ALEX Jacobs faces a busy January schedule of national matches but it could be a very rewarding month for the North Wilts star bowler.

She has already won the Area 30 and inter-area final in the Champion of Champions competition and qualified for the final stages and last 16 of the national tournament at Hayling Island at the end of January.

And she began the new year with a hard-fought 27 end 21-17 national singles championship semi-final win over club colleague Janet Hardie to book an Area 30 final spot against either her North Wilts pairs partner Sue Cooke or Bristol’s Ros Constant.

Jacobs along with Cooke were due to play Clarrie Dunbar duo Ann Jones and Marcia Hartley yesterday (Wednesday) in the Area 30 pairs semi at Clarrie. Tomorrow (Friday) Jacobs (skip) and Cooke along with lead Irene Button face Ruth Haines, Jones and Hartley (skip) in the Area 30 triples semi-final at home at North Wilts.

To cap a frantic national championship four-days Button, Jean Collier, Cooke and Jacobs play Clevedon foursome Jacqui Branfield, Margaret Dyer, Laura Holden and Stefanie Branfield in the Area 30 fours semi-final this Saturday, January 9.

Jacobs has also qualified for the Area 30 final in the Over 50s two wood triples along with Jean Collier and Sue Cooke after a 19-11 semis win over Christie Miller trio Wendy Gaisford, Bev Lilley and Sheila Garlick. However, a date is awaited for that final against a Thornbury trio led by Cynthia Winter-Alsop.

North Wilts men crashed to a 37-shot defeat at the hands of Christie Miller in the Wessex League local derby last Sunday.

The heavy 90-53 defeat to the Melksham side leaves Chippenham-based North Wilts still looking for their first win of the 2015/16 Wessex League campaign and firmly rooted to the bottom of the table after three games in the central region.

They only have two points from one rink success against Purnell after losing on all four rinks again but this time against Christie Miller.

The two matches at home at Westcroft were pretty tight but it was away in Melksham that North Wilts struggled against the Millermen.

RESULTS

Home - Rink 2: Matt Clark, Peter Sanders, Clive Swift & Richard Gainey lost to Paul Macdonald 15-19. Rink 3: B Freeman, C Farrell, Bob Hayes & Alan Small lost to Wayne Snook 15-18.

Away - Rink 3: Gerry Tinson, Alan Stell, Alan Greenland & Dave Williams lost to Justin Davis 9-30. Rink 4: Dave Edmonds, Miles Pickering, Ashley Ponting & Maurice Byrom lost to Andy Moore 14-23.

Score: North Wilts lost to Christie Miller 53-90 and by 0pts-16pts.

Wiltshire men made a poor start to the New Year losing 119-109 in their opening friendly match of 2016.

Under the stewardship of president Bob Roberts-Phare they went down by ten shots to neighbours Dorset last Saturday at home at North Wilts.

Despite sharing the rink honours three-all they trailed for practically the whole of the game but managed to draw level at 18 ends only to fade on the home straight.

Wiltshire were 28-26 down across the board at five ends and trailed Dorset 64-46 at ten and 91-72 at 15.

But they rallied to score 28 shots overall and only concede nine in the next three ends to draw level at 100 each at 18 ends. However they failed to maintain the momentum on the run-in and finally lost 119-109.

County secretary Dave Williams led his rink to a big 32-17 victory and Roberts-Phare won the battle of the presidents beating Jack Smith 24-19 while Maurice Byrom’s rink edged home 16-13.

Wiltshire’s next county friendly match is at home at North Wilts against Gloucestershire this coming Sunday.

RESULTS

Rink 1: Peter Naish (Christie Miller), Brian Mace (North Wilts), Alan Penfold (Westlecot) & Dave Richards (CM) lost to Terry Buck 12-28. Rink 2: Martin Clark, Philip Wells, Dave Edmonds, & Bob Roberts-Phare (all NW) beat Jack Smith 24-19. Rink 3: Arthur Fletcher, David Greenwood, Del Smith (all NW) & John Southern (Five Rivers) lost to Marice Zollo 11-21. Rink 4: Gavin Newman (W), Gerry Vincent (Swindon Manor), Clive Swift & Dave Williams (both NW) beat Barry Males 32-17. Rink 5: Don French, Craig Chard, Peter Sanders & Maurice Byron (all NW) beat Alan Hardy 16-13. Rink 6: Andy List, Gerry Mitchell, Bob Curtis & Miles Pickering (all NW) lost to Phil Hedges 14-21.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Dorset 109-119.