WILTSHIRE women’s hopes of success in the inter-county championship events have been dashed by Somerset again.

Earlier this month they lost to Somerset 122-102 in their final west group match and failed to reach the quarter-finals in the Johns Trophy.

On Sunday Somerset beat Wiltshire ladies in the west regional final of the Walker Cup, inter-county double rinks, and claimed a place in the last four at the national championships at Royal Leamington Spa next month.

At Victoria BC (Weston-Super-Mare), Wiltshire breezed past Herefordshire in the morning semi-finals 44-30 with Alex Jacobs' rink winning 25-14 and Kathryn Yeoman’s quartet winning 19-16.

But the afternoon regional final saw Somerset once again halt Wiltshire's progress for the second time this month in a national competition.

Wiltshire trailed 9-7 overall after five ends and the gap was still two shots down after ten ends 21-19.

However, Somerset pulled away to lead 35-25 at 15 ends and 42 -29 at 18. Wiltshire made a final push cutting the gap to 44-35 but still lost.

Jacobs' rink edged home 20-19 with four shots on the last three ends and conceded none. However, Yeoman’s four had been playing catch-up from the sixth end and finally lost by ten shots 23-15.

Somerset now play Leicestershire in the semi-finals at Leamington on Sunday, August 20 while Cumbria face Kent in the other semi-final with the two winners meeting in the Walker Cup final in the afternoon.

RESULTS West Region - Semi-finals

Wiltshire v Herefordshire, Rink 1: Chris Mitchell (Purton), Sue Cooke (Box), Alison Fail (Purton) & Alex Jacobs (Box) beat Barbara Griffiths 25-14.

Rink 2: Georgina Newman (Avon), Ann Hindley (Wilton), Marcia Hartley (Avon) & Kathryn Yeoman (Box) beat Jennie Cole 19-16.

Score: Wiltshire beat Herefordshire 44-30.

Somerset v Cornwall (skips only) Rink scores: Stef Branfield beat Jennie Maunder 26-12; Kirsty Hembrow lost to Shirley Coad 18-21 Scores: Somerset beat Cornwall 44-33

FINAL - Wiltshire v Somerset, Rink 5: G Newman, A Hindley, M Hartley, K Yeoman lost to Rebecca McMillan, Celia Whitmarsh, Laura Holden & Stef Branfield 15-25. Rink 6: C Mitchell, S Cooke, A Fail, A Jacobs beat Pauline Dando, Elaine Amery, Joan Walmsley & Kirsty Hembrow 20-19.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Somerset 35-44.

THE ladies county championship finals will be staged in the U25 pairs and Over 55 fours at Purton this Saturday.

Also the semi-finals in the U25 ladies singles will be held to produce two finalists for the Wiltshire women’s finals day at Alderbury the following Saturday.

The Smith sisters from Royal Wootton Bassett Lucy, 22 and Katy 20 defend their pairs title that they have won for the past four seasons.

They face in the semi-finals club colleagues Maisie and her elder sister Charlotte Daniell.

The other semi-final features Georgina Newman and Kara Little against Bethany Little and Joanna Hicks.

Smith girls have beaten Beth Little and Joanna Hicks (nee Richman) in the 2013, 2014 and narrowly 19-18 in the 2016 final to lift the Under 25 pairs trophy. Their other success in the run of four consecutive victories was over Georgina Newman and Kara Little 18-15 in 2015.

Semi-finals of ladies U25 singles will also be held at Purton on Saturday with the two winners progressing to county finals day on July 29 at Alderbury, the home green of Wiltshire ladies president Mo Woolley.

Twenty-two year-old Lucy Smith (Royal Wootton Bassett) has dominated this ladies event in recent years winning it five times in six seasons from 2011. Charlie Harding (RWB) took the title in 2012.

Last season Lucy beat Georgina Newman (Avon) to win the title again.

This year in the semi-finals Lucy is drawn against younger sister Katy who she beat in the 2015 final. In the other semi-final Newman faces her doubles partner Kara Little.

A new competition introduced this year Over 55 Fours (senior fours) will see its initial final staged at Purton also on Saturday. It will feature teams from Supermarine led by Pat Jones and Wilton led by Lesley Trattles.

PROGRAMME

U25 Singles semi-finals (at Purton, Saturday July 22): Katy Smith (Royal Wootton Bassett) v Lucy Smith (holder, RWB); Kara Little (Box) v Georgina Newman (Avon).

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

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

Two winners meet in the final in the afternoon.

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

No times of matches have been advised as yet.

THE Benevolent Triples is down to the last four and semi-final stages.

Qualifiers after the third and fourth round stages were held at Highworth and Box were, from the north area Fizz Mace (North Wilts) who beat Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway) 17-10 and Babs Salter (Wroughton) who edged home 14-13 against Julia Hunt (Wanborough).

In the south area Sheila Garlick (Devizes) beat Janice Rowe (Amesbury) 13-10 while Jenny Oliver (Trowbridge Westbourne) enjoyed a 15-10 victory over Ninna Beaven (Winsley).

The semi-final draw sees Joyce Lewis, June Corbett and Babs Salter (Wroughton) facing Josie Mulligan, Bev Lilley and Sheila Garlick (Devizes) while Ann Greenland, Anne Roberts-Phare and Fizz Mace (North Wilts) meet Jenny Oliver, Sheila French and Joan Tugwell (Trowbridge Westbourne) at Devizes on domestic finals weekend on September 10-11.