BOX’S magnificent run in the triples at the Women’s National Championships at Royal Leamington Spa ended at the semi-final stage, writes DAVE EATON.

The trio of Karen Funnell, Jean Collier and Carol Grenfell negotiated four hurdles but fell in the penultimate round.

They were beaten 21-7 in the semis by the powerful Devon team of Sophie Tolchard and Ruth Rogers, skipped by last year’s Commonwealth Games singles gold medallist Natalie Melmore (Kings BC, Torquay).

A few hours later Melmore led her triple to the title with a 25-14 victory over Liz Garrity’s trio from Croft BC (Cockermouth, Cumbria).

The Box triple achieved the best Wiltshire placing in 2011 at Leamington so far, recording four wins.

Funnell, Collier and Grenfell clinched their place in the last four of the triples championship with a narrow 19-18 quarter-final victory over Daphne Pratt’s trio (Sele Farm BC, Herts).

In the first round, they beat S Hosking (Bridport, Dorset) 14-11 and followed that up with a comfortable 18-11 success over Middlesex representatives from Fassnidge Bowls Club.

In the last 16 they accounted for K Rothera (Wymeswold, Leics) 18-15.

Avon’s Lauren Williams lost in the first round of the U25 singles.

The ladies championships finish this weekend but Wiltshire still have several players in action.

Box have two players, Funnell and Alex Jacobs, in singles championship events. Funnell is in the main singles event on Friday and Jacobs in the 55 and over singles on Saturday and Sunday.

THE MEN’S championships begin in Worthing tomorrow with the Holt trio of Wayne Simmonds, Wayne Snook and Ben Gadd in the triples next Wednesday.

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