WILTSHIRE experienced mixed fortunes in the inter-county bowls championships last season, writes DAVE EATON.

The men won their section of the West Group to reach the Middleton Cup quarter-finals, but then lost to Berkshire in the semis.

Meanwhile, Wiltshire women made a swift exit from the Johns Trophy when narrowly beaten by Somerset in their first round tie at Yeovil.

The draw for the 2012 Middleton Cup has once again this year been kind to the Wiltshire men.

They have avoided both Devon and Cornwall who between them have won the Middleton Cup eight times in the past 10 seasons.

Wiltshire have been placed in a five-team Section B of the West Group alongside Herefordshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Dorset.

They will use the green at Wootton Bassett for their home cup matches, and the first against Dorset is on Saturday, June 2, where Dave Snell, who last year reached 100 appearances for Wiltshire, will make his bow as team manager, having replaced Hedley Bowen.

That opening match will be followed a week later with an away trip to Herefordshire at St Martin’s (Hereford).

Gloucestershire are the opponents at Wootton Bassett on June 16 with a difficult away tie on June 23 at North Petherton against Somerset concluding the group stages.

Wiltshire will be looking to win the group to qualify for the quarter-finals and improve on last year’s performance.

In preparation for their Middleton Cup campaign two trial matches will be held on May 13 and 27 at Wootton Bassett.

This year sees the Ladies Inter-County Championship for the Johns Trophy break new ground.

It will be played in groups firstly on Saturdays just like the men, rather than as in the past as a traditional midweek straight knockout competition.

Wiltshire will compete in the West Group and have been placed in a four-team Section A alongside Gloucestershire, Somerset and Warwickshire.

They face Somerset at home at Amesbury on Saturday June 2, play Gloucestershire away at Redland BC, Bristol on June 16 and conclude their group fixtures when visiting Shipston-on-Stour to meet Warwickshire on June 30.

The top team in Section A (West) progresses to the quarter-final scheduled to be played at Dorchester on Saturday, July 7.

Like the men, Wiltshire Ladies will hold two Johns Trophy trials. They will be staged on May 5 and 13 at Westlecot and Amesbury respectively.

Winners of the Johns Trophy in 1995 when they beat Sussex in the final, the only time Wiltshire Ladies have reached this stage of the competition in 77 years, they will be seeking better fortunes this time around than in 2011.

WEATHER permitting, Wiltshire men open their 2012 season tomorrow at Norwest BC, Midsomer Norton (2pm).

The junior under 25 side face Somerset in a warm-up match in preparation for their SWC League campaign and the national under 25 double rinks for the White Rose Trophy.

  • THE county ladies have named a strong side for their first South West Counties League match of the new campaign.

The team containing seven players from local clubs also includes many players with Johns Trophy experience for the trip to Devon to face Cornwall on the neutral green at Topsham.