CLARRIE Dunbar have clinched a place in the end-of-season play-offs for the overall Wessex League title after an 87-72 win over Bristol last Sunday.

The Standerwick-based club collected 14 of the 16 points on offer to move into an unassailable position at the head of the Central region table.

Who will take runners-up spot and the second place in the play-offs will go down to the wire on the last day of the regular season on February 24, with North Wilts favourites to take it.

To date, Clarrie stand on 88 points from six games, with North Wilts second on 68 points from six games, while Weston-super-Mare side St Andrews are third on 56 from five games, with Bristol on 44 from five games too.

However, the battle for second becomes more intense as St Andrews play unbeaten Clarrie this weekend in the Standerwick club’s final Central regional match of the season.

The position should become much clearer after this as North Wilts’ final game is against St Andrews on February 24 and has all the signs of being the crunch battle for runners-up place unless Bristol are able to pass both of them.

Clarrie were in fine form once again last Sunday against Bristol as they dominated three of the rinks.

The two home rinks at Clarrie, skipped by Graham Shadwell and Russell Francis, won comfortably 25-15 and 25-17 respectively, but were upstaged in Bristol by Andy Colebrooke’s foursome, who won 26-13.

The only loss was suffered by Keith Bailey’s quartet 27-11.

  • SEVERAL local players from North Wilts and Clarrie Dunbar are on the brink of clinching a place in the last 16 of the national championships at Nottingham.

They have reached the Area 16 finals in one the five main events – ladies or men’s singles, pairs, triples, fours and two bowl singles – or the age-group competitions.

Teresa King (CD) is through to the ladies singles final and will face Laura Holden (Clevedon).

King booked her place in the final with a narrow 21-18 win over Sue Cooke (NW), while Holden beat Janet Hardie (NW) 21-9.

Irene Button and her partner from North Wilts have reached the pairs final and will face either Stefanie Branfield (Clevedon) or Sheila Garlick (NW).

Button and partner eliminated Alex Jacobs (NW) in the semis 17-13.

And Jacobs missed out in the triples, losing 19-16 in her semi to Debbie Shadwell’s trio from Clarrie, who now face Branfield’s triple.

But Jacobs is through to the final of the fours after a crushing 23-7 victory over Jeanette Wheeler (CD).

She will play either King’s quartet from Clarrie or Maryan Pye’s four from MidGlos in the final.

In the men’s events, Andy Colebrooke (CD) will face Shaun Jones (Malvern Hills) in the singles final.

He knocked out club-mate Wayne Snook 21-18 in the semi-finals.

Andy Moore (NW) and partner will face Shaun Jones (MH) in the pairs final.

The triples and fours as well as the men’s age group competitions have only reached the semi-final stages, but locals are well represented.