Both Warwickshire and West Midlands kick off 2015 in the BDO Inter County Championships this coming weekend with an away fixture. Warwickshire’s middle of the season match is a tough game at St Thomas Sports and Social Club, Wigan against premier division leaders Lancashire but they will be encouraged by the fact that last season they beat their hosts 19-17 albeit the game was played on Warwickshire’s home board.
Lining up to play for Warwickshire will be, Men’s ‘A’:- Jamie Atkins, Richard Foster, Tom Aldridge, Mark Strong, Noel Grant, Ian McFarlane, Dave Harris, Mark Carter, Jamie Hughes, Dean Stewart, Rob Hawker, Mark Westgarth, Men’s ‘B’:- Steve Ward, Paul Deslandes, Tom McGlone, Antony Allen, Will Naylor, Prakash Jiwa, Michael Spencer, Carl Green, Luke Kennedy, Ashley Hykin, Ted Evetts, Matt Edgar, Reserves:- Dan Green, Simon Power, Mark Archer, Nigel Heydon, Kevin Dowling, Jimmy Hill, Dane Vickers, Steve Hine, Women’s ‘A’:- Trina Gulliver, Kat Spanswick, Angela Jones, Melanie Hill, Denise Keyte, Wendy Adams, Women’s ‘B’:- Lisa Whitmore, Edwina Holdsworth, Marian Conway, Donna Pinch, Kerry Bambridge, Caroline Pike, Reserves:- Sue Gulliver, Nina Bolt, Lucy Keyte.
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In division two West Midlands will also have a difficult away fixture playing against their divisional leaders Derbyshire at The Pavillion, Allenton, Derbyshire, a fixture West Midlands have lost for the past two seasons and will be not only hoping but needing to get a result this time around to lift them away from the foot of the table.
Selected to play are Men’s ‘A’:- Keith Allman, Gavin Baker, Micky Baker, Shaun Carrol, Danny Coyle, Matthew Dicken, Ian Jones, Chris Mason, John Platt, Richard Platt, Andy Roberts, Mark Rollinson, Men’s ‘B’:- Martin Angell, Jamie Barrowman, Glen Cullen, Mark Craddock, Justin Evans, John Mycock, Paul Price, Avtar Singh, Robert Thomson, Mark Watkiss, Gary Watts, Reserves:-Lee Arnold, A.Johnson, Ian Stanton, Women’s ‘A’:- Lisa Astbury, Gemma Barrett, Kim Fellows, Kath Jenkins, Sarah Roberts, Heather Wright, Women’s ‘B’:- Chris Banks, Claire Hobbs, Debbie Loon, Jackie Maiden, Sam Maiden, Wendy Waine, Reserves:- Sophie Singh, Nicki MacCloughlin.
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Three teams are on 10 points at the top of division one in the South Birmingham League, but they have played a different number of games. Crown-Forget-Me-Not lead the way with five wins from five games with Crown at Shard End second having won five of their seven games and making up the trio is Mackadown Social who have lost one of their six games.
In division two Coleshill Social made it eight straight wins when in their latest fixture they won 5-4 at home to The Gate giving them a four points lead over second placed The Trident, who have a game in hand on the leaders.
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Just one game played in the Small Heath League a preliminary round of the League Cup which saw Emerald Club record a decisive 7-2 win over Sheldon Marlborough Flights to secure a place in the last eight. Sheldon will join the losers from the quarter finals in the Jim Haveron Knockout.
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The Forest of Arden Winter League had the first round of their divisional cups on the agenda. In the division one games leaders Olton Crown had a comfortable 7-2 win over Ivy Leaf, while second in the table Highwood ‘A’ went out of the knockout surprisingly losing 5-4 at Greville Arrows who are next to bottom of the division one table. Riley’s Red Arrows and Journeys End had 6-3 wins over respective opponents Harvester and Chelmsley Town.
Division two leaders Iron Horse emulated the division one leaders 7-2 result with a win against Sheldon Flights, there were 5-4 wins for Greville Arms and Crown Arrows in turn defeating Highwood KB and Highwood Exiles.
