The new season of the BDO Inter County Championships will get underway this coming weekend and Warwickshire will kick off their premier division programme with what has become an annual event as they take on reigning champions Yorkshire for the eighth consecutive curtain raiser.
The match will be played at Glasshoughton WMC, Castleford, West Yorkshire and will be no easy task for Warwickshire as their best result in the previous seven games against the champions was in the 2014 – 2015 season when they lost 20-16.
Lining up in the opening fixture will be Men’s ‘A’:- Bob Nixon, Dean Stewart, Richard Foster, Jamie Atkins, Jamie Hughes, Mark Carter, Nigel Heydon, Mark Westgarth, Noel Grant, Antony Allen, Tom Aldridge, William Naylor, Men’s ‘B’:- Mark Strong, Luke Kennedy, Rob Hawker, Carl Green, Prakash Jiwa, Mangal Singh, Peter Hughes, Tom Ryan, Ian Shaw, Graham Hall, Ian McFarlane, James Hykin, Reserves:- Simon Power, Matt Edgar, Ted Evetts, Anthony West, Tom Martin, Tom McGlone, Paul Deslandes, Simon Fairbrother, Women’s ‘A’:- Trina Gulliver, Sue Gulliver, Donna Pinch, Natalie Gilbert, Kerry Bambridge, Melanie Hill, Women’s ‘B’:- Angela Jones, Denise Keyte, Marian Conway, Helen Rigg, Wendy Adams, Lisa Deslandes, Reserves:- Nina Bolt, Caroline Pike, Chloe McKevitt, Kat Spanswick.
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After winning promotion last season West Midlands will begin their season in division one of the BDO Inter County Championships with an away fixture against Hampshire who were relegated from the premier division last season so it will be no easy opener for the Midlanders. The last time the two teams met was four years ago when West Midlands were the hosts and the visitors went home with a 21-15 victory something the Midlands side will be hoping to emulate in this their latest meeting.
Selected to play for the West Midlands are Men’s ‘A’:- Keith Allman, Gavin Baker, Michael Baker, Shaun Carroll, Mark Craddock, Ian Jones, Ash Khayat, Chris Mason, John Morris, Lewis Venes, Gary Watts, Men’s ‘B’:- Scott Baker, Danny Coyle, Sam Guest, Glen McGrandle, John Mycock, Danny Nicholls, Richard Platt, Paul Price, Dave Redding, Robert Smith, Mark Watkiss, Paul Wells, Reserves:- Glen Cullen, Michael Hoult, Jack Routledge, Women’s ‘A’:- Lisa Astbury, Gemma Barrett, Kath Jenkins, Debbie Loon, Sarah Roberts, Sophie Singh, Women’s ‘B’:- Claire Hobbs, Jacqueline Maiden, Samantha Maiden, Kirsty Shuaghnessy, Shellbie Simmons, Heather Wright, Reserves:- Kim Fellows, Wendy Waine.
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Former West Midlands star Paul Hogan who now represents Hampshire returned to the West Midlands to defend his Winmau BDO Wolverhampton Open title at the Winmau Centre in the Wolverhampton Indoor Community Sports Stadium and he did just that as he beat Adam Smith-Neale 5-1 in the final to clinch a top prize of £1,000, Smith-Neale collecting £500.
The losing semi finalists Eddie Dootson, who lost 4-2 to Hogan and John Roberts, who suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat to Smith-Neale each received £250, Welshman Roberts adding a further £100 to his pay day for a magnificent 170 checkout.
Dharam Jagpal (Arena Owner) and Winner Paul Hogan
The final qualifying event for the 2016 Winmau WDDA World Masters was also on the agenda which saw Rob Williams (Wales) beat Ricky Chilton (England) in a very closely fought final encounter.
Wiliams will now join Ricky Chilton, Paul Gelder, Paul Hampton, Graham Mitchell, Phil Lees, Tony Pass and Richard Green in the Winmau WDDA World Masters finals.
Sarah Smale (Head of BDDA) and Winner Rob Williams
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Iron Horse Flights leaders in division one of the Sheldon and District Summer League played away against bottom of the division East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association in week nine and returned with an 8-0 result to keep them two points clear of rivals Langley Hall Sports and Social Arrows who won a vital home game against third placed Castle Vale Residents 5-3 to put them two points ahead of their opponents.
It was also top versus bottom in division two as The Harvester maintained their three points lead at the top of the table with a 5-3 result over Holy Souls. Second in the table The Pirates won their home fixture with Sheldon Marlborough Arrows 6-2.
Highwood KB’s lost their 100% win record in division three when their opponents Maggies were awarded an 8-0 walkover, nevertheless KB’s hang on to the number one spot on average from Crown Arrows who finished all square at 4-4 at Highwood Arrows, KB’s do have two games in hand on Crown Arrows.
Ridgemere Flights lost for the first time in eight games when they went down 6-2 at home to Small Heath Amateur Gardeners, second placed Meadway Sports and Social reduced the arrears on Ridgemere with their 6-2 win against Greville Arms and now only trail the leaders on average.
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Sheldon Marlborough Cricket Club Singles League have got their new season underway and the early pacesetter in the premiership division is last season’s runner up Dave Humphries who opened up with a 2-0 win over reigning champion Dave Howlett and followed that with 2-1 wins over Ken Salsbury and Paul Brown before losing by the same scoreline to Liam O’Donnell.
Three players share the top spot in the championship division Matt Murrin, Ray Turner and Alan Wale who all won their first game 2-0.
Two newcomers to division one Kevin Salsbury and Elisha Bevington share pole position both players winning their opening two games.
