THE second and final block of the main national indoor championships and age group events draw to a close this weekend in Nottingham.

Hopes of an individual success for the region rest firmly with North Wilts player Alex Jacobs. She has qualified for the last 16 in the O60s ladies singles that commence on Friday.

Meanwhile, in team competitions North Wilts’ Steve Snell and Darren Anteney, as well as Tom Newman and Andy Moore from Christie Miller (Melksham), are named again in the Wiltshire men’s team to face Kent on Saturday in the Liberty Trophy – inter-county championship – semi-finals.

Snook and Anteney play at one and two in the rink skipped by Miller’s Moore, while Newman leads in the rink skipped by captain and team manager Neil Smith (Westlecot).

Jacobs reached the last 16 at Nottingham by winning the Area 16 O60 singles title after beating Julie Morgan (Malvern Hills) in the final 21-13.

On the way to the area final, Jacobs beat her pairs partner Sue Cooke 21-18 and followed it up with another 21-18 success over Teresa King (Clarrie Dunbar) in the quarter-finals.

She booked her place in the area final with a 21-17 victory over Clevedon’s Margaret Dyer in the semis.

In the last 16 at Nottingham, Jacobs faces Carole Baker (Norfolk IBC, Norwich).

CLARRIE Dunbar trio Teresa King, Sue Bird and Jeannette Wheeler missed out on glory in the O50 triples despite a fine start.

They opened up a 7-0 lead after four ends and never looked back against Sue Mart, Jayne Lee and Pam Cutts of host club Nottingham.

The Dunbar trio held a firm grip throughout, leading 11-5 at 10 ends, 16-7 after 15 and finally winning 17-8 after only 17 ends.

However, in their tight quarter-final against Arun IBC, Bognor Regis, the Clarrie ladies were agonisingly beaten on the last end 19-18.

THE Wessex League, which was formed in the 1983/84 season and has been won four times in the past nine years by Clarrie Dunbar, is set to be revamped for next season.

The 2017/18 final is due to be played this Sunday at Swindon Westlecot between Bromsgrove (Worcs) and Devon side Plymouth.

A major regional competition, the Wessex League incorporated 49 teams from 12 counties this campaign divided into six regions.

However, due to weather problems and the English Indoor Bowling Association changing weekend fixtures, it created big problems for the league administrators.

Consequently, the league will now introduce a new set-up to try to combat these problems and lessen travelling distances starting for next season.

The existing six regions will be amended to become eight – Midland, Mercia, Thames, Cotswold, Coastal, Jurassic, Central and West.

The increase in regions means wildcard entrants to the play-offs will be dropped as the 16 teams will in future be drawn from the eight regional winners and runners-up only.

Three new clubs are joining the league, Tamworth in the Midlands section, Chawton Park (Alton) in the Coastal region and Dorchester B in the Jurassic section.