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After playing 12 of their scheduled 22 games Brandon lead the way in the Warwickshire Men’s Super League with a total of 90 points, eight more than their nearest rivals Coventry Bishopsgate. Third in the table Birmingham Court Oak are on 70 points and have played one game fewer than the two teams above them, a win in that game in hand however wouldn’t see them move up the table.
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With only three matches remaining in the Rowley Monday Night League Crown moved within touching distance of winning the title when they beat Haden Cross 6-3 to make it 35 wins from as many games. The win gives Crown a maximum 70 points, six more than second in the table Springfield Social Club, who beat Ivy Bush ‘Z’ 5-4 to mathematically keep them with an outside chance of stealing the title but realistically Crown now require just one more point to secure the league title and after 35 straight wins it seems very unlikely that they will let it slip away.
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With only one defeat in seven games Crown, Old Hill lead the way in the West Midland Men’s Super League having amassed a total of 44 points, their latest victory being a 4-3 home win over third in the table Wednesfield FC who are seven points behind them. Landywood Snooker Club, Great Wyrley are second, they have only played six games and are six points adrift of Crown.
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Britannia Sports Bar, High Street, Wollaston will be staging a knockout on Saturday 24th January and for a £5 entry fee there will be a guaranteed £150 payout for the eventual winner plus payouts for the runner up and losing semi finalists. There will also be a 101 knockout for all first round losers.
Registrations will be accepted until 1.30pm with a 2.00pm start. Anyone requiring any further information should contact Britannia on 01384-396291.
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In the latest round of fixtures Wombourne Cricket Club were the sole losers in the top five teams in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League. Although they had home board advantage Wombourne went down by a massive 6-1 to Ten Arches ‘B’ who are five places and ten points below them.
Leaders Ten Arches ‘A’ hold on to a four points lead over second in the table Ashwood ‘A’ after handing out a 7-0 whitewash to their visitors The Swan, Ashwood ‘A’ winning 5-2 against Gigmill.
Third placed Ashwood ‘B’ won 6-1 at Netherton Cricket Club and Dudley Sports join Wombourne in joint fourth place with a 5-2 win over The Bridge.
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Plans are going ahead for a knockout to be staged at Allens Sports and Social Club, Newhall Street, Tipton, DY4 9HL on the first Sunday of the month, the first of which is 1st February.
Anyone requiring further details should contact the club on 0121-557-7032.
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With Sportsmans Rest having a bye in the Aston League, second placed Red Lion took full advantage to draw level on points with the leaders after a convincing 8-1 home win over Mitre. The two top teams are just two points to the good on third in the table Kingstanding Ex Serviceman’s who could join them on 16 points if they win their game in hand. Fourth in the table Castle Vale Stadium are on 10 points but they have only played seven games and could move to within two points of the leading duo if they win those games in hand.
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Fox and Dogs, reigning champions of the Tamworth League have once again taken over pole position moving up from third in the table to top on average after a 6-1 home win over Three Tuns ‘A’, Fazeley. Old Liberal House are on the same 59 points as Fox and Dogs, they won 5-2 at Sports Bar and have played one game more than the leaders.
Former leaders Dolphin ‘A’ lost for the first time in seven games going down 4-3 at home to Belgrave Club and drop to fourth in the table, their victors moving up into third place one point ahead of them.
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The West Midlands County Youth team travelled to take on Essex in their second game of the season but were unable to return with a result from their three games as the Under 21 team lost 3-2, the ladies went down 2-1 and the Under 18 team finished on the wrong side of a 7-2 result.
Let’s hope 2015 will bring better fortunes, the next game will be a home tie with London on Sunday 25th January and the week after they will take on Berkshire.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League will be holding their AGM to form the 2015 – 2016 season at the Emerald Club, Cross Street, Wolverhampton on Tuesday 27th January. The meeting will get underway at approximately 8.00pm all existing and new teams are welcome to attend and should bring with them a list of the signed players.
Anyone requiring any further information should contact Michele Pritchard on 07933-246173.
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