THE first block of the main national indoor championships held at Melton & District last week failed to produce a winner from the three local clubs at North Wilts (Chippenham), Christie Miller (Melksham) or Clarrie Dunbar (Standerwick).

Representing Area 16, the Clarrie duo of Russell Francis and Graham Shadwell went the closest to achieving a national success, going down in the last four of the men’s national pairs to the Whiteknights (Reading) partnership of Michael Knights and Robert Newman.

The scores tied 4-4 at after five ends but they trailed 13-5 at 10 and went 23-7 down at 15 before conceding.

Earlier in the competition, in round one Francis and Shadwell beat Paul Field and England men’s captain Andy Thomson (Cyphers, Beckenham, Kent) 18-17, and in the quarter-finals they ground-out a narrow 13-12 victory over Mick Hawkins and Andrew Walters (Welford-on-Avon, Warks).

The Clarrie duo, plus Craig Hadfield-Doughty, also competed in the triples championship but lost in a tight first round tie 19-18 on an extra end against Wiltshire county outdoor colleagues Mel Biggs, Ian Jefferies and Neil Smith (Westlecot IBC).

Shadwell also competed in the main men’s event at Melton – the prestigious singles championship.

Former England international Shadwell defeated reigning national O60 singles champion John Stewart, from Essex County, 21-18.

But then in the quarter-finals, Shadwell crashed out to Torquay United’s Ryan Whitlock 21-19.

Clarrie Dunbar were also represented in the ladies’ championship at Melton in the singles by Teresa King.

She won her opening game 21-19 against England junior international Rebecca Moorbey (St Neots, Cambs).

However, she missed out in the quarter-finals, losing 21-13 to another junior international, Devon Cooper (Riverain, Hitchin, Herts).

  • BLOCK two of the national indoor championships and age group competitions commence this weekend at Nottingham & District IBC.

The area is represented in two of the ladies national age group competitions, O60 singles and O50 triples, but in no men’s events.

North Wilts indoor player Alex Jacobs competes in the O60s singles and begins her bid on Friday, April 13 with a first round against England international Carole Baker (Norfolk IBC, Norwich).

The other Area 16 representatives are Clarrie Dunbar trio Teresa King, Sue Bird and Jeanette Wheeler in the ladies O50s triples.

They start on Monday, April 9 with a tough first round draw against a triple from the host club Nottingham – Sue Mart, Jayne Lee and Pam Cutts.

  • THE annual North Wilts indoor club championships will be staged this weekend.

A programme of the 13 finals has still not been finalised as several of the semi-finals were not due to be played until earlier this week.