ROYAL Wootton Bassett's Smith sisters, Lucy and Katy, 19, reigned supreme at the county ladies U25 championship in national pairs and singles at Devizes last Sunday.

Lucy, 21, won her singles semi-final with ease 21-5 to reach the U25 final at the end of July for the fourth year in a row.

However, the sisters were taken to the wire before retaining their U25 pairs title and booking a place at Royal Leamington Spa as Wiltshire’s representatives in the national championships in August.

In the semi-finals the Smith sisters had thumped Georgina Newman (Avon) and Kara Little (Box) 21-4 after only 16 ends, while Bethany Little (Box) and Joanna Richman (Highworth) had beaten Bassett’s Daniell sisters Maisie and Charlotte 23-9.

But the final was a close affair, swinging one way and then the other several times before a late rally gave the Smiths victory and a fourth U25 pairs title.

The Smiths led 6-3 at five ends and 11-4 at seven, however, they were 13-11 down after ten but led again 15-13 after 13.

Back came Little and Richman to move 18-15 ahead at 16 with only two ends to go but saw victory snatched from their grasp by the Smiths with a brace of twos for a last gasp 19-18 win.

In the singles semi-finals, Lucy beat Highworth’s Joanna Richman 21-5, while in the other Georgina Newman (Avon) had accounted for Charlotte Daniell (Royal Wootton Bassett) 21-15.

Smith and Newman will contest the U25 singles final on Ladies county finals day at Supermarine on Saturday, July 30.

U25 RESULTS

Pairs semi-finals: Bethany Little (Box) & Joanna Richman (Highworth) beat Maisie & Charlotte Daniell (Royal Wootton Bassett) 23-9. Georgina Newman (Avon) & Kara Little (Box) lost to Lucy & Katy Smith (holders, RWB) 4-21.

Final: L&K Smith (holders) beat B Little & J Richman 19-18.

Singles semi-finals: C Daniell lost to G Newman 15-21. J Richman lost to L Smith (holder) 5-21. Final at Supermarine, Sat, July 30.

THE TOP Ladies national championship event, the Wiltshire county ladies singles, begins in earnest next week.

A couple of preliminary round matches in the north and south areas of the county are scheduled for Friday evening.

The last 32 (first round) in both the Wiltshire northern and southern sections will be played around the county next Monday, July 11 with the winners moving forward to the second round on July 15.

Two places at the national championships in August await the eventual finalists at Royal Leamington Spa.

WILTSHIRE Ladies recorded their second win on successive Saturdays as they thrashed Herefordshire at Weobley by 37 shots in the Johns Trophy.

They ran out 128-91 winners in this inter-counties championship west group game to move up into second spot in the Group B table, 19 points behind Worcestershire but one clear of Devon who they lost to in their opening match of the 2016 Johns Trophy campaign.

Wiltshire ladies made a slow start against Herefordshire and trailed 30-23 after five ends across the board but roared back in the next five to lead 60-46 and extended the lead to 90-69 after 15 ends before finally winning 128-91.

They took the honours on four of the six rinks to collect a healthy 18 points out of 22 on offer to move up to second in the group table.

Alex Jacobs rink led the way for Wiltshire with a massive 29-shot victory while Margaret Annetts was next best with a 16-shot win.

Wiltshire ladies still have a mathematical chance of winning this group and reaching the quarter-finals for the first time for many seasons, but it is an extremely tall order as they have to beat Worcestershire, the unbeaten leaders in three matches, at home at Devizes this Saturday and take 21 points - five rink wins and draw on the other.

The selectors have made two changes on the Margaret Annetts rink to the team beat Herefordshire last Saturday with Chris Mitchell and Babs Salter coming in for Lucy Smith and Laura Laytham respectively.

RESULTS

Rink 1: Patricia Murray (Royal Wootton Bassett), Deanne Davis (Wanborough), Charlie Godwin (RWB) & Carol Grenfell (Box) lost to Jill Bowen 13-17. Rink 2: Alison Fail (Purton), Kara Little, Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (all Box) beat Ann Walters 39-10. Rink 3: Jean Collier (Box), Maisie Daniell (RWB), Joanna Richman & Linda Kingston (both Highworth) lost to B Griffiths 12-26. Rink 4: Georgina Newman (Avon), Lesley Trattles, Janice Bull (Amesbury) & Sue Ochyra (Devizes) beat Brenda Havard 18-17. Rink 5: Lucy Smith (RWB), Rose Fitzpatrick (Chippenham Town), Laura Laytham (Town Gardens) & Margaret Annetts (Salisbury) beat Rose Owen 23-7. Rink 6: Katy Smith (RWB), Viv Baskerville (Chip T), Debbie Shadwell (Box) & Marcia Hartley (Avon) beat Jennie Cole 23-14.

Score: Wiltshire beat Herefordshire 128-91 and by 18pts to 4pts.

SAME AGAIN is the decision of the ladies county selectors for the Walker Cup regional final.

They have opted for the same team that beat Dorset 38-34 two weeks ago despite only winning on one of the two rinks in the inter-counties double rinks first round tie.

They have gone with the same eight players for the regional semi-final against Devon to be staged at Winscombe (Somerset) on Sunday July 17 (10am). The other semi-final features Worcestershire and Somerset.

The two winners meet in the afternoon regional final with a place in the Walker Cup last four in the national championships at Royal Leamington Spa in August the prize for the victors.

TEAM

Rink 1: Jean Collier (Box), Katy Smith (Royal Wootton Bassett), Linda Kingston (Highworth) & Carol Grenfell (Box). Rink 2: Alison Fail (Purton), Margaret Annetts (Salisbury), Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (both Box). Res: Deanne Davis (Wanborough), Georgina Newman (Avon) and Sue Ochyra (Devizes).