Warwickshire travelled to Bath BC to take on Devon in the Regional Final of the Middleton Cup. A good start by the Bears allowed them to fend off the late fightback from Devon to book their place in the semi finals with an 108-101 victory.

Karl Finch (Avenue Leamington), Jordan Ward (Rugby), Luke Horne and Adam Smith (both Avenue Leamington) had a tight opening half of the game, after nine ends the scores were level. A four, pair of trebles, a double and a single with just a single in response gave Smith’s rink a commanding twelve shot advantage with three ends to go, a double for Devon was wiped out by two singles to give the Bears a 22-10 win. Ewan Mason (Rugby), Steve Merrett (Avenue Coventry), Andy Sparkes (Whitnash) and Tom Millership (Avenue Coventry) raced away to a ten shot lead in the first five ends, with nine ends gone the lead was still ten shots. A single and a five brought Devon right back into the tie but Millership and co did enough to fend of any further fightback to win 19-15.

Andy Prickett (Welford), Sam Shuttleworth (Whitnash), Alan Prew and Dan Box (both Welford) started with a five but the scores were level after six ends but a good five end spell saw them regain the lead, now ten shots up with six ends left. Devon had the better of the remaining ends but it was Box and co that won 23-19. Jacob Mills, Josh Tiffin (both Rugby), Adam Shuttleworth (Whitnash) and Craig Carter (Rugby) led by five after seven ends but slipped to a two shot deficit with twelve ends played. A treble, double and single moved them four up with three ends left, Devon halved the deficit but couldn’t deny Carter’s rink the 17-15 win.

Aiden Maries (Avenue Leamington), Will Brundle (Welford), Mark Ireland (Avenue Coventry) and Andy Walters (Welford) started badly, eight shots down six ends. With two ends to go the deficit had grown to seven but Walters and co finished with a treble and double to reduce the loss to 14-16. Keith Avery (Avenue Coventry), Lewis Gardner (Whitnash), Derek Maries (Avenue Leamington) and Keith Wooding (Avenue Coventry) were ten adrift at the midway point and two ends later that had increased to sixteen. While Wooding’s rink couldn’t overturn the deficit they did enough to keep the deficit down to help the Bears to the overall victory, final score 23-19 to Devon.