KINGS' England star Natalie Melmore, who flies to India later this month with the Commonwealth Games squad to prepare for the October Games in New Delhi, teamed up with clubmates Ruth Rogers and Sophie Tolchard to power their way to the county triples title at Madeira on Thursday.

In a one-sided encounter conceded after 14 ends, the Kings trio beat Anne Poole, Marcia Mills and Gillian Gunn (Morchard Bishop) 28-3.

"The girls were 'on fire' and nothing Morchard Bishop did came off," said Devon official Carol Horgan.

On England duty this weekend and unable to participate in the Bowls Devon Ladies' All Finals Day at Plymouth Sir Francis Drake tomorrow, three finals were brought forward to accommodate Melmore.

After her stunning run to capture the England singles title at Royal Leamington Spa, Melmore, 21, was beaten on Monday in the Devon 4-Wood singles final by international team-mate Liz Smerdon (Madeira) 21-17.

The final of the U25 singles was also played at Crediton with Melmore beating England junior international Sophie Tolchard (Kings) 21-12.

Both players were members of Devon' all-conquering Bowls England Walker Cup double-rink inter-county team.

Tomorrow at Plymouth, Tolchard has the chance to win the Devon 2-Wood singles title when she faces Terri Kennard (Newton Abbot) in the final.

The fours is also being staged at Plymouth Sir Francis Drake (10am) with Torbay Country Club's Val Davis, Yvonne Blackler and Betty Beedell facing Christina Woollacott (Tiverton West End).

In the ladies' unbadged singles, Christine Bowles (Brixham St Mary's) made a brave effort to reach the final but was beaten in the Group A section final by former champion Angie Mayhew (Seaton) 21-9.

In this week's quarter-finals at Bitton Park, Bowles beat Carole Lloyd (Abbrook Park) 21-20. She trailed 19-20 after Lloyd scored a treble on end 23, but hit back superbly to pick up a double to win. In the group semi-final Bowles beat Sheila Kirby (Morchard Bishop) 21-13.

Reigning champion Liz Lock (Torbay Country Club), in action in Group B at Starcross, beat Jean Ward 21-10 and Barbara Allen 21-17, but missed out on the chance of retaining her title after losing to Janet Sherwood (Morchard Bishop) 21-18.

Kings' men take on Exonia at Newton Abbot tomorrow (2pm) in the quarter-finals of the County Trophy. On Tuesday at Bitton Park their MDL B-team face Ipplepen in a promotion decider in Division Three.

This re-arranged match has come about through Ipplepen's failure to turn up for the initial match that saw Bitton's Peter Tetreault race from his workplace in Bristol to line-up alongside his team-mates.

Despite Bitton's full compliment of players and Ipplepen's no-show, the league nevertheless ordered the match to be re-scheduled.