In last week’s report of Warwickshire’s eighth fixture of the season in the Elite Premier Division of the UKDA National League at home against Hampshire it was stated that the game had finished all square at 18-18 and basically that was how the weekend finished. However that was not the end of the story as it was discovered that Hampshire had fallen foul of the UKDA’s rule 15.03 which states
“15.03 OTHER RELEVANT CRITERIA a. A player winning a Match in the ‘A’ Team cannot be selected for the ‘B’ Team in the following Match in the current season. b. A player losing a Match in the ‘A’ Team can be selected for the ‘B’ Team in the following Match in the current season but cannot also play in the ‘A’ Team of that Match. c. If an ‘A’ Team player is absent from a match for whatever reason then that player is eligible for selection into the ‘B’ Team in the Match following the one in which he/she was absent but cannot also play in the ‘A’ Team of that Match. d. Once having played in the ‘B’ Team then the terms of Rule 14.01 continue to apply”.
As a result of this fault Warwickshire ladies ‘A’ had their 3-3 draw turned into a 4-2 win and the overall result for the weekend was converted from an 18-18 draw into a 19-17 win for Warwickshire.
With three more games to play Warwickshire are now 37 points adrift of leaders Lancashire and 14 behind second placed Yorkshire but the two teams above them only have two more games to play and a top two finish is well and truly on the cards for the Bears.
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Boldmere St Mikes rounded off their championship winning season in division one of the Four Oaks and District League with a 5-4 home win over Golden Hind to see them end the campaign on 34 points, eight more than runners-up Erdington Arrows who lost their final game 5-4 away to Red Lion who took third place on 20 points.
The Shadow League title went to a resurgent Golden Hind Lions, ending the season on a high with a 5-4 win over Walmley CSC Flights. Old Oscott Arrows had the same 12 points as Lions and were just three legs of average short of them after suffering a 5-4 defeat to bottom of the division Pint Pot Flights.
A 7-2 home win over St Thomas Arrows took Heartlands to 30 points and at the same time gave them the division two title as although second placed Bishop Vesey, after winning 8-1 at Erdington Flyers are on the same 30 points they have an inferior average and Heartlands still have one game to play against next to bottom of the table Rosey Mac’s.
Deer’s Leap lost their last game 5-4 away to wooden spoon winners Sutton Sharks but with 8 points they still won the Shadow League with two more points than runners-up St Thomas Arrows.
A.Cooksey (Walmley CSC Flights) recorded his second 180 and W.Naylor (Golden Hind) his fourth for the season.
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It was a bye week for the whole of division two in the Shirley and District Monday Night League but it was as you were in division one with a normal week’s fixtures.
Despite having a 5-4 win at Wharf, Tippetts Bar lost their sole leadership of the division as Dunky’s Boys 7-2 home success against Solihull Municipal put them level on both points and average with Tippetts to share the top spot. Cider House went down 7-2 at Saracens Swords and drop three places in the table to sixth while Lions take over from them in third place, their 6-3 win at Wythall Legion leaving them just two points short of the top two teams.
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The Sheldon and District Winter League played their singles competition down to the last eight players and winning through to the quarter-finals were Robbie Earl (Iron Horse Flights), Rob Wilson (Hornet), Matt Murrin, Terry Webster (Sheldon Marlboro Arrows), Neil Parsonage, Anthony Savage (Mackadown Social), Andy Hutchings (Dunkys Boys), Jake Webster (Langley Arrows).
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Champions of the Kings Norton League Copper Fox ended their season with a home fixture against runners-up E57 and won the game 5-2 to give them a total of 42 points from a possible 44 but what a battle it was for the runners-up spot as following their defeat E57 ended on 32 points and only won second place on average from Rubery Legion and Thurlestone who also finished on the same 32 points, Rubery Legion winning the local derby with Rubery Social Club 6-1 while Thurlestone had a closer 4-3 victory at Toby Jug.
The league have just one remaining fixture between middle of the table Cock Inn and Northfield.
