DEVIZES Bowls Club continued their centenary celebrations by hosting Bowls Wiltshire men’s representative side for a six-rink match on their green at Long Street.

Devizes only took the honours on two of the six rinks, managing a draw on another as they went down 112-100 to the county men’s representative side.

Top rink honours were shared for the Devizes men with the foursomes skipped by Dave Reeves and Colin Little both winning by four shots.

Devizes men’s captain Dave Greenwood’s rink skipped by Gerald Webb managed to draw their match 16-16 against the Wiltshire county officials rink skipped by 2017 president John Southern.

“The match was played in a good spirit befitting the occasion and was on total shots and I believe the BWM won by a few shots,” said club spokesman Gerald Webb.

“Dave Greenwood (Devizes men's captain) spoke about how the green was given to the club in 1917 and how the club had grown into the success it is today.''

Devizes were due to host the Bowls England representative side led by 2017 national president Viv Tomlinson (Lancashire) for an eight-rink mixed match, which was sponsored by local firm Renelec Groundworks Ltd, on Tuesday.

The hat-trick of matches in June is completed next week on Wednesday, June 21 when Devizes welcome the Chelsea Pensioners to their green for a six rink match starting at 2pm, which has been sponsored by another local firm MM Carpet and Flooring Supplies.

RESULTS

Devizes v Bowls Wiltshire men (Devizes names first), Rink 1: Don Tucker, Phil Cave, Bill Cowan & Pete Fielding lost to Gerry and Graeme Vincent (both Highworth), Sid Jay (Spencer Melksham) & Martin Salter (Wroughton) 11-21. Rink 2: Mike Alexander, Phil Coombes, Keith Scrannage & Trefor Jones lost to Alec Burden (Amesbury), John Snell (Alderbury), Bob George (Wro) & Richard Gardiner (Supermarine) 13-19. Rink 3: Bryan Reeves, Martin Thompson, Dave Greenwood (capt) & Gerald Webb drew with Pete Sanders (IPP), Stewart Allison (SVP), Dave Williams (JVP) & John Southern (2017 men’s president) 16-16. Rink 4: Ken Surman, Richard Bradfield, Tom Mullins & Dave Reeves beat Peter Naish, Cliff Gumm (both Trowbridge Westbourne), Clive Swift (Blue Circle) & Bob Fredericks (Salisbury) 22-18. Rink 5: Harry Garlick, Bernard Fox, John Scoffield & Colin Little beat Ken Bray, Malcolm Hole, Colin Easton & Tom Newman (all Avon) 23-19. Rink 6: Harry Crate, Peter Diwell, Terry Miles & Jonathan Cook lost to Barry Folland (Salisbury), Sid Wilson (Pewsey Vale), Dave Richards (Trow West) & Bill Collier (Ames) 15-19.

Score: Devizes Men lost to Bowls Wiltshire Men 100-112.

WILTSHIRE men have qualified for the regional final in the Balcombe Trophy, the men’s national county top two fours competition.

They booked their place in the last four at Bristol BC (Somerset) on Sunday, June 25 with a comfortable 15-shot victory at Royal Wootton Bassett over Worcestershire last Sunday morning.

Graham Shadwell’s rink led from start to finish - they opened with a four - while Mel Biggs’ rink was never behind from end three onwards.

Thanks to Shadwell’s fine start Wiltshire led 16-5 across the board after five ends and 26-13 at ten. This advantage had been extended to 40-24 after 15 ends but cut back to 43-34 at 18 however when Worcestershire conceded with an end remaining Wiltshire were 49-34 up.

Shadwell’s four were 10-1 up at five ends 12-5 at 10 and thanks to a count of five moved 20-6 up at 13 before finally winning 26-15 at 20 ends.

Biggs foursome dropped a four on the first end but recovered to lead 6-4 at five and with a count of six on the next had moved 14-8 up at ten.

They led 19-12 at 15 but were pulled back to 19-19 at 18. However two twos saw them home and win 23-19 after 20 ends.

Wiltshire move forward to the regional finals at Bristol on June 25 where they will be joined by Dorset who beat Cornwall 44-34, Herefordshire surprise one shot 38-37 winners over Gloucestershire and 2015 winners Devon who eased past Warwickshire 44-38.

The semi-final draw has not been released yet but Wiltshire will be hoping to avoid Devon who they seem to be paired with every year.

COUNTY junior men’s side bid for a regional win and place in the last four of the White Rose Trophy, national county U25s two fours competition at West Backwell (Somerset) this coming Sunday.

They qualified for the semis and last four in the west U25 regional finals with fine wins over Gloucestershire 48-27 and Worcestershire 53-33 at Royal Wootton Bassett to book their regional final slot.

However, the draw has not been too kind with a semi against Devon, four-time winners of the competition in the last eight seasons.

But if Wiltshire can overcome Devon in the morning they would play Cornwall or Somerset in the afternoon final bidding for a last four place at Royal Leamington Spa in August.

Team manager Adam Tanner has opted for an unchanged team that has one player from both Spencer Moulton and Holt and six from the Swindon area that includes one from Bassett and one from Highworth the other four all being Westlecot members.

TEAM v Devon, Rink 1: James Richman (Westlecot), Chris Poole (Holt), Craig Hatherall & Mike Titcombe (both West). Rink 2: Gary Jackson (West), Jamie Shadwell (Spencer Moulton), Ben Choules (Highworth) & Craig Morphet (RWBassett). Reserves: Jordan Moody (Salisbury).

WILTSHIRE selectors have named an unchanged team for the men’s second west group match in the Middleton Cup, inter-county championship.

Not surprisingly they rely on the same 24 players that produced a stirring final flourish with 21 shots to one on the last two ends across the board to defeat holders Devon 115-110 in their last group match.

On Saturday, Wiltshire entertain Worcestershire at home at Royal Wootton Bassett seeking a second victory to take a step nearer reaching the west region final and a quarter-final place in the competition.

CHAMPIONSHIP semi-finals in the men’s county and national fours and triples will be staged on Sunday at Devizes.

Former winners Holt face Swindon skipped by Carl Fernandes in the fours in the morning while the other semi-final featuring Royal Wootton Bassett skipped by Mel Biggs play Chippenham Town led by Neil Connor in the afternoon.

One of the triples semi-finals only will be played in the afternoon. It is the one featuring Holt skipped by Justin Davis against Highworth skipped by Rod Etherington.

Holt’s Justin Davis is the only player involved in both the fours and triples semi-finals at Devizes this season.

However, one triples semi has been re-arranged for July 16 at Devizes.

This is because Royal Wotton Bassett’s Craig Morphet is unable to play as the match clashes with Wiltshire’s bid to win the west regional final of the White Rose Trophy at West Backwell on Sunday.

Morphet will be skipping one of the double rinks for Wiltshire U25 men.

SEMI-FINALS

Fours at Devizes June 18 (10.30am): Wayne Simmonds, Wayne Snook, Justin Davis & Ben Gadd (Holt) v Micky Pearce, Steve Barker, Geoff Porte & Carl Fernandes (Swindon).

Fours (2pm): Tom Walkley, Terry Walton, Neil Smith & Mel Biggs (RWB) v Rob Clews, Jim Fitzpatrick, Rich Gainey & Neil Connor (Chippenham Town).

Triples (2pm): Robbie Jeffreys , Pete Hardie & Justin Davis (Holt) v David Murray, Mark Richman & Rob Etherington (Highworth).

Other triples match – Devizes July 16 (time TBC): Craig Morphet, Kevin Embling & Gary Morphet (RWB) v W Simmons, W Snook & B Gadd (Holt).