Middleton Cup success v Worcestershire

MIDDLETON CUP 2017: Bowls Wiltshire v Worcestershire BA
At Royal Wootton Bassett BC

On Saturday 17th June at 2-00pm

 
Wiltshire  Ends Ends Worcestershire
Rink Skip 5 10 15 18 21 21 18 15 10 5 Skip Rink
1 Neil Smith
 2 3 10 14 14 24 19 14 12 5 Andy Walters
 1
2 Mel Biggs
 2 7 14 15 17 19 18 14 9 4 Grant Burgess
 2
3 Russell Francis
 3 9 18 27 32 13 11 11 6 4 K Weaver
 3
4 Graham Shadwell
 4 12 14 17 27 16 16 14 5 3 R Stanley
 4
5 Justin Davis
 6 9 11 11 17 19 16 8 6 3 R McCaughtrie
 5
6 Ben Gadd
 10 17 22 25 33 15 13 11 7 0 S Poyner
 6
Total 27 57 89 109 140 106 93 72 45 19 Total
Total Points 16 6

Wiltshire managed a convincing 140-106 win over Worcestershire in the second of our three Middleton Cup group games.

Three of our rinks managed comfortable wins. Ben Gadd stormed to a 17-0 lead after 8 ends, and went on to win 33-15. Russell Francis was level at 9-9 after 12 ends, but his rink produced a superb second half performance to win 32-13. And, although Graham Shadwell led by just one shot after 18 ends, 10 shots in the final 3 ends gave his rink a 27-16 win.

We were unfortunate not to gain more than 16 of the 22 available points. Mel Biggs was beaten 19-17 by the final bowl of the game, Justin Davis conceded 3 on the final end to also lose 19-17, and Neil Smith was beaten 24-14, largely due to some excellent play by senior England international Andy Walters.

2 wins from 2 ensure that we remain 6 points clear of our main contenders Devon. Scoring 17 or more points in our final fixture, away to Gloucestershire at Cheltenham BC on 8 July, would therefore guarantee qualification. Any support which can be offered would be gratefully received.