8:00am Saturday 31st July 2010
CHARLOTTE Harding was the only player from the Swindon area to win a county title at the Wiltshire Women’s two day National Championship finals staged at North Wilts (Chippenham) bowls club, writes DAVE EATON.
The 22-year-old Wootton Bassett player reigned supreme in the Ladies Junior Singles played last Saturday afternoon defeating Lauren Williams (Avon) 21-16 in the final.
Harding made a flying start and held an 18-8 advantage after 15 ends and seemed to be cruising to the Under 25 title.
However, Williams fought back to cut the deficit to 20-16 before Harding sealed a 21-16 victory on the 20th end.
Charlie follows in the footsteps of younger sister Victoria, who won the inaugural staging of the County Ladies Under 25s final last year.
Three of the other titles were won by members of the Box club with Sue Cooke completing a double - the only player in 2010 to achieve this distinction.
The other two finals, pairs and triples, were won by players from the Salisbury area.
Cooke opened her bid for a hat-trick of titles with an emphatic 26-7 victory in a repeat of last year’s fours final on Saturday morning against a fellow Box quartet skipped by Carol Grenfell.
But her hopes of a second title were ended by Wilton in the afternoon who edged home 18-16 in the Triples final.
The last two finals played on Tuesday evening were dominated by Box. Cooke led for most of the way in the four-wood singles but trailed 14-12 at 15 ends.
She hit back to lead Sandra Bartlett (Winsley) 17-15 at 18 ends and clinched a 21-17 win on the 23rd end.
The Two-Woods Singles final was an all Box affair between Janet Hardie and Carol Grenfell.
The latter trailed for most of the match but a late flourish saw her home.
Grenfell was 11-9 down at 15 ends but forged in front to win 15-12 after 21 ends and gain revenge for her fours reverse.
All of the finalists in these six events now move forward to represent Wiltshire in the National Championships at Leamington Spa that commence this weekend.
They have reached five regional finals at Cheltenham Town in the last seven years and finished runners-up in the final at Worthing in 2003 and 2007.
They are looking in their centenary year to go one better this time around and win the Top Club trophy.
They have been drawn in this year’s regional final at Cheltenham tomorrow alongside Clevedon (Somerset), Shaldon (Devon) and Cheltenham Whaddon (Glos).
The Clevedon team who Westlecot play in the morning are rumoured to be fielding the legendary David Bryant in the two or four wood singles.
If successful in the morning Westlecot will play either Shaldon or Cheltenham Whaddon with the winners progressing to the last four at Worthing in mid-August.
TEAM: Two wood singles: Ian Jefferies Forward singles: Graham Hatherall Pairs: Kyle Anderson, Mark Dyer Triples: Paul Kistle, Paul Sloman, Mike Jackson Fours: John Thomas, Jeff Nichols, Jamie Titcombe, Mel Biggs.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/trade_directory/