SEMI-FINALISTS in all of the ladies national championship events will all be known after this weekend as the quarter-finals in Area 30 are due to be finalised by Sunday in each of the main events - singles, pairs, triples and fours.

North Wilts hold a strong hand and are represented in all of them.

In the ladies singles, Sue Cooke (NW) has reached the semi-finals and will play the winner of the quarter-final between Ros Constant (Bristol) and Stefanie Branfield (Clevedon).

In the bottom half of the draw North Wilts Janet Hardie awaits the winner of the quarter-final between Alex Jacobs (NW) and Thelma Bailey (Clarrie Dunbar).

North Wilts’ former national pairs winners, Jacobs and Cooke are through to the last four in the pairs against Marcia Hartley and her partner from Clarrie Dunbar while in the top half of the draw Sheila Garlick (Christie Miller) faces Lyn Palmer (Clevedon) for the right to play England international Stefanie Branfield and her partner.

The semi-final line-up in the triples consists of Jane Taylor (NW) versus Branfield (Clevedon) and Jacobs (NW) versus Hartley (CD).

Meanwhile in the fours, Jacobs and her quartet are drawn against Branfield while Sue Osmond (Bristol) has to face a foursome from Clarrie Dunbar led by Debbie Shadwell.

To cap a hectic weekend before Christmas, Jacobs and her playing partners Cooke and Jean Collier face Christie Miller led by Sheila Garlick in the semi-finals of the Over 50s two wood triples for the right to play Cynthia Winter-Alsop’s (Thornbury) trio in the final.

In the men’s championship events the last 16 stages are only due to be settled before the festive break.

WILTSHIRE president Bob Roberts-Phare was the toast of his team after ensuring the county indoor men finished the first half of the 2015/16 indoor season on a high.

His rink were last to finish in the final county friendly before Christmas against Worcestershire at home at North Wilts last Saturday.

As Roberts-Phare went into the 21st and final end his foursome were losing their game 24-14 and Wiltshire trailing overall 113-111.

But with just one bowl remaining he delivered a perfect wood drawing in for a measure for a count of three.

His opposing skip with his final bowl played a running wood but missed the head resulting in Roberts-Phare scoring the required three shots and Wiltshire grabbing a last gasp one shot victory.

This was no more than they deserved as they led for long periods after being all square across the board at 25-25 after five ends.

At halfway Wiltshire had moved 63-48 up, led 86-78 at 15 and 101-91 at 18 but then in those final three ends they saw their lead go completely until the county president rectified matters with his last wood.

Rink honours were shared 3-3 with victories for the rinks skipped by Martin Salter (17 shots), Roger Button (six) and John Southern (one).

Wiltshire’s next county friendly is on Saturday, January 2 at home at North Wilts versus Dorset (2pm).

RESULTS

Rink 1: Arthur Fletcher (North Wilts), Les Cox, Alan Penfold (both Westlecot) & Alan Small (NW) lost to P Anderson 13-17. Rink 2: Gavin Newman (W), Gerry Vincent (Swindon Manor), Gerry Tinson & Ashley Ponting (both NW) lost to M Bond 12-24. Rink 3: Andy List, Andy Bradfield, Bob George (all NW) & Martin Salter (W) beat S Boughton 29-12. Rink 4: Martin Clark (NW), Frank Etherington (SM), Del Smith & Bob Roberts-Phare (both NW) lost to R Sippett 17-24. Rink 5: Richard Davidge (NW), Wayne Clarke (SM), Miles Pickering & Roger Button (both NW) beat P Price 22-16. Rink 6: Gerry Mitchell, Craig Chard (both NW), Dave Richards (Christie Miller) & John Southern (Five Rivers) beat Bill Lucas 21-20.

Score: Wiltshire IBA beat Worcestershire CIBA 114-113.

LOCAL players failed to reach the quarter-finals and last eight at the sixth annual Westlecot Open Singles Tournament staged last weekend at the Swindon Old Town indoor bowling club.

Wootton Bassett’s Dave Snell went out two sets to love in the last 16 to the eventual winner Mark Royal (Mid-Suffolk) 0-2 (2-10, 2-6).

While last year’s winner Trowbridge’s Andrew Colebrooke (Clarrie Dunbar IBC) went out on the third end of a tie breaker in the last 16 to Ian Jenkins (Egham) 2-1 (5-2, 1-6, 2-1).

Melksham’s 2011 runner-up Andy Moore (Christie Miller) also lost at this stage to the 2012 winner Brian Lees (Welford-n-Avon) 2-0 (10-1, 10-2).

Clarrie Dunbar owner Brian Hawkins managed to draw the first set 7-7 but lost the second 10-5 to Scott Edwards (Adur) to also join the long list of last 16 stage fallers.

Wiltshire’s Neil Smith (Westlecot) survived the last 16 stage but then went out 2-0 to Brian Lees.

World No 13 Mark Royal (mid-Suffolk) won the £1,000 top prize beating Egham’s Steve Tuohy, last year’s top ranked player on the OSC circuit, in the final on a tie breaker 2-1 (8-3, 6-8, 2-1).