MID Cheshire ladies failed in their bid to reach the BCGBA Inter County Final on Sunday.
After winning four games on the trot - a best ever run by Mid Cheshire - they took on Wales in the semi-final, but could not do well enough in the home leg at Norley to swing the tie their way overall.
Mid Cheshire won at home, but only by two shots and they only returned five winners.
The best of those was Joan Jackson (Wharton Cons), a 21-13 winner while also successful were Karen Brown (Winnington), Janet Agnew (Barnton), Audrey Tomlinson and July Hanwell (both Cons).
Severe damage, meanwhile, was being inflicted at Trefnant where
four Mid Cheshire women failed to reach double figures.
They lost 232-172, but Elaine Lawrence, Jean Starkey (both Winnington) and Norley duo Pat Newhouse and Lyn Rankin were winners.
The overall score was 459-401. nThe Norley Merit final could not have been closer. Mark Vernon (Wharton Cons) was the winner, beating Mark Winnington (Hart-ford) 21-10 in a thrilling final at Lostock.
Winnington had beaten his son Rob, last week's Mid Cheshire Merit winner, 21-11 in the semis, while Graham Winnington had beaten
clubmate Graham Spruce by nine shots.
Vernon beat Ellie Winnington (Beech Tree) 2-17 in the opening round when Winnington Snr enjoyed a bye. nCheshire Junior Merit winner Thomas Clare and his Castle Private club-mate Matt Hamman take their places in the BCGBA Junior Championship at Wolverhampton on Saturday.
Both are drawn against Greater Manchester bowlers. Clare faces Jonathan Copeland and Hamman takes on Sam Donley. nToday is the Stan Frith Mid Cheshire Junior Merit at Owley Wood with entries being on the evening and the drawn being prior to the 6.45pm start.
