BATTLING Wiltshire men just missed out on winning their west group in the Middleton Cup for the sixth year in a row.

Wiltshire won their last group game 125-100 away with Somerset, while rivals Warwickshire slipped up against bottom team Worcestershire but Wiltshire missed out on top spot and qualification for the quarter-finals of the inter-county championship, on shots difference after Warwickshire also finished on 61 points.

Although they lost their opening game to Warwickshire, the Moonrakers battled back, beating Dorset, Worcestershire and Somerset last Saturday to keep the pressure on the leaders.

Warwickshire suffered a shock 118-116 loss at the hands of neighbours Worcestershire last weekend, but still picked up six points for three rink wins to total 61 points, the same as Wiltshire’s total, giving top spot on shots difference +74 to Wiltshire’s +49.

Royal Wootton Bassett’s Dave Snell, the Wiltshire player/manager said: “What a tense affair both at Victoria Park (Weston SM) and Welford.

“We knew we had to get a big win to give ourselves a chance of qualifying at Somerset and although it was a close for half the game we slowly but surely started to take control and by 15 ends had pulled into a 17-shot lead and after 18 ends we were still 16 shots ahead and were looking to win the game.

“How many points could we get was the question - 20 would have been great - but Stephen Snell’s rink went into their last end all square and we needed those last two points. Unfortunately we lost that end by one shot and gained an 18 to 4 points win with shots being 125 to 100.

“Still not knowing the result at Welford fingers were crossed and eventually the result came through.''

Snell added: “I was really proud of my team picking up 39 points out of 44 points over the last two away games a fantastic effort by everybody involved.

“The 18 points we picked up against a strong Somerset side was also another solid and gritty performance, with both Graham Shadwell and Russell Francis scoring good wins by 11 and 12 respectively.

“Mel Biggs' rink fought back from 10-2 down to win by eight shots while Neil Smith’s rink picked up a six on the 19th end to gain a two shot win. “Unfortunately Stephen Snell’s rink was six shots up at 15 ends but lost five of the last six ends to eventually lose by one shot.

“Ben Gadd’s rink had a tough day against Nicky Pearce being 13-1 down after nine ends but also battled back to only lose by seven shots.

Snell added: “It was another strong season for Wiltshire although we did not qualify for the quarters there have been some impressive performances with also some new players coming into the side and playing well, so all still looks good for Wiltshire going forward into next season.

RESULTS

Rink 1: Kevin Embling (Royal Wootton Bassett), Michael Titcombe, Ian Jefferies (both Westlecot) & Neil Smith (RWB) beat Sam Steel 20-18.

Rink 2: Wayne Simmonds (Holt), Craig Hatherall (West), Wayne Snook & Ben Gadd (both Holt) lost to Nick Pearce 14-21.

Rink 3: James Richman (Highworth), Chris Cheesley, Gary Morphet & Stephen Snell (all RWB) lost to Kevin Jones 20-21.

Rink 4: Kyle Anderson, David Snell (player/manager, both RBW) Mike Jackson (West) & Mel Biggs (RWB) won 21-13.

Rink 5: Tom Warner, Nick Revell (both Amesbury), Dave Godwin (RWB) & Russell Francis (Spencer Moulton) beat James Amery 24-12.

Rink 6: Gary Jackson, Michael Richards, Graham Hatherall (all West) & Graham Shadwell (S Moulton) beat Neil Saunders 26-15.

Score: Wiltshire beat Somerset 125-100 and by 18pts to 4pts.

GRAHAM Shawell, from the Spencer Moulton club in Bradford on Avon, is the only player in the county still running in three of the four top men’s national championship events.

The England international is out of the fours championship but has qualified for the semi-finals in the triples and singles and reached the quarter-finals in the pairs being played at Royal Wootton Bassett on Friday.

The triples semi-final featuring Andy Colebrooke, Russell Francis and Shadwell, the 2014 national triples champions, should have been played on June 19 against Westlecot trio Gary Jackson, Craig Hatherall and Mike Titcombe, but was postponed as it clashed with the Swindon lads competing for Wiltshire in the White Rose Trophy U25 double rinks regional final at Bristol.

The men’s national singles and pairs semi-finals in the county championship events take centre stage at Devizes on Sunday.

The reward for the four semi-final winners in both competitions, besides a place in the county final at the end of July, is the opportunity to represent Wiltshire in the Bowls England national championship in mid August at Royal Leamington Spa.

The men’s singles quarter-finals staged on Monday at Westlecot saw Shadwell outgun wily old campaigner Ian Jefferies (Westlecot) 21-14. 

Although 7-5 down at five ends Shadwell led 12-8 at 11 and 18-10 at 15 before finally winning 21-14 and booking a semis spot on Sunday at Devizes against Bassett’s Dave Godwin.

Shadwell is the only former singles winner in the last four having taken the title in 1991.

In the singles quarter-finals, Holt’s Wayne Snook had a close battle with Westlecot’s Craig Hatherall before winning 21-15 finishing with a three and two on the last two ends (24 and 25).

He now faces Royal Wootton Bassett’s Neil Smith in Sunday’s other singles semi-final.

Meanwhile in the men’s pairs Shadwell and partner lead Russell Francis in the last 16 were 11-9 down against Ian James and Ray Ford (Marlborough) but then raced away to a 19-11 victory at Holt.

In the pairs quarter-finals on Friday at Bassett, the Francis and Shadwell combination face Westlecot duo Mike Richards and Craig Morphet and if successful would move forward to Sunday’s pairs semi-finals scheduled for Devizes.

They could even set-up an all-Spencer Moulton affair as Gary Fippen and Nick Grenfell have reached the quarter-finals after a narrow 22-20 victory over Bassett’s James Nobbs and Gary Morphet.

The last 16 in the national pairs championships at Westlecot last Friday also produced another big surprise as holders Justin Davis and Ben Gadd from the Holt club crashed out 24-16 to Highworth duo Shaun Hicks and James Richman.

Graham Archard and Dave Stevens went down losing on their own green at Holt 23-15 to Roy Wilcox and Brian Reynolds (Malmesbury).

RESULTS

SINGLES Quarter-finals (at Westlecot): Dave Godwin (Royal Wootton Bassett) beat Dave Snell (RWB) 21-12; Ian Jefferies (Westlecot) lost to Graham Shadwell (Spencer Moulton) 14-21; Craig Hatherall (West) lost to Wayne Snook (Holt) 15-21; Neil Smith (RWB) beat Jamie Titcombe (West) 21-15.

Semi-finals (at Devizes, Sunday, July 17): D Godwin v G Shadwell; W Snook v N Smith.

PAIRS

Quarter-finals (at Royal Wootton Bassett, Fri, July 15, 6.30pm): Dave Snell & Mel Biggs (RWB) v Gary & Mike Jackson (West); Kevin Lee & Keith Williamson (West) v Shaun Hicks & James Richman (Highworth); Gary Fippen & Nick Grenfell (S Moulton) v Ray Wilcox & Brian Reynolds (Malmesbury); Craig Morphet & Michael Richards (West) v Russell Francis & Graham Shadwell (S Moulton).

The four winners contest the pairs semi-finals at Devizes on Sunday, July 15.