HAMPSHIRE - beaten finalists last summer made an excellent start in their quest to go one better in this year's John Trophy.

Playing at neutral Three Mile Cross, Reading, they overcame Wiltshire 123-105 to book a second-round date with Devon the county they also meet in the Walker Cup (double rink championship).

The Johns clash is on Tuesday at Gillingham, Dorset.

Although the day began brightly the weather changed becoming cold and wet but that could not remove the warm glow of satisfaction from Hampshire faces after they won four of the six rinks.

Their top rink included Sheila Hall of Milford making her Hampshire debut in the Johns after helping Middlesex lift the trophy in 1994. Rink scores: Pam Lambshead (Cowplain), Sheila Hall (Milford), Sue Sharpe, pictured, Allyson Flint (both Cove) won 26-12; Sandy Pullin (Fareham), Sandy Moyse (Lee-on-the-Solent), Rosemary Corney (Whitchurch), Margaret Holden (Alton Social) won 20-17; Jill Cook (Lee-on-the-Solent), Rosemary Bailey (Fareham), Linda Johnson (Richmond Park), Margaret Darkin (Banister Park) won 25-16; Julie Saunders (Richmond Park), Elizabeth Messer (Southbourne), Joan Hennessey (Alton Social), Kay Kerley (Oakley) lost 21-14; Jean Arnaud, Anne Pearce, Jenny McAusland, Wendy Line (all Atherley) won 22-21; Mary Taylor (Oakley), Hazel Marke (Lee-on-the-Solent), Brenda Plumpton (Fleet United), Gill Mitchell (Richmond Park) lost 18-16.

l Sheila Hall went along for the ride when Hampshire played an inter-association friendly against Middlesex at Uxbridge and ended up playing against her old buddies.

Two of the selected team failed to show and Hall and county secretary Cynthia Abraham deputised, Hampshire winning 112-97.

Hall once more featured in the premier rink alongside three Hampshire presidents: Pam Lambshead (imminent), Molly Shutler (current) and Allyson Flint (past). They won 29-14.

Other skips' scores: Eileen Deadman (Richmond Park) won 18-14; Margaret Lohse (Banister Park) lost 19-12; Brenda Plumpton (Fleet United) drew 14-14; Jill Drysdale (Basingstoke Town) lost 24-12; Kay Kerley (Oakley) won 27-16; Allyson Flint (Cove) won 29-14.