BOWLS: Ladies reach regional final
10:40am Thursday 28th June 2012 in Sport By Dave Eaton
Wiltshire's Alex Jacobs
WILTSHIRE Ladies produced a battling performance against Somerset to qualify for the regional final in the Walker Cup, the national inter-county double rinks competition.
They followed up an impressive 47-22 win over Cornwall in the preliminary round with a hard-fought first round 42-35 victory over neighbours Somerset at Box last Sunday.
Wiltshire took the honours on both rinks with skips Alex Jacobs and Carol Grenfell, from host club Box, utilising local knowledge.
Grenfell was 9-6 up at 10 ends but 11-13 down at 15. Then she notched seven shots to lead 18-13 at 18 and finally won her match by six shots.
Meanwhile Jacobs’ rink made a poor start and was 9-2 down after five ends but had rallied to only trail 8-10 at 10.
They went 17-14 up at 15 but were pulled back to 18-all at 18 ends before edging home 22-21 on the last end.
Across the board Wiltshire were 13-7 down at five ends but they just managed to keep their noses in front from 10 ends onwards.
In the regional finals at Taunton on Sunday, July 15 Wiltshire have been drawn against Herefordshire in the first semi-final while in the other Worcestershire will face Dorset.
The two semis victors then contest the final in the afternoon with the west regional winner progressing to the Walker Cup semi-finals at Royal Leamington Spa on August 12.
RESULTS
Rink 1: Alison Fail (Purton), Margaret Annetts (Salisbury), Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (both Box) beat Jill Young 22-21. Rink 2: Rose Ellis, Janice Bull (both Amesbury), Linda Kingston (Highworth) & Carol Grenfell (Box) beat Joan Walmsley 20-14.
Score: Wiltshire beat Somerset 42-35.
COUNTY Ladies complete their Johns Trophy group campaign on Saturday when they travel to Shipston-on-Stour to face Warwickshire in their third and final group match.
Wiltshire beat Somerset in their opening game but then lost by 31 shots to Gloucestershire in the next.
To have any chance of reaching the quarter-finals they must beat Warwickshire comprehensively and then hope that Somerset do them a favour and topple unbeaten Gloucestershire.
The Wiltshire team chosen by the selectors shows two changes from the one that lost to Gloucestershire a fortnight ago.
Joyce Lloyd (Westlecot), who was unavailable, returns to the side in place of Janet Willis in Wendy Anderson’s rink.
The other change sees Glenda Hibberd (Wilton) coming into the side at lead in Marguerite Alexander’s rink in place of Box player Sue Dix.
TEAM
Rink 1: Alison Fail (Purton), Margaret Annetts (Salisbury), Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (both Box). Rink 2: Rose Ellis, Janice Bull (both Amesbury), Linda Kingston (Highworth) & Carol Grenfell (Box). Rink 3: Margaret Webber (Alderbury), Debbie Shadwell (Spencer Moulton), Josie Lloyd (Westlecot) & Wendy Anderson (Stratton Churchway). Rink 4: Ann Hindley (Wilton), June Corbett (Town Gardens), Kim Smith (S Moulton) & Fizz Mace (North Wilts). Rink 5: Glenda Hibberd (Wilton), Jean Collier (Box), Nancy Oliver (Salisbury) & Marguerite Alexander (Devizes). Rink 6: Chris Mitchell (Purton), Sue Burgess (Warminster), Marcia Cottle & Delia Godwin (both Spencer Melksham).
Reserves: Cathy Hill (War); Mary Buckle (Amesbury), Janet Willis (S Churchway); Babs Salter (Wroughton).
MORE BOWLS NEWS IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES
