REIGNING central region champions and last season’s overall Wessex League champions Clarrie Dunbar thumped Clevedon while there was a welcome win for Christie Miller over Nailsea in the latest round of matches, writes DAVE EATON.

However, North Wilts slumped to their fifth consecutive reverse when losing the basement battle to Thornbury by 27 shots crashing to a 91-64 defeat.

They only took two of the 16 points on offer for one rink success to slide into bottom place in the nine-team central league and see opponents Thornbury leap up the table from ninth to sixth place.

The lone North Wilts success came from the rink skipped by Roger Button, albeit by a shot, to prevent an embarrassing whitewash.

To escape the wooden spoon looks a daunting task for North Wilts as their last two matches are against second-placed Dunbar and third-placed Clevedon on February 17 and 18 respectively.

Christie Miller enjoyed a big 31-shot success last Sunday, romping to a 99-68 victory over Nailsea to secure a maximum 16 points and move up the central table to fifth spot with Nailsea sliding down to seventh.

They led throughout overall with the victory charge being led by the away rink in Nailsea of David and Dale Hayward, Chris Moore and Tom Newman who won by 13 shots. Next best was the home rink skipped by John Crowder with a 10 shots win.

Christie Miller have two games left in the Wessex this season against St Andrews (WSM) on Sunday and Purnell the following Sunday.

Dunbar whitewashed previous leaders Clevedon in a significant top of the table central region clash.

It enabled Clarrie to move into second spot in the table just five points behind arch-rivals Bristol but with a game in hand.

Clarrie Dunbar were in devastating form particularly away in Clevedon despite having a couple of regular players absent through unavailability.

Skips Wayne Snook and Duncan McGovern led their respective rinks to big away victories. Snook winning by 29 and McGovern by 28 shots.

At home at Standerwick, Russell Francis’ rink won by 16 shots but in a low scoring match Andy Colebrooke’s four edged home by two shots.

RESULTS

North Wilts v Thornbury (skips only) Home - Rink 1: Roger Button beat J Wood 22-21. Rink 2: Richard Gainey lost to S Hunt 12-27. Away - Rink 1: Dave Williams lost to J Smallwood 14-21. Rink 2: Darren Anteney lost to Colin Luton 16-22.

Score: North Wilts lost to Thornbury 64-91 and by 2pts to 14pts.

Christie Miller v Nailsea Home - Rink 3: Rob Walton, Derek Elkins, Colin Little & Nigel Price beat Debroy Gregory 27-23. Rink 4: Rob Emery, Steve Hockings, Alfie Maslem & John Crowder beat A Knights 26-16.

Away - Rink 1: Geoff, Jordan, Steve & Andy Moore beat M Rowsell 21-17. Rink 3: David and Dale Hayward, Chris Moore & Tom Newman beat A Robinson 25-12.

Score: Christie Miller beat Nailsea 99-68 and by 16pts to nil.

Clarrie Dunbar v Clevedon (skips only) Home - Rink 2: Russell Francis beat M Davies 31-15. Rink 3: Andy Colebrooke beat Gordon Jay 15-13. Away - Rink 1: Wayne Snook beat K Cheney 37-8. Rink 2: Duncan McGovern beat D Everett 37-9.

Score: Clarrie Dunbar beat Clevedon 120-45 and by 16pts to nil.

GRAHAM Shadwell failed in his bid last weekend to add to his two national champion of champions indoor singles title.

Winner in 2005 and 2013, the Clarrie Dunbar star bowler missed-out on joining an elite band of two bowlers who have won the title three times.

Shadwell, despite beating world singles runner-up Rob Paxton (Taunton Deane) 21-17 in the inter-area final went out early in this year’s final stages of the champion of champions competition at Hayling Island.

He lost in the last 16 to Michael Cheeseman 21-11 from the famous Cyphers club in Beckenham, Kent. Cheeseman lost in the semi-finals.

Shadwell though is still running in three other national championship events in Area 16 that includes North Wilts, Christie Miller, Clarrie Dunbar, Clevedon, Gloucester, Malvern Hills and Bristol area clubs.

He will play Mark Atkins (Malvern Hills) in the area singles final on Tuesday, February 13 at Bristol City & County (7pm).

The following day together with Russell Francis plays Ron Coleman and Shaun Jones (M Hills) in the area pairs final at Bristol (6.30pm).

Craig Hadfield-Doughty, Shadwell and Francis face Marcus Smith, Neil C Smith and Mike Holmes (Malvern Hills) in the Area 16 triples final at Swindon Westlecot this Sunday (10am).

But in the Malvern Hills versus Clarrie Dunbar battle it is 1-0 to Malvern.

The area 16 men’s fours final on Tuesday at Bristol saw Dunbar’s Andy Taylor, Brian Hawkins, John Freeman and Keith Bailey lose 11-14 to Marcus and Neil Smith, Alan Griffiths and Mike Holmes.

While Keith Bailey has reached the Over 60s singles final and John Freeman and his Dunbar partner the area 16 Over 60s pairs.

A previous runner-up in the national over 50 triples in 2013 Christie Miller’s Andy Moore with a new pairing of relations Chris and Steve Moore have reached the Area 16 final in the over 50s triples and will face Leominster or Malvern Hills in the area final .

LADIES from North Wilts face Taunton Deane next Friday in the last 32 (fourth round) of the Mason Trophy, over 60s inter-club double rinks. One rink will be played in Taunton the other at home in Chippenham.

Team

Home: Molly Manning, Ann Roberts-Phare, Sue Cooke and Alex Jacobs. Away: Margaret Cooke, Jane Taylor, Irene Button and Jean Collier.

It is North Wilts last opportunity off adding to their national trophy haul.

In the Area 16 national ladies main events - singles, pairs, triples and fours - Alex Jacobs has reached the area final after a 21-12 win over Sheila Short (Clevedon).

Marcia Hartley’s foursome from Clarrie Dunbar have qualified for the area fours final after an 18-7 win over Fizz Mace’s four from North Wilts.

And the only other finalist to date when going to press is Dunbar’s Thelma Bailey in the new two bowl singles event after a 21-13 win over Alex Jacobs in the area semi-finals.