FOUR-TIME winners of the overall Wessex League title, Westlecot are the only Swindon indoor club competing on Sunday in the opening round of the play-offs.

Swindon Manor failed to reach the top two in the newly-created Thames region, finishing fourth after an end-of-season burst of two wins which saw them shake off the threat of a possible wooden spoon.

However, Westlecot set out on the road that they hope will bring them a fifth title when they face MidGlos IBC (Brockworth).

In the 35 years the top regional indoor competition has been running, only Plymouth and Cotswold are ahead of Westlecot with five wins.

Westlecot and MidGlos men used to meet regularly in the Denny Cup – national inter-club knockout competition – but since Westlecot were moved out of Area 16 and placed in Area 14 by the English Indoor Bowling Association in a revamp of areas, the two clubs have not clashed since in men’s competition apart from in the O60s double rinks.

In fact, the last time the two clubs played each other in the Denny Cup was back in the 2016/2017 campaign when only five shots separated the clubs, with MidGlos winning 65-60.

The Westlecot side has changed considerably since then, with several players having moved on, others retired from Wessex competition games, plus, of course, new members.

In fact, only four of the team named for Sunday played against MidGlos in November 2016, while three of the named reserves took part.

  • NORTH Wilts Indoor Bowls Club stage their sixth annual Open Singles tournament at their green at Westcroft, Chippenham, on March 16-17.

A top-class field containing 72 players has been assembled for the tournament, which carries a prize pot of £2,300, with £1,000 going to the winner and £500 to the runner-up.

Several Westlecot indoor members have entered the tournament.

Admission is free of charge with play commencing on both days at 9am.