Gloucestershire 149 Worcestershire 88

GLOUCESTERSHIRE put in a powerhouse display as they won on all six rinks for a stunning 61-shot win over Worcestershire at Chester Road.

The rink that did the all the damage was that of Vic Martin (Gloucester Spa) and Malcolm Hart (Gloucester City), both playing in their first county game along with Craig Gutherie and Paul Keicher (both Tewkesbury), who against Ken Bick hit the high notes with two fives to lead 15-0 after just six ends. Piling up shot after shot they won eight consecutive ends to move into a 30-4 lead and finish up with a stunning 33-8 win.

Brian Haines, Dave Boulton (both Tewkesbury), Ron Wilks and Simon Allsopp (both Gloucester City) went 7-2 behind to Richard Woodward before bouncing back with a six and four ends later with a five to lead 13-11.

In the driving seat after 16 ends leading 18-14 they then won the last five ends to cruise home 26-14.

Anthony Sharkey (Bristol Arrow), Bob Locke (Henleaze), John Tombs and Tim Webb (both Victory Park) went from 6-4 down to Paul Kitchen to lead 15-6 after winning five consecutive ends.

A five and a four gave them a 24-15 lead and with a further two threes they had a comfortable 31-20 win.

Peter Throup, Dave Skeats, John Williams and Arthur Elliott (all Frampton) against Vernon Evans were two ahead at the halfway stage before opening up a five shot lead 15-10 after 16 ends. Three more singles in the end gave them an 18-12 win.

Roger Harrison, Dave Hopkins (both Pineholt) Stewart Minchew and Eddie Kavanagh (both Tewkesbury) went 7-0 down to John Weston after just three ends.

A three and a four put them level before they lost another three ends. A four on the ninth end brought about the recovery and by the 15th end they were 18-13 ahead. A four on the 19th end gave them a 23-16 lead and they ended in front 23-19.

Alan Castle (Bristol Arrow), Derek Turner (Page Park), Wilf Sutherst (Frampton) and Bunny Coles (Nailsworth), up against Mike Bond, were all square at 12-12 after 12 ends before edging in front 15-13 after 17 ends. The difference was a two and a single on the 19th and 20th end as they lost the last end to win 18-15.

* Gloucestershire will be looking to avenge their 12-shot defeat from last year when they travel to play Wiltshire in their opening Middleton Cup Group match at Wootton Bassett BC on Saturday, 2pm.

Last season Wiltshire went on to top the group, which also includes Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

The side includes new faces John Smallwood (Olveston) and Pete Stinchcombe (Tetbury), who will be playing against his old county.

Gloucestershire squad: Nathan Kitchen (Cheltenham), Mike Prosser (Gloucester Spa), Steve Knight (Cheltenham) Matt Cuthbert (Cheltenham); Vince Wilks (Gloucester City), Adam Smith (Dowty), Chris Davies (Coleford), Lee Williamson (Cheltenham); Nick Holliday (Cheltenham), Pete Stinchcombe (Tetbury), Mark Perry (Cheltenham), Stuart Hodges (Cheltenham); Keith Hinder (Dursley), Eddie Kavanagh (Tewkesbury), Dave Howes (Stroud), Mike Woodbridge (Cheltenham); Paul Nelmes (Cheltenham), Jack Daniels (Bishops Cleeve), Chris Roach (Cheltenham), Rob Griffiths (Cheltenham); John Smallwood (Olveston), Roger Bird (Tetbury), John Roach (Cheltenham), Paul Bryant (Olveston).

Reserves: Rich Browett (Barnwood BC), John Heathcote (Stroud BC), Andy Locke (Henleaze BC).

Gloucestershire 100 Wiltshire 130

GLOUCESTERSHIRE were swept aside by local rivals Wiltshire, losing by 30 shots at Fairford.

The County won on two rinks with Angus Cooper, Richard Browett, Andy Browett and Clive Worrall (all Barnwood) overcoming Steve George in a nail biting finish by three shots, 20-17.

The rink had jumped into a 10-1 lead and was 13-8 ahead after 12 ends. A dropped three on the 17th end made it all square at 16-16 before they won three of the last four ends to gain a three shot win.

Peter Smith, (Fairford), John Edwards, Roy Walker (both Cheltenham) and Leo Delia (Fairford), against Bob Federicks, went 10-4 down after dropping a five on the sixth end.

Digging deep, they turned it around with two threes, a four and a two to jump into a 19-13 lead after 16 ends. With their opponents coming back at them they grabbed a crucial three on the last but one end and despite dropping a three on the last end gained a two shot win, 22-20.

Neil Hook, Eddie Broughton, Jack Daniels and Sid Harvey (all Bishops Cleeve), up against Maurice Bryon, were behind throughout the match and ended up losing 19-13.

Anthony Sharkey (Bristol Arrow), Gordon King (GB Britton), David Gledhill (Olveston) and Doug Johnson (GB Britton), against Graham Annettes, were 10-3 down after eight ends and never recovered. Dropping a five late on, they finished with a flurry of a two and a five to go down 24-16.

Jack Dempsey, Terry Davis (both EDF Energy), Ken Manns and Brian Waldren (both Barnwood) trailed 10-4 to Keith Evill at halfway. Closing the gap to 10-8, they then just picked up one shot in six ends and went onto lose 24-13.

Derek Severs (Olveston), Cedric Always (Bristol St Andrews), Alan Taylor (Cheltenham Spa) and Richard Bennett (Olveston) trailed 12-5 against John Crowder after 10 ends and then lost three twos and a five to be in big trouble at 23-9 behind. A two and a four pulled it back as they ended up losing 26-16.