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.