FOLLOWING the three-week break over the festive period, Clarrie Dunbar return to competitive action this weekend in two national team competitions – Denny Cup and Top Club, writes DAVE EATON.

They face Whiteknights (Reading) in the fifth round of the men’s Denny Cup tomorrow, while on Sunday, Dunbar have home advantage as they entertain Swindon Westlecot in the third round in the mixed Top Club competition.

Until three seasons ago Clarrie Dunbar had never reached the quarter-finals in a national team competition since the club was opened in 1985.

However, two years ago that all changed when Clarrie progressed to the semi-finals in March 2016 in the mixed Egham Trophy before losing to former winners Swale (Kent).

And last year they went even closer to breaking their duck in national team events when in late April they lost to holders Swale in the Top Club final going down 10 points to six.

Clarrie won two of the five disciplines, men’s two wood singles and mixed triples but lost in ladies two wood singles, mixed pairs and the crucial mixed fours on the last end which ultimately decided the final outcome of the contest in favour of Swale.

After a losing semi-final and then a losing final Clarrie Dunbar will be hoping that 2017/18 will proved to be third time lucky in three seasons.

They are obviously still running in the men’s Denny Cup and mixed Top Club but still have an interest in the mixed Egham Trophy having reached the quarter-finals and face Bournemouth next Sunday.

CHRISTIE Miller players Tom Newman and Andy Moore have retained their places in the Wiltshire men’s side that have reached the quarter-finals in the inter-county championship (Liberty Trophy) and play Devon tomorrow at Isca IBC (Exeter).

Newman will lead again in Kyle Anderson’s rink, while Moore will skip the rink that includes North Wilts duo Steve Snook and Darren Anteney plus Nick Revell (Five Rivers).

Despite wins over Oxfordshire (127-105) and Worcestershire (138-65) in last round, the Wiltshire side shows two changes this time around.

The rink skipped by Mike Titcombe shows the two changes, with Westlecot duo Barry Sictorness and Chris Cheesley coming into the side in place of club colleagues James Richman and Mike Richards.

WILTSHIRE men restart their schedule of county friendly fixtures under the leadership of 2017/18 county men’s president Ashley Ponting (North Wilts) this weekend. They play Somerset CIBA at home in Chippenham at North Wilts on Sunday.