LUCY Smith has booked a place in the national championships at Royal Leamington Spa next month in three events, mixed pairs, ladies junior (U25) singles and U25 pairs.

She qualified for Leamington in both of the U25 competitions at Purton last Saturday, having already booked her spot at Leamington for the first time in the mixed pairs a couple of days earlier.

Together with her younger sister 20-year-old Katy, they beat the Daniell sisters, Maisie and Charlotte, at Purton 19-12 in the semi-finals, coming from 5-2 down after five ends to lead 11-5 at nine.

In the final against Georgina Newman (Avon) and Kara Little (Box), who had beaten Beth Little and Jo Hicks (Highworth) 29-12 in the semis, the Smiths were 6-1 down after six ends but fought back and, boosted by a five on the tenth end, went 13-9 up at 11 and never looked back to win 22-13.

It was the fifth time in successive finals that Lucy and Katy had been successful and this latest win booked them a place in the Junior (U25) pairs at Leamington next month.

Earlier in the day, Lucy, 22, had beaten younger sister Katy 21-15 in the U25 singles to secure her place in the final this Saturday at Alderbury and set up a repeat of last year’s final against Newman.

Lucy has won the ladies U25 singles five times in the past six years and only missed out in 2012 to club colleague Charlie Harding.

The other final staged at Purton saw Salisbury beat Supermarine 21-20 on the last end in the new senior (Over 55) fours final and book a place representing Wiltshire at Leamington in August.

Lucy Smith’s other success last week came in the Dorset and Wilts section of the mixed pairs where she had teamed up this season with Spencer Moulton’s retired England international Graham Shadwell.

They won six matches in the Dorset & Wilts (Area 9) section to book a place at Leamington.

Smith and Shadwell beat Devizes’ Bev Lilley and partner 22-6, then Nick and Carol Grenfell 28-9 before edging home against Colin Easton and Marcia Hartley 20-19.

In the next round, they beat Graham’s ex-wife and son Jamie 23-11 before thumping Dave and Julie Jones (Purton) 22-18 in the semi-finals and then sealing a place in the last 16 of the mixed pairs at Leamington with a comfortable 24-12 victory over David Hanger (Wellworthy, Weymouth) and his partner in the Dorset & Wilts final.

RESULTS

U25 Singles and Pairs plus Over 55 fours at Purton U25 Singles semi-finals: Lucy Smith (holder Royal Wootton Bassett) beat Katy Smith (RWB) 21-15; Georgina Newman (Avon) beat Kara Little (Box) 21-8.

Winners meet in final at county ladies finals day, Alderbury July 29.

Ladies O 55 fours final: Carol Sandry, Glenice Truman, Susan Griffiths & Pat Jones (Supermarine) lost to Ann Hindley, Dawn Toomer, Lesley Trattles & Cathy Burrows (Wilton) 20-21.

U25 pairs semi-finals: Georgina Newman (Avon) & Kara Little (Box) beat Beth Little (Box) & Joanna Hicks (Highworth) 29-12; Lucy & Katy Smith (RWB) beat Maisie & Charlotte Daniell (RWB) 19-12.

Final:

U25 Pairs: L&K Smith beat G Newman & K Little 22-13.

THE foursome of Bassett duo Barry Sictorness and Chris Cheesley and Purton’s Chris Mitchell and Alison Fail have reached the Area 9 final (Dorset & Wilts) in the national mixed fours competition.

They have won four matches to date and are one step away from a place at Royal Leamington Spa in the national championships.

The Purton and Bassett combination have to play Michael Chislett’s rink from Greenhill (Weymouth) in the Dorset & Wilts final at Shaftesbury tomorrow (Thursday).

  • ROYAL Wootton Bassett men, beaten finalists last season, march on in the national Top Club competition this season in the Dorset and Wilts section (Area 9).

They triumphed in the area semi-final, winning four of the five disciplines to beat Holt 4-1. They won the two wood singles, singles, triples and fours but lost the pairs Bassett are through to the Area 9 final and will now have to play Poole Park by August 6 in the Dorset and Wilts final.

The winners will then face the Area 11 winners - Hampshire and Isle of Wight - for a place in the last eight at Leamington in mid-September.

  • WILTSHIRE Ladies recorded their fourth South West Counties League victory of the season when defeating Devon at South Petherton 140-95.

Their only loss so far in five SWCL matches was a narrow two shot reverse on July 5 at Hewell against Worcestershire 98-100.

In this latest success versus Devon, the county ladies won on five of the six rinks to collect a 20-2 points win.

They led all the way, opening with a 36-24 overall scoreline after five ends and had stretched that to 106-73 at 15 ends and 124-80 at 18.

RESULTS (skips only):

Rink 1: Carol Grenfell beat Joan Martin 26-19. Rink 2: Margaret Annetts beat Pam Parkhouse 36-8. Rink 3: Janet Willis beat Liz Davies 22-12. Rink 4: Alex Jacobs beat Vicky Hingston 22-20. Rink 5: Alison Fail beat Janet Sherwood 21-14. Rink 6: Janice Rowe lost to Liz Smerdon 13-22.

Score: Wiltshire beat Devon 140-95 and by 20pts-2pts.

JUNIOR county men’s side made it three wins out of three in the South West Counties League with a commanding 37 shots win over Cornwall last weekend at Culm Vale when running out 78-41 victors.

“I’m very pleased to report another big win in the South West Counties League over Cornwall,” said team manager Adam Tanner.

“The rink skipped by Ben Choules led 16-1 after just seven ends, and went on to win by 20 shots. Mike Titcombe’s rinks also led throughout the match, eventually finishing 24-12 winners.

“Chris Poole’s rink dropped a five on the 18th end to trail with three ends remaining, but finished strongly to win 21-16.”

Wiltshire led 22-7 overall after five ends, 37-15 at ten, 56-26 at 15 and 69-32 at 18 before eventually extending the winning margin to 78-41.

RESULTS

Rink 3: George Twine, James Vincent, James Richman & Ben Choules beat Alan Rickard 33-13. Rink 4: James Bickle, John Hermon, Liam Williams & Chris Poole beat Fred Williams 21-16. Rink 5: Ashley Peach, Isaac Jacob, Nathan Richards and Mike Titcombe beat Mark Wherry 24-12.

Score: Wiltshire beat Cornwall 78-41 and by 12pts to nil.

COUNTY men lost their latest friendly match against Berkshire played at Shrivenham last week by 14 shots, going down to a 107-121 defeat.

RESULTS (skips only):

Rink 1: John Smith lost to Derek Parsonson 14-22. Rink 2: Harold Jones drew with Alan Brown 22-22. Rink 3: Richard Gardiner beat Roger Goodchild 17-15. Rink 4: Brian Merritt beat Anthony Boddrell 30-12. Rink 5: Roy Major lost to Barry Dillon 13-22. Rink 6: Alan Small lost to Kevin Scrace 11-28.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Berkshire 107-121.