JOANNA Hicks was the only local winner at the Wiltshire ladies county national finals day staged at Bradford-on-Avon last Saturday.

The Highworth player won the ladies junior singles event, beating Charlotte Daniell (Royal Wootton Bassett) 21-16 to complete an U25 double, having won the junior pairs crown the previous weekend at Spencer Melksham with new partner Georgina Newman (Avon).

Hick’s victory in the U25 singles brought to an end to Lucy Smith's incredible run in the event as she has won seven titles in the past eight years.

This season, Katy Smith beat elder sister Lucy in round one 21-10 but then was eliminated 21-15 in the quarter-finals by Hicks at Westlecot.

In the semi-finals, Hicks comfortably beat Maisie Daniell 21-12.

A couple of hours later, she teamed up with Newman to beat the Smith sisters 21-17 in the pairs final.

Hicks then finally cracked the singles jinx after two past runner-up places.

In the final against Charlotte Daniell, the scores were tied 3-3 after five ends but Hicks edged to a 9-5 lead after 10.

The scores were tied 12-12 at 14 ends but Daniell dropped 16-12 behind after 15 ends.

Hicks moved 20-14 up at 19 ends and a count of two on the 21st end saw her clinch the title and complete a double in the ladies junior section.

Daniell lost again in the ladies triples final later in the day when joining up with sister Maisie and Bassett colleague Yvette Maxwell-Darkes, going down 24-13 to Box.

Another Box combination ended the hopes of Westlecot's Ann Haunton, Kay Webb, Linda Perfitt and Lynda Whittingham in the ladies fours final.

Westlecot were only 9-8 down at 10 ends but had slipped to 18-12 adrift at 17 ends and finally lost 21-12.

The other two finals at Bradford saw Ann Roberts-Phare (North Wilts) beat Emma Maslen (Avon) 16-9 in the two-wood singles but lose 21-6 to Bev Lilley (Devizes) in the four-wood singles.

The ladies pairs final featuring Jackie Pearce and Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway) and Box duo Debbie Shadwell and Kathryn Yeoman was postponed as Shadwell was already involved in two other finals.

That will now be held on domestic finals weekend at Devizes on September 7-8.

Hicks now faces a busy few days at the national championships that start at Royal Leamington Spa today.

The Highworth player is a regular in the Wiltshire side competing in the inter-county semi-finals for the Johns Trophy against Essex.

Tomorrow morning, she begins her quest to win the junior singles title with a first round match against Kent player Emily Ferguson (Sittingbourne).

Charlotte Daniell begins her quest against Jazzmin Alder (West Witney).