WILTSHIRE Ladies made a disappointing start to this season’s Johns Trophy campaign, losing their opening match in the inter-county championship to Dorset.

Adrift throughout their first West group match at Devizes, they finally lost by 18 shots, 115-97.

Skip Carol Grenfell’s rink, that included Bassett’s Lucy Smith and Wanborough’s Deanne Davis, won by eight shots, while the other success came from the Alex Jacobs’ foursome, that also included Purton duo Chris Mitchell and Alison Fail, who enjoyed a two-shot win. Delia Godwin’s rink, with Stratton Churchway’s Janet Willis, snatched a 15-15 draw.

  • WILTSHIRE'S South West Counties Ladies League team made a promising start to their campaign with a 102-90 away victory over Cornwall at Tiverton West End .

Wiltshire will seek their second success when they face Somerset at Chew Stoke near Bristol next Wednesday, June 14 (1.30pm start).

Six players from local clubs have been selected for the match – Babs Salter (Wroughton), Janet Willis (Stratton Churchcway), plus Purton duo Chris Mitchell and Alison Fail as well as Wanborough’s duo Julia Hunt and Deanne Davis.

  • THE national pairs have reached the last four in the northern section, with Wroughton's Margaret Dowthwaite, Lynda Whittingham (Westlecot) and Deanne Davis (Wanborough) plus Purton’s Alison Fail or Linda Perfitt (Westlecot) reaching the quarter and semi-finals at Westlecot next Saturday (June 17).

The two teams left standing at Westlecot next Saturday will meet in the county national pairs final on July 29 at Alderbury and represent Wiltshire at Royal Leamington Spa in the ladies pairs championship.