Warwickshire began their tenth consecutive season in the premier division of the BDO Inter County Championships with a tough away game against reigning champions Yorkshire and although they lost 19-17 it was oh so close.
The ladies teams both returned with 3-3 draws Sue Gulliver (21.40) the ‘A’ team’s lady of the match and Angela Jones taking the ‘B’ sides award with her 19.05 average.
There were mixed fortunes for the men’s teams as the ‘B’ side, after adding the ladies ‘B’ result, took Warwickshire into a 10-8 lead at close of play on Saturday. Jack Wareing gave them the best possible start as he beat Craig Gwynne 4-1, Wareing taking the match award for his superb 30.16 average. From 1-0 up the away team then went 2-1 down but from there on in they never looked back, they were always in charge until they sealed victory in the penultimate game when Tommy Ryan’s 4-1 win against Graham Harrison giving them an unassailable 7-4 lead. The final score was 7-5 this being Warwickshire men’s ‘B’ side’s first win over Yorkshire in the last ten seasons.
The men’s ‘A’ side had not won against Yorkshire in their previous nine outings and once again it was Yorkshire who took the 8-4 result. Like the ‘B’ team’s game the award winner came in the opening game as Ted Evetts won 4-1 against Peter Jacques, Evetts having a magnificent 32.34 average.
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It was doubles knockout finals week for the Forest of Arden Summer League, the final comprising of the two divisional champion teams Journeys End from group ‘A’ and Dunky’s Boys who top of group ‘B’.
The game was a high scoring affair with Journeys recording 28 tons or over to Dunky’s 24 which included maximums for Bob Nixon and Peter Yardley. The result was a very close 5-4 going in favour of Journeys End.
Knockout Cup Winners Journeys End
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With a 4-0 win over Ryan Brogan Steve Sidwell moved back to the top of the Shirley Premier League on 98 points from 31 games. Sidwell replaces Phil Thomas in pole position despite Thomas winning 3-1 against Pete Silver in what was his final game of the season putting him on the same 98 points as Sidwell who still has two to play.
So Sidwell is the new champion and Thomas takes the runners up spot, Mark Henderson who has also played all of his 33 games will take third place with 93 points.
Best finish of the week went to Colin Geens, a 120 checkout in his last leg of a 4-0 win over Derek Harper. Three 180’s were recorded and supplied by Tony Daly, Andy Thomas and Gary Cleverley.
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C’s Top Guns and Mackadown Social are the top two teams in group one of the South Birmingham Summer League and in week four they played each other. The result was close with second in the table Mackadown Social beating current leaders C’s Top Guns 4-3 to move to within one point of their opponents.
Group two leaders Iron Horse remain the only team in the league with a 100% win record after they added a 5-3 success over Punchbowl to their account giving them a maximum six points and a two points lead over second in the group C’s Arrows who handed out a 7-1 defeat to their visitors The Trident. In group three leaders Coleshill Social were also 7-1 winners as they accounted for Yardley Flights.
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Due to the fact that Sheldon Marlborough Flights had a bye in the Camp Hill League they lost pole position to White Swan Nomads whose 5-2 win over Wagon and Horses puts them on 20 points which is two more than Sheldon Marlborough Flights but they do have a game in hand.
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A 7-2 win over Saracens Misfits keeps Sharmans Sharks top of the Shirley and District Monday Night League but only on average from The Wharf whose 8-1 win at Sharmans Cross puts them on the same 18 points as the Sharks.
Cider House had a bye and drop from third to fifth with Red Lion moving up one place to third on 16 points following their 9-0 win at Shirley Spartac. A 6-3 win over Plume of Feathers sees The Bears take over in fourth place on the same 14 points as Cider House with one leg of average more than their rivals both teams are four points off the top of the table.
At the other end of the table Legion Royals with their second win in nine, a 5-4 success over Legionnaires, moved up four places from the foot of the table
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The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League were involved in their League Cup playing it down to the last eight teams. Second in the league Ten Arches ‘A’ surprisingly lost 5-4 at home to twelfth in the table Glasscutters. No such problem for league leaders Brickmakers Arms who handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts The Swan.
Another team to suffer a surprise result was fourth placed Britannia who lost 6-3 at home to The Bridge (Kingswinford) who are three places below them in the table.
Other teams to qualify for the quarter finals were Ten Arches ‘B’, Bird (Stourbridge), Hop House, Church Tavern and Stourbridge RBL.
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East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association took their undefeated run in the Small Heath League to four games when they won 7-2 at Cob’s Bar giving them a two point’s advantage over second and third placed Heartlands Club and Sheldon Marlborough Arrows. Heartlands fixture at Emerald Club was cancelled but they have played the same number of games as E.B.A.H.A while Sheldon Marlborough Arrows 5-3 win over Wagon and Horses was their fifth game of the season.
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A 5-4 home defeat in the Netherton Thursday Night League for Riddins Tavern at the hands of the Bulls Head team has seen Riddins ousted from pole position and drop to second behind new leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club. The Ex Serviceman’s Club’s 6-3 home win over bottom of the table Netherton Conservative Club has put them level on 48 points with Riddins but they have a far superior average plus a game in hand.