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The South Birmingham League staged both their ladies singles and doubles knockouts the singles title going to Charlie Kingdon who had a straight 2-0 win over Julie Creen in the final after winning by the same margin in the semis against Claire Anderton while Creen won 2-1 against Brie Davis.
Singles Winner Charlie Kingdon and Organiser Sue Kingdon
Similar to the ladies singles the doubles final also resulted in a straight 2-0 verdict with Alan Mayell and Tony Whitehouse getting the better of Martin Heaven and Neil Parsonage.
Winners Tony Whitehpouse and Alan Mayell with organiser Sue Kingdon
In the last four playoff Mayell and Whitehouse were taken to a deciding leg before beating Luis Barberan and Simon Edwards 2-1 while Heaven and Parsonage had a more clear cut 2-0 result over Dave Clinton and Martin Walker.
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Journeys End champions in division one of the Forest of Arden Summer League wound up their fixture card with a 6-2 win over Ivy Leaf, second placed Highwood KB won by the same margin against Crown Arrows, however the win still doesn’t give them the runners up place as they have one game to play which is against their nearest rivals third placed Greville Arrows whose 5-3 win at Chelmsley Town leaves them one point behind KB, the outcome of the outstanding fixture to decide who finishes second.
Division two title winners Journeys End Flights finished their campaign in style a 7-1 win at Highwood Arms keeping intact their unbeaten run in the season’s ten games. Runners up Riley’s Resurrected also finished on a high beating their hosts Crown Arrows Flights 6-2 to finish six points ahead of third placed Highwood Arms.
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In week five of the Camp Hill League leaders Cotterills Lane Club took on second placed Eagle and Ball and beat them 5-2, the loss for Eagle and Ball seeing them drop one place to third on eight points two fewer than their opponents. Taking over in the number two spot is Holy Gulp whose 4-3 home win over New Inns puts them on the same eight points as Eagle and Ball but with a slightly better average.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League played their singles knockout down to the last eight players and making it through to the quarter finals were T.Nock, S.Tipper (Bulls Head), S.Griffiths, (Delph Bell ‘B’), L.Oakley, H.Wakefield (Delph Bell ‘A’), P.Wells (White Swan), J.Batham (Dudley Sports) and R.Powers.
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With six more fixtures to play the Cradley Tuesday Night League title looks almost certain to go to one of the top two teams as current leaders White Horse, after adding a 5-4 win over fourth placed White Swan are on 46 points and second placed Crown (Station Road) who are four points off the top had a similar 5-4 victory away to third placed Brickmakers Arms which puts them six points clear of their opponents
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The top two teams in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League Dudley Sports ‘C’ and The Bridge in turn both won 6-3 against Pensnett Liberal Club and Dudley Sports ‘B’, the win gives Dudley Sports ‘C’ the league title as they are eight points to the good on The Bridge with only three remaining games and The Bridge are also confirmed as runners up as they too have an eight points buffer on third in the table High Acres who had the biggest win of the week 8-1 at home to bottom of the table Griffin.
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The top six teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League all won in week 33 with five of the six playing away. Current leaders Ashwood continued their push for the title with an 8-1 win at Crestwood which keeps them four points ahead of Brickmakers Arms in second place after their 6-3 win away to Stourbridge RBL, however Brickmakers have played 32 games and have a game in hand on Ashwood.
Ten Arches ‘B’ are third their 7-2 win at High Acres giving them the same 56 points as Brickmakers but from 33 games, fourth placed Bird ‘A’’ (Stourbridge) are also on 56 points after a 6-3 win at New Inns and they have played just 31 games.
Britannia and Ten Arches ‘A’ are fifth and sixth respectively the former winning 7-2 at Bird (Wordsley) while the latter had an 8-1 home win over Church Tavern leaving both teams on 54 points.
With another seven weeks fixtures and some outstanding games to play all of the top six teams are still in with a chance of the title.
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With the majority of teams in the Rowley Monday Night League having just six more fixtures to play the title looks as though it will go to one of the top three teams. Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ are top of the table their 7-2 win over Bacaba taking their points tally to 42 from 22 games, second placed Springfield Social Club have played the same number of games their latest seeing them also win 7-2 at home to Beech Tree to put them on 40 points.
The Bell are third and they handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts Ivy Bush ‘A’ to leave them four points behind the leaders but with a game in hand on both of the teams above them.
At the other end of the table bottom team Yeltz Bar took on Haden Cross ‘A’ who were next to bottom, the outcome was a 6-3 win for Haden Cross ‘A’ which saw them move up one place and two points ahead of Ex Serviceman’s ‘B’.
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The Vine are fourth in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League and they fell further behind in the title race when they lost 4-3 at home to Hayes Social who move up one place from next to bottom of the table, Vine are now twelve points behind leaders Dewdrop who won 4-3 at New Talbot and six adrift of second and third placed Island Inn and Old Hop Pole who in turn beat Merry-Go-Round 4-3 and Jolly Collier 5-2.
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A 7-2 win at Civil Defence in the Wednesbury and Darlaston Wednesday Night League has seen T and R Bar move up one place over St Mary’s ‘A’ to third in the table despite St Mary’s ‘A’ winning 5-4 against Black Horse.
League leaders Staffordshire Knot made it 18 wins in 22 games when they won 5-4 away to Windmill.
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Riley’s ‘A’ and Riley’s ‘B’ were involved in a local derby game in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League and it was the ‘B’ side who got the 4-3 verdict to leapfrog their rivals and take over their third place in the table, both teams are on 40 points but the ‘B’ team have the better average.
Leaders Cleveland Arms were 6-1 winners at ECC ‘A’ to keep them top of the table on 46 points with a slightly superior average to Whitmore Reans WMC who also won 6-1 at Dog and Partridge, they are on 46 points but have played one game fewer than Cleveland.
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