EARLSWOOD and Swansea players join forces with premier league stars from Islwyn and Rhondda tomorrow for their opening Group Championship match at Torfaen IBC (2pm).

The Group Championship format started last year in an attempt to find a solution to the national side's dismal results over the last four years.

The jury is still out, however, on whether this is the answer to breaking a run of 12 matches without a win in the Home International Series.

Earlswood's Emlyn Williams is joined by Keith Wilkins while Len Davies is named among the reserves in tomorrow's group three line-up.

Swansea have six players on the teamsheet and all but Mark Jones are making their debuts for the group three team.

Dale Gorman, David Kingdon and Brian Kingdon are drafted in and there are first opportunities for Jonathan Williams and Archie Phillips while Simon Davies is on the bench.

The remainder of the team is made up of Islwyn and Rhondda players with the exception of World Junior Singles representative Paul Taylor and former international Jim Hoskins who both hail from the Ogwr club.

Selected group three team

Rink 1: Tom Hancock (Islwyn), Paul Williams (Islwyn), John Dacey (Islwyn), Robert Weale (Islwyn)

Rink 2: Jonathan Williams (Swansea), Mark Jones (Swansea), Paul Taylor (Ogwr), Mike Prosser (Rhondda)

Rink 3: Chris Berry (Rhondda), Gavin Abraham (Islwyn), Jarrad Breen (Rhondda), Chris Ashman (Rhondda)

Rink 4: Owain Dando (Islwyn), Imran James (Rhondda), Emlyn Williams (Earlswood), David Kingdon (Swansea)

Rink 5: Dale Gorman (Swansea), Keith Wilkins (Earlswood), Andrew Oliver (Islwyn), Brian Kingdon (Swansea)

Rink 6: Ian Butler (Islwyn), Jim Hoskins (Ogwr), Archie Phillips (Swansea), Steve Jackson (Islwyn)

Reserves: Jon Berry (Rhondda), Len Davies (Earlswood), Simon Davies (Swansea), Rhys Fielding (Rhondda), Chris Price (Rhondda), Michael Quinn (Rhondda).

THE Welsh Indoor Young Bowlers Association are holding their West Section Singles competition at Swansea tomorrow starting at 9.30am with local players from Llanelli, Dinefwr, Swansea, Earlswood and Port Talbot all hoping to reach the last eight and join the eight East Section winners in an Open Draw with those matches taking place at Cynon Valley on Saturday, November 22.

West section singles first round draw 9.30am — Simon Davies (Llanelli) v Andrew Trick (Swansea); Gemma Amos (Heatherton) v Kiera Morgan (Heatherton); Scott Williams (Dinefwr) v Gwen Shenton (Earlswood); Carl Evans (Dinefwr) v Dale McCarthy (Port Talbot); Thomas Holmes (Llanelli) v Scott Loosemore (Ogwr); A.N.Other (Llanelli) v Ysie White (Heatherton).

11.30am — Sioned Evans (Llanelli) v Michael John (Bro Myrddin); Matthew Stephens (Swansea) v Adam Hensman (Heatherton).

Second round 11.30am — Jarrad Jones (Ogwr) v Gareth Rees (Swansea); Gareth Davies (Earlswood) v Regan Leyshon (Port Talbot); Tyler Davies (Ogwr) v Dafydd Stephens (Dinefwr); Chris Preece (Earlswood) v Josh Probert (Port Talbot).

1.30pm — Davies or Trick v Amos or Morgan; Williams or Shenton v Evans or McCarthy; Holmes or Loosemore v A.N.Other or White.

FORMER club champion and current Welsh team manager Nigel Williams booked his place in the Swansea Indoor Singles semi-finals after a 21-9 victory over Eric Davies. He now faces either Gareth Rees or Stephen Rees clash.

Former world indoor singles and pairs champion John Price regained the Port Talbot indoor singles title with a comprehensive 21-6 victory over Martin Johnson and the two finalists will be joined by Nicky Collins and Ben Thomas in the draw for the first round of the national indoor singles competition.