vale face Broughton Gifford in the men’s Tourist Trophy final at Devizes.

Wanborough’s Robbie Ferguson competes in two events at Devizes. He plays Bassett’s Lawrence Smith in the men’s unbadged singles final and also contests the last four of the men’s champion of champions.

The Bowls Wiltshire greenkeepers final is an all-Westlecot affair with holder Brian Whittingham facing Gary Jackson.

A triple from Purton skipped by Colin Baker compete in the men’s Over 60 triples final against Amesbury. A trio from Purton, skipped by Alison Fail, compete in the last four of the ladies benevolent triples and a Purton partnership contest the secretary and treasurers pairs.

A trio from Stratton Churchway will play Spencer Melksham in the officers triples final. .

Finally the last local player involved at Devizes is Suzanne Fletcher.

Wroughton's Suzanne Fletcher contests the last four of the ladies BW county unbadged singles on Saturday afternoon.