BOX foursome Carol Grenfell, Karen Funnell, Sue Cooke and skip Alex Jacobs and a quartet from Supermarine have become the first players in the county to book a place at the 2016 Ladies National Championships at Royal Leamington Spa at the beginning of August.

They were victorious in the quarter and semi-finals of the Wiltshire ladies national fours championship at Amesbury on Saturday and will meet on county finals day at Supermarine on Saturday, July 30.

More importantly the two rinks will travel to Leamington to represent Wiltshire in the national championships.

It is the ninth time since the turn of the century that Box have reached the county fours final but the first in Supermarine’s history.

From an initial entry of 36 teams, eight fours  had battled their way through to the latter stages of the county national fours.

In the top half of the draw Jacobs' four had eliminated previous winners Alderbury and Spencer Melksham to book a quarter-final spot against a fellow Box foursome, skipped by Michele Williams, who had beaten Devizes and Salisbury.

Their last eight clash resulted in a narrow 22-19 success for Jacob’s quartet.

In the other top of the draw quarter-final 2014 fours winners Purton edged home 14-13 against Wanborough on the last end.

But in the semis Box ran out comfortable 20-14 victors over Purton to claim a place at Leamington and a spot in the county fours final.

The bottom half of the draw saw Supermarine overcome home advantage to eliminate Amesbury 24-21 and book a semi-final slot against Devizes, who were too good for North Wilts defeating them by six shots 19-13.

However, in the semi-final Devizes had to give second best to the foursome from Supermarine who ran out 24-15 winners.

Attention now turns to the start of the county triples competition this week with two more places at the national championships at Leamington in early August up for grabs.

Also the initial stages of the national two wood singles competition are being held this Saturday at Pewsey, Swindon BC, Avon and Holt.

Each of the four venues will play down to a last two to produce eight qualifiers for the quarter and semi-finals at Box on June 17.

FOURS RESULTS

Quarter-finals: Chris Mitchell, Sue Crouch, Julie Jones and Alison Fail (Purton) beat Jackie Stokes, Linda Boardman, Jean Crepaz & Deanne Davis ( Wanborough) 14-13; Debbie Shadwell, Jane Taylor, Jean Collier & Michele Williams (Box) lost to Carol Grenfell, Karen Funnell, Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (Box) 19-22; Carol Sandry, Marilyn Kilburn, Pat Jones & Bev Millin (Supermarine) beat Lyn Stanford, Penny Cooper, Lyn Hancock & Janice Rowe (Amesbury) 24-21; Marie Greenwood, Denise Howard, Bev Lilley & Sheila Garlick (Devizes) beat Ann Greenland, Sue Haslop, Ann Roberts-Phare (sub Janet Hardie) & Fizz Mace (North Wilts) 19-13.

Semi-finals: Alex Jacobs (Box) beat Alison Fail (Purton) 20-14; Bev Millin (Swindon Supermarine) beat Sheila Garlick (Devizes) 24-15.

WILTSHIRE Ladies, led by county president Pat Jones (Supermarine), made a winning start in their first county women’s friendly of the 2016 season in Wales against West Glamorgan.

However, a few days later, the ladies lost their opening game of the 2016 South West Counties League campaign, despite winning on four of the six rinks against Cornwall.

In a very close game in Wales visitors Wiltshire were three shots down with only two rinks left out on the green at Brynhyfrid .

But Lesley Trattles rink scored a two on the last end to cut the gap to only one shot. Then Wroughton’s Babs Salter with her last wood moved the jack to grab two shots and give Wiltshire a one-shot success as they ran out 109-108 victors.

Holders Wiltshire, despite winning on four of the six rinks in Devon at Topsham, disappointingly went down in the first defence of their title losing their opening 2016 South West Counties League match as they were behind throughout in Exeter against Cornwall.

They trailed the Duchy County across the board 32-24 at five ends, 57-47 at ten, 85-72 at 15 107-84 at 18 before finally losing by six shots 117-111 and only taking eight of the 22 points on offer.

RESULTS v West Glamorgan (skips only), Rink 1: Babs Salter beat W Evans 29-12. Rink 2: Fizz Mace beat M Cowley 22-16. Rink 3: June Corbett lost to G Thomas 10-26. Rink 4: Pat Jones lost to K Hawes 10-26. Rink 5: Lesley Trattles beat H Bevan 18-16. Rink 6: Janice Rowe beat M Davies 20-12.

Score: Wiltshire beat West Glamorgan 109-108.

v Cornwall (SWCL, skips only) Rink 1: Janet Willis (Stratton C) beat F Turner 23-21. Rink 2: Fizz Mace (N Wilts) lost to R Clegg 18-25. Rink 3: Carol Grenfell (Box) beat S Coad 19-17. Rink 4: Rose Fitzpatrick (Chippenham Town) beat M Trevennen 19-18. Rink 5: Sue Ochyra (Devizes) lost to J Maunder 16-21. Rink 6: Alison Fail (Purton) beat E Phillips 16-15.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Cornwall 111-117 and by 8pts to 14pts.