South West Counties Ladies’ League

DORSET 143 CORNWALL 83

DORSET continue to dominate the South West Counties Ladies' League, which they have topped for the past three seasons.

Their opening fixture saw them play at neutral Exeter ISCA and indicated that they will again be the team to beat.

Showing all-round superiority, Dorset achieved a clean sweep across the board, winning on all six rinks and racking up a plus 60 shot advantage to go to the top the table.

The writing was on the wall after the opening five ends had been completed with Dorset 39-15 ahead and Cornwall looking ragged as they faced an uphill task to stay in touch.

Dorset’s top performance was turned in by Sally Williams, Mary Lucas, Sue Maggs and skip Sandie Smith who only allowed their opposing rink – skipped by Pat Brooks – seven scoring ends which produced 12 shots. For their part Smith and co rattled up 26 shots to provide an anchor result.

Close on their heels came Jan Barteluk, Margaret Crawford, Linda Johnson and Joan Halliwell who skipped another buoyant rink – winning 30-18 against Cornwall’s Christine Johnstone.

The composite West Dorset rink of Frances Hewett and Pat Cornick of Bridport, alongside Sheila Baker of Dorchester and Moonfleet skip Kath Desmond, also joined in the fun as they accumulated a 22-12 win, and won 16 of the 21 ends played.

Cornwall’s Chris Perrin and co fared no better when tackling the Dorset rink of Val Baxter, June Searle, Jenny Trotman and and Val Farrant who skipped her rink to 21-11 victory.

The final indicator of the Dorset team’s superiority came when Cornwall’s top skip Liz Bray went the way of all her fellow skips, when tumbling to a 21-13 reverse at the hands of Margaret Hooper, Isabelle Addison, Freda Yates and Lyn Howard.

Dorset’s next fixture will be a much sterner test as they take on Devon Ladies at Bournemouth next week, for which the county selectors have chosen a full turnout of players from the Atherley Trophy squad, for what is, in effect, a trial to choose a team for this season’s prestigious national Inter-County competition.