HOLT Bowls Club were the most successful club in the county again at the annual Bowls Wiltshire finals weekend at Devizes last weekend, writes DAVE EATON.

They had representatives competing in five events and won all of them bar one, while Box were next best in this area with a single success.

But there was no joy for Winsley, Spencer Moulton, Broughton Gifford or Trowbridge Westbourne, who endured six defeats between them.

The Holt trio of Howard Davis, Dave Betteridge and Don Gray were the only club players to miss out, losing 19-16 to Chippenham Town in the Over 60s triples final despite a tremendous fightback from 13-0 after only seven ends.

Holt got back to winning ways in the afternoon as Wayne Simmonds, Wayne Snook and Ben Gadd cruised to a 22-9 win over Wootton Bassett to retain their men’s triples crown.

Sunday morning saw Holt gun down Spencer Moulton in two finals as Justin Davis and Ben Gadd thumped Russell Francis and Graham Shadwell 27-9 in the pairs.

The champion of champions final was a mammoth affair that saw Simmonds come from behind to beat Nick Grenfell 21-18 and emulate his grandfather Cecil Exton, who won the event in 1985 In the afternoon Holt put the icing on the cake as they produced a late surge to win the Four Rink League overall title beating Westlecot 82-62 and winning on three of the four rinks.

Winsley’s Gill Chandler suffered two defeats - 23-20 to Fizz Mace (North Wilts) in the ladies champion of champions final and 16-15 to Purton when teaming up with Dave Rees in the secretary and treasurers pairs final.

Broughton Gifford’s Margaret Cooke also lost on the last end going down 17-16 to Wilton’s Ros Corke in the Unbadged singles final.

Trowbridge Westbourne had to give second best in the mixed double rinks final to Chippenham Town losing heavily 60-24.

Box held on to their Top Ten title, the five-time winners pushed to the limit by North Wilts winning on extra ends.

GRAHAM Shadwell is back in favour with the England selectors, having been named in the ten strong England team - five men and five women - to compete for England in Paphos, Cyprus in the Atlantic Games at the end of November.

The Spencer Moulton player was a regular in the England outdoor team from 2001 until 2013, appearing successfully in Commonwealth Games and World Championships events and winning several medals.

Trowbridge’s Shadwell from Trowbridge also notched a gold medal in the triples in the prestigious Atlantic Rim Championships in Cyprus in 2011.

He took the 2014 season out from international competition, but reappeared this season in the International Series against Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Shadwell will partner Devon’s Louis Ridout in the pairs and line-up with Ridout (lead), Berkshire’s Andrew Knapper (two) and Reading’s Richard Newman (skip) in the fours competition.

The Games are a qualifying event for next year’s World Championships in New Zealand .

SPENCER Melksham held their club finals last weekend on their green at Beanacre Road.

Nine finals were contested, the most successful player being Paul Barnes with three wins in the two wood singles, men’s handicap and mixed pairs with Jenny Crew who also took the ladies pairs with Christabel Francis.

Barnes missed out on a fourth title in the men’s championship losing to Brian Copland.

Eileen Hawker, Jenny Couch, Francis and Gwillym Watson all won one competition, but lost in a second final while Ralph Newman was a two-time loser.

All the winners will receive their trophies on Presentation Evening on October 31.