NORTH Wilts Ladies head into 2015 optimistic of adding to the three national titles the club has previously won.

The2008 winners of the Yetton Trophy (national inter-club knockout championship), they have reached this season’s last 32 after victories over Thornbury , Clarrie Dunbar and Bristol and face Ilminster in round four on January 10.

North Wilts have also qualified for the last 16 in the Vivienne Trophy and will play Isca (Exeter, Devon) in the next round on January 15.

The club’s Sue Cooke and Alex Jacobs feature prominently in national championship events.

Winners of the national pairs title in 2010, the duo have reached the area 30 ladies pairs final once again and meet either Stefanie Branfield (Clevedon) or Val Molton (Bristol) in the Area 30 final on or before January 25.

Janet Hardie is the lead for Cooke and Jacobs in the national triples and the trio face Cynthia Winter-Alsop’s Thornbury triple in the semi finals on January 3, hoping to book a place in the Area 30 final against Sue Osborne (Bristol).

In the national fours, Molly Manning, Hardie, Cooke and Jacobs are still running after a dramatic last end and extra end victory over Clarrie Dunbar last Sunday in the area 30 semi-final.

They trailed for all of the game against Dunbar foursome of Teresa King, Sue Bird, Ailsa Midwinter and Jo Dunford but collected a four on the 21st and last end to level the game at 18-18 and force an extra end.

They then picked up a single to win that to claim a last-gasp 19-18 victory.

In the Area 30 fours final, they will face either North Wilts team colleague Jean Collier’s quartet of Carol Massey, Jane Taylor and Irene Button or Clevedon’s Stefanie Branfield and her foursome who will meet in the other semi-final on January 3.

Collier who could face Jacobs in the area fours final teams up with Cooke and Jacobs in the Over 50s Two Wood Triples.

They have reached the Area 30 final and will face Sheila Garlick’s trio from Christie Miller on or before January 18.

North Wilts ladies again feature prominently in the Wiltshire side to face Devon at home at Westcroft, Chippenham, in the quarter-finals of the Atherley Trophy on Sunday, January 4 (2pm).

Fifteen of the 24 ladies selected in the team for the last eight inter-county championship tie against Devon are from the North Wilts Club and will be hoping that they can use local knowledge to their advantage.

So far in the Atherley Trophy, Wiltshire have beaten Gloucestershire 142-104 and followed that up at beginning of the month with a 125-104 success over Somerset.

All 15 of the North Wilts players that faced Somerset retain their places but despite the win the Wiltshire selectors have made a couple of changes for the Devon game and tweeked one rink.

The fit again Julia Hunt (Westlecot) returns to lead the Wendy Anderson rink while Barbara Shepheard (now three) and Janice Bull swap positions in the rink line-up.

While in the Janet Hardie quartet Westlecot’s Jenny Vowles replaces Mary Buckle (Five Rivers, Salisbury).

WILTSHIRE TEAM

Rink 1: Ann Roberts-Phare, Jane Taylor, Irene Button & Alex Jacobs (all North Wilts). Rink 2: Norma Rowden, Karen Funnell, Jean Collier & Sue Cooke (all NW). Rink 3: Julia Hunt (Westlecot), Barbara Shepheard (NW), Janice Bull (Five Rivers) & Wendy Anderson (West). Rink 4: Eileen Hawker (Christie Miller), Jan Tombs (NW), Bev Lilley & Sheila Garlick (both CM). Rink 5: Shirley Palfrey (NW), Jenny Vowles (West), Joan Coleman (FR) & Janet Hardie (NW). Rink 6: Linda Perfitt (West), Isabel Dawson, Brenda Bowen & Fizz Mace (all NW).

Reserves: May Brand, Jean Harris, Evelyn Tape, Carol Massey, Ann White (all NW) and May Brand (FR).