PURTON’S Chris Mitchell and Highworth’s Joanna Hicks were the only local players to reach the quarter-finals (last eight) of the two wood singles qualifiers staged last weekend around the county.

The north section of the two wood singles was staged in Chippenham at two venues - Chippenham Town BC and North Wilts BC (Westcoft).

From an initial entry of 21 players at Hardenhuish Park, Chippenham Chris Mitchell (Purton) and the host club’s Irene Button emerged as the two qualifiers for the quarter-finals.

While at Westcroft in Chippenham at the North Wilts outdoor club green from an initial entry of 20 players Highworth’s Jo Hicks and Ann Roberts-Phare (North Wilts) were the two players left standing in the eliminators.

The south section was held at Devizes Bowls Club with both the top and bottom greens at the Long Street venue being used.

From an initial entry of 35 players successful were Karen Kirby (Blue Circle, Westbury), Emma Maslen (Avon), Helen Ellis (Box) and Janice Bull (Amesbury).

These eight qualifiers headed by Hicks and Mitchell will contest the ladies quarter and semi-finals of the county ladies two wood competition at Avon next month on Friday, July 19 with the two finalists progressing to county finals day at Bradford-on-Avon on July 27 and also booking a place at Royal Leamington Spa at the national championships representing Wiltshire in this event.

In the top half of the two wood quarter-finals draw Mitchell will face Roberts-Phare and Bull will play Ellis. In the bottom half of the draw Button plays Maslen while Hicks is paired against Kirby.

Ladies county and national four wood singles championship has reached the fourth round and last eight stage in both the northern and southern areas of the county.

These will be decided next Monday, June 24 at various greens around the county with the last four players standing in both the north and south areas progressing to the quarter-finals and semi-finals to be held next Saturday June 29 at Holt.

Last eight players in the north to contest round four are Julie Jones (Purton) v Laura Laytham (Westlecot): Rachel Martin (Purton) v Barbara Porter (Chippenham Park); Jo Hicks (Highworth) v Deanne Davis (Highworth); Linda Young (Highworth) v Ann R-Phare (North Wilts).

WILTSHIRE ladies won their opening game of the 2019 season in the inter-counties championship for the Johns Trophy at Devizes beating Gloucestershire 121-105 and collecting 17 out of the 22 points on offer.

County ladies contest their second West A group match today away against Warwickshire at Stratford-on-Avon (1.30pm).

Eleven of the players in the 24 strong side are all from local clubs.

Topping the representative charts with four players each are Purton (Rachel Martin, Chris Mitchell, Julie Jones and Alison Fail) and Highworth (Maggie Jordan, Jo Hicks, Linda Young and Deanne Davis), while Stratton Churchway have two experienced veterans in Wendy Anderson and Janet Willis named with Charlie Godwin as Royal Wootton Bassett’s sole representative.

Tomorrow (Sunday) Wiltshire ladies face Herefordshire at Cotswold BC

(Stroud) in the opening round of the Walker Cup, inter-county double

rinks competition.

         Three local players are named in rink two they are Purton’s Chris Mitchell and Alison Fail plus Linda Young (Highworth) along with Debbie Shadwell (Box).

The other rink consists of Georgina Newman (Avon) and the Box trio of Kathryn Yeoman, Sue Cooke and Alex Jacobs.

WILTSHIRE LADIES bounced back from their opening South West Counties League defeat to Cornwall to beat Somerset convincingly away at Chew Stoke 144-108 last week.

County ladies took the honours on five of the six rinks with the foursome of  Purton’s Chris Mitchell, JulieJones and skip Alison Fail plus Highworth’s Deanne Davis topping the scorecharts with a 26-11 victory. Close behind was Babs Salter’ s rink that contained Wroughton club  colleague June Corbett who won their match 23-11 (12 shots).

The next SWCL match is away against Worcestershire at Bredon on Wednesday, July 3.

Earlier this week county ladies led by senior-vice president and county secretary Babs Salter played Pen-Y-Glyn in a friendly match at Box.

County ladies came out on top by 35 shots running out 129-94 winners.

They took the honours on five of the six rinks with Westlecot’s Lynda Whittingham skipping her rink to the biggest winning margin of14 shots.

And the battle of the presidents on rink two went to Salter’s quartet that was skipped by Janice Row who won 24-20.

Their next friendly is against another Welsh side Glamorgan next week on June 26.