Bulls Head’s win sees them move up one place to third overtaking Townsend Social Club who lost 6-3 at home against Fairfield leaving them three points behind Bulls Head.
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With no result this week for Rubery RBL in the Kings Norton League, Avenue Social have replaced them at the top of the table following their 5-2 home win over Harborne. Rubery drop to third place behind West Heath who had a 7-0 win away to Dingle and making it a quartet of teams on eight points at the top of the table is Coppice who had a close 4-3 win at E57. Both West Heath and Coppice have played five games as opposed to Avenue and Rubery who have played four and are undefeated.
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Little change in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League table as all of the top five teams won in week 27. Leaders Bulls Head (Netherton) had a 6-3 home win over sixth in the table Roebuck while Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club retained their second place and two point’s deficit on the leaders with a 7-2 win at Pensnett Liberal Club. After the leading duo there comes a four point’s gap to third placed Dudley Sports ‘A’ who were the week’s biggest winners, a 9-0 victory at King William.
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A 5-2 win at The Wonder has seen Tipton Sports open up a two points lead at the top of the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League as their nearest rivals Dewdrop ‘A’ lost 4-3 away to fourth placed Island Inn. Dewdrop ‘A’, Waggon and Horses and Island Inn are all on 50 points two short of Tipton Sports. It was not a good week for Dewdrop as Waggon and Horses beat their ‘B’ team 5-2.
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A 5-4 win at Gate Hangs Well has seen Brickmakers Arms retain the Cradley Tuesday Night League title for a second season as the win gives them a total of 34 points six more than second placed Bulls Head with just two fixtures remaining. Bulls Head also won 5-4 in their game at Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’ to put them two points ahead of their third placed opponents. Wheatsheaf are fourth in the table on the same 26 points as Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’ but they have played 19 games and only have one remaining fixture.
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The Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League have got their new season underway and the early pacesetters are Gornal British Legion who were 8-1 winners at Hilly House. Meadowlark, New Inn and White Lion in turn all won 6-3 against Red Cow, Five Ways and Jolly Crispin.
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Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ moved another two points nearer the Silver End Sunday Morning League title when they won 5-3 at Pensnett Welfare Club giving them a total of 65 points from 24 games and a lead of nine over second in the table Netherton Cricket Club who were held to a 4-4 draw at home by sixth placed Glasscutters. Third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club also finished all square at four each away to Dudley Sports to remain five points behind Netherton Cricket Club and only one point ahead of fourth in the league and reigning champions Woodside who won 6-2 at Three Crowns.
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The Brierley Hill Friday Night League played their doubles knockout down to the last eight pairs and winning through to the quarter finals were A.Bedford & B.Weatherall (Dudley Sports), R.Riaz & A.Nicholls (Glasscutters), C.Pickett & J.Pickett (Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’), R.Colley & M.Rowley (Old Star), P.O’Brien & R.Lenton (Netherton Cricket Club ‘B’), J.Batham & C/Penzer (Brickmakers Arms ‘A’), G.Jackson & R.Tipper (Brickmakers Arms ‘B’), M.Flatman & J.Barrowman (Ashwood).
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It’s as you were at the top of the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League as the top four teams all won. Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ lost their fifth place as a result of their 4-3 defeat away to third in the table The Swan and drop to sixth on 12 points but they do have a game in hand on all five teams above them and they are only four points behind second in the table Ashwood ‘B’. Ashwood ‘A’ continue to lead the field, they stretched their undefeated run to nine games with a convincing 6-1 win at Netherton Cricket Club to keep them two points ahead of their local rivals and second in the table Ashwood ‘B’.
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The top two teams in the West Midlands Men’s Super League Allen’s Sports Bar ‘A’ and Woodside both chalked up narrow 3-2 wins in their latest fixtures Allen’s winning at Gilberts Bar and Woodside beating Staffordshire Knot at home. The leading duo are the only teams not to have lost in the opening nine games, Allen’s leading the field with 56 points and Woodside just three points behind them.
Week nine was a good week for Horse and Jockey as they recorded their first win in nine, a 3-2 success at Allen’s Sports Bar ‘D’, however they remain rooted at the foot of the table on 13 points two short of the team just above them Allen’s Sports Bar ‘B’.
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Week 22 turned out to be a fantastic week for the ECC Sports and Social Club in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League as the ‘A’ team won 7-0 away to Emerald Club and the ‘B’ side also handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their visiting team Royal, Albrighton.
League leaders Whitmore Reans WMC and second in the table Hurst Hill both handed out 6-1 defeats to respective opponents Swan Compton and McGhees, Whitmore on 38 points, Hurst Hill 36 and third placed ECC ‘A’ on 32.
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The Royal, Albrighton cut Wednesfield Legion’s lead in division two of the singles section of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League to four points when they beat them 4-3, however Wednesfield still have two games in hand on Royal.
Wednesfield Legion top the division one singles section with 38 points from 19 games and have a lead of eight plus a game in hand on second placed Sunbeam.
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