WILTSHIRE just missed out on collecting a prize scalp and recording a win over second-placed Bedfordshire, writes DAVE EATON.

They had fought back in their latest Division Three away inter-county match to only trail the hosts 17-16 at the Russell Park Club, Bedford, with the last three games to play.

But despite the men's A team topping their section and being by far the strongest part of the county set-up again this season, they lost all three matches.

Paul Cook suffered double trouble and although matching his opponents average of 25.47 went down 3-0. In the other two games Mark Thomson and Barry Cadd were both edged out losing the deciding leg and suffering 3-2 defeats.

As a result of this defeat, Wiltshire slip to the foot of the Division Three table as Leicestershire leapt above them with a narrow win over Humberside.

Wiltshire are now two points below Pembrokeshire, five behind Leicestershire and seven adrift of Devon.

It was a disappointing ending as Wiltshire had defied the odds to stay in the hunt on the first day.

The ladies B side lost 4-2 with only Jill Little and Ali Thomson recording wins. However, the men's B side, who have taken a few hammerings this season, battled hard and rectified the situation.

They were 6-2 up at one stage but had to settle for a 7-5 win, which left the match evenly poised at 9-9 with a day remaining.

In the A match Ann Paget and Carol Bowers registered wins but Wiltshire ladies lost 4-2 to go two down..

The situation quickly got worse and a heavy defeat looked on the cards as it soon became six down as the men lost the opening four games of their A match and trailed 17-11 overall.

The Moonraker county have seen many fine comebacks from the men's A team in the past and another looked on the cards as Martin Richell, Bob Bowers, Andy Southam, Michael Cummins and Ian Greenaway all triumphed on the oche to cut the gap to 17-16 and set-up a tense finish.

However, that did not materalise as Wiltshire lost the last three games and consequently slipped to the basement spot in the divisional table.

RESULTS (Wilts names first)

B MATCH

LADIES: Olive Wilmore (14.10) lost to M Botsford (16.52) 0-3; Jan Murphy (15.67) lost to D Hoyle (15.10) 2-3; Jill Little (15.34) beat L Chamberlaine (13.99) 3-0; Ali Thomson (15.60, LoM) beat B Bayliss (14.21) 3-2; Freda Squires (13.94) lost to M Lee (14.74) 0-3; Erica Hartnett (15.33) lost to I Maddy (14.76) 1-3.

Score: Bedfordshire 4 Wiltshire 2

MEN'S: Richard Etwell (21.95) lost to M Smith (23.95) 1-3; Dave Taylor (19.50) beat I Kent (20.91) 3-2; George Smith (23.27) beat L Paulton (25.02) 3-2; Scott Lovell (20.31) beat G Court (19.36) 3-0; Adi Acott (27.33, MoM) beat B Wenglaryck (22.57) 3-0; Craig Lloyd (22.93) lost to T Croxford (24.64) 0-3; Ron Ashton (23.25) beat T Pearce (22.42) 3-1; Tony Clark (25.34) beat F Emery (22.85) 3-1; Trevor James (25.79) lost to B Davis (28.06) 1-3; Alan Enstone (21.45) lost to P Glenster (23.86) 0-3; Brian Hinder (19.23) lost to L Rose (22.59) 1-3; Steve Goddard (25.47) beat S Parrot (27.29) 3-1.

Score: Bedfordshire 5 Wiltshire 7

B Match Result: Bedfordshire 9 Wiltshire 9

A MATCH

LADIES: Tina Rowlands (17.73) lost to S Blay (19.52) 2-3; Karen Hutton (15.39) lost to S Critcher (15.03) 0-3; Sue Hanscombe (14.06) lost to B Tompkins (15.99) 0-3; Ann Paget (16.90) beat L Perkins (18.58) 3-1; Carol Bowers (20.04, LoM) beat A Cooke (16.96) 3-0; Joanna Little (13.92) lost to A King (14.18) 0-3.

Score: Bedfordshire 4 Wiltshire 2

MEN'S: James Forty (22.80) lost to K Corcoran (28.90) 0-3; Mark Scully (22.99) lost to G Williamson (23.13) 2-3; Juan Hopkins (25.75) lost to W Morgan (27.66) 0-3; Paul Boulton (20.91) lost to P Warwick (22.95) 1-3; Martin Richell (22.80) beat A King (22.36) 3-1; Bob Bowers (25.25) beat M Reed (24.52) 3-1; Andy Southam (28.91, MoM) beat R Chalk (27.32) 3-2; Mick Cummins (25.86) beat T Ellacot (23.13) 3-2; Ian Greenaway (27.81) beat D Taylor (23.86) 3-1; Paul Cook (25.47) lost to K Durrant (25.47) 0-3; Mark Thomson (24.66) lost M Burgoine (25.72) 2-3; Barry Cadd (21.07) lost to R Tarby (22.84) 2-3.

Score: Bedfordshire 7 Wiltshire 5.

A Match Result: Bedfordshire 11 Wiltshire 7.

Overall Result: Bedfordshire 20 Wiltshire 16 (Three bonus points are awarded to Bedfordshire for the win - final score therefore is 23-16).

  • Having played second in the table Bedfordshire last weekend, Wiltshire face a tougher match in their next inter-county championship game.

They will face Division Three leaders Worcestershire at the Moonrakers on the weekend of February 10/11.