TETBURY'S Roger Bird was part of the most successful rink as Gloucestershire put in an impressive performance in the Middleton Cup trial to trounce Oxfordshire by 38 shots (139-101) at Barnwood BC.

Middleton Cup Trial

Gloucestershire 139

Oxfordshire 101

Bird was joined by John Smallwood (Olveston), John Roach (Cheltenham) and Paul Bryant (Olveston) as they romped into a 15-2 lead over Alan Prew's four and never looked back.

Leading 24-3 after 14 ends they picked up two fours and a three to cruise home 36-15.

Bird's Tetbury team-mate Pete Stinchcombe played on a rink that drew 19-19 with their Oxfordshire counterparts.

Playing alongside Nick Holliday, Mark Perry and Stuart Hodges (all of Cheltenham), they had to dig deep against Mark Sykes after finding themselves 11-7 and 15-10 down before grabbing two threes to lead.

One down going into the last end they gained the shot to finish all square at 19-19.

Middle England Bowls League

Gloucestershire Women 101

Oxfordshire 133

GLOUCESTERSHIRE women had no such good fortune in their clash with Oxfordshire.

The reigning champions of the Middle England Bowls League, Gloucestershire had the stuffing knocked out of them in their opening fixture at Banbury when they lost by 32 shots (133-101).

Oxfordshire also beat them last year, which was their only defeat as they went on to win the title with six straight wins.

This time around Gloucestershire suffered three heavy defeats while winning the other three rinks.