WESTLECOT LADIES' hopes of reaching the national finals of the Over 60s Double Rinks again are over for another year.

The 2003 winners and beaten finalists last year went out on Sunday in the last 16 on the neutral green at Whiteknights, Reading.

They were beaten 39-36 by Croydon despite holding a 36-30 lead at 19 ends.

On the final two, Doris Woodley's rink, who had registered a four on the 19th end, dropped a two and a single.

Next door, Josie Lloyd's quartet had been playing catch-up throughout after dropping a six on the second end and conceded a two and a four on the last.

It was a disappointing ending for the team who had trailed overall for most of the match, but fought back to edge in front at 18 ends.

Woodley's rink recovered from 4-2 down at five ends to lead 9-4 at 10 and 14-11 at 15.

They then upped the pace to lead 20-11 at 18 and collected a four on the next, only to be pegged back to 24-14 at the finish.

Atter the second end, Lloyd's quartet faced an uphill task.

They trailed 8-2 at five ends, 14-4 at 10 but had fought back well to cut the deficit to only 18-12 at 18.

However, they then dropped seven shots on the last three ends to see overall victory fade away.

Results

Rink 1: Jean Bird, Joyce Laming, Wendy Anderson and Doris Woodley beat D Prior 24-14.

Rink 2: Maureen Rogers, Brenda Cars, Mary Moss and Josie Lloyd lost to A Thompson 12-25.

Westlecot lost to Croydon 36-39

n WESTLECOT men still have interest in all four of the main national indoor competitions singles, pairs, triples and fours.

The club have at least one representative through to the area semi-finals in all four events.

Three bowlers Mark Dyer, Graham Hatherall and Mike Jackson are still involved in three competitions.

Westlecot's lone survivor in the singles is Denny Cup captain Neil Smith, who faces Bristol's David Constant, the former Test cricket umpire, at Westlecot on Thursday.

In the pairs, Barry Sictorness and Dyer have to travel to Whitchurch to face Richard Turvey, while Hatherall and Jackson are drawn away at Whitchurch against Keith Williams.

Jackson and Hatherall are also drawn away together with Ian Jefferies in the triples semi-finals at Clevedon against Chris Messer's trio.

Westlecot's other representatives, Mel Biggs, Dyer and Neil Hope are also away at Paul Bryant (Thornbury) on Saturday.

In the fours, Westlecot supply three of the four semi-finalists. Kyle Anderson, Ron Salisbury, John Anderson and Dan Bluett face Biggs, Jamie Titcombe, Dyer and Hope on Friday.

John Thomas, Jackson, Hatherall and Smith have home advantage against Tim Lock's quartet from Nailsea on Sunday, February 6.