Brilliant Bears top group to secure place in trophy final

WARWICKSHIRE recorded three wins in a row to book their place in the Balcomb Trophy national finals after finishing top of their group in their West Region contest.

- By ALAN JACKSON

The Bears faced hosts Gloucestershire as well as Worcestershire and Wiltshire at Cheltenham BC.

The Bears selected the same team for all three games; Pairs: Mark Ireland (Avenue Coventry) and Andy Walters (Welford); Triples: Aiden Maries, Mark Smith and Adam Smith (all Avenue Leamington); and Fours: Keith Avery, Keith Wooding (both Avenue Coventry), Alan Prew (Welford) and Craig Carter (Rugby).

In their first match against Gloucestershire, Warwickshire won 53-47 with both sides gaining four points.

The pairs were two shots down at the halfway mark but surged eight shots ahead heading into the final four ends and a good finish sealed a 24-9 win.