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Leaders of the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League Waggon and Horses had a comfortable 5-2 home win over Miners Arms ‘A’ to make it seven wins from as many games. Second and third teams in the league Dewdrop ‘A’ and Vine ‘A’ played each other with the latter getting the close 4-3 win, a first defeat of the campaign for Dewdrop ‘A’ which leaves two points behind Waggon but two ahead, with a game in hand on Vine ‘A’ who despite the win drop one place to fourth behind Horseley Tavern who beat Dewdrop ‘B’ 5-2 to give them a two legs of average lead on Vine ‘A’. Fifth placed Miners Arms ‘B’ won 4-3 against Albion to put them on the same ten points as Horseley and Vine.
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White Horse, hold on to the top spot in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League after a 5-2 win at Fox Inn (Lye). With 28 points Cross (Oldswinford) are level with White Horse but after a 4-3 win at Ten Arches they have played two more games than White Horse.
There is a real tussle for third place with three teams all on 22 points Ten Arches, Woodman and Bell ‘A’, however Bell ‘A’ are favourites to make the position their own as they have two games in hand on both of their rivals.
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Townsend Social Club’s place at the top of the Netherton Thursday Night League table was short lived as in their 24th fixture they suffered a shock 6-3 home defeat at the hands of an Old Hill Cricket Club team who are just two places off the foot of the table.
Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club return to pole position with a 6-3 home win over Bulls Head who drop one place in the table to fourth behind Clock, who have a better average and are on the same 39 points as Bulls Head after winning 5-4 against Spring Meadow Club, but it was oh so close as Spring Meadow lost the deciding game after fighting back to level terms after trailing 4-1.
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The Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League have completed their domestic fixtures with old Bulls Head previously acclaimed champions. Old Bulls Head not only won the league title but did it in superb style by completing the season undefeated, wining their 22nd consecutive game, an away fixture against Gornal Labour Club 6-3. The defeat for Gornal Labour cost them the runners-up position as they dropped to third behind New Inn whose final 7-2 win at Griffin saw them finish on 36 points two more than the Labour Club.
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Dudley Sports took their unbeaten run to seven games in the Silver End Sunday Morning League when they won 7-1 playing at home against Black Horse ‘A’, extending their lead to two points over second in the league Bell ‘A’ who have played eight games and could only manage a 4-4 draw at New Talbot who are just two places off the foot of the table.
One point behind their local rivals and with a game in hand is Bell ‘B’ in third place, they won 5-3 at home against Old Star who drop three places in the table to sixth.
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In the Rowley Monday Night League leaders Bell won 6-3 at Plough and Harrow to put them two points clear of the rest of the field as Gate Hangs Well who were formerly in second place, lost 6-3 at home to Whiteheath Tavern who replace them in the number two spot on 16 points. In addition to second and third placed Whiteheath Tavern and Gate Hangs Well, Romsley Cricket Club also have 16 points and are level on average and share the third place with Gate after winning 5-4 at Three Diamonds.
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A 5-4 win over The Bridge was not enough for Rose and Crown to hold on to pole position in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League as Talbot beat Union 8-1 to replace them with a superior average as both teams are on 16 points. Roebuck and Dudley Sports ‘A’ are both just two points off the top and in turn they won 7-2 at Black Horse and 5-4 at Pensnett Liberal Club.
At the other end of the table the bottom two teams lined up against each other with bottom placed Tommy Turners losing 7-2 at Dudley Sports ‘B’, this was Dudley Sports ‘B’s’ first win in nine games.
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With fixtures fast running out in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League the battle for the title is hotting up as current leaders White Horse added a 6-1 win at Ashwood to their tally and second placed Bell ‘A’ won by the same 6-1 margin at home against Raven. Both of the top two teams are on 26 points but Bell ‘A’ have played 17 games one more than White Horse. Third in the league Bird in Hand ‘E’ remain in the chase after they won 5-2 at Ten Arches ‘A’ they are on 24 points from 17 games.
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Week three of the Netherton Tuesday Night League and both of the top two teams kept their 100% win record intact as leaders Church Tavern won 6-1 at Wheatsheaf and second in the table Netherton Sports and Social beat Plough 4-3, three legs of average being the difference between the two teams.
One win short of the top two teams are Bulls Head and Chop House, Bulls Head with a 180 from Dave Male beat Samson 6-1 and Chop House won 5-2 against Quarry Bank Social Club.
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Connor Pickett holds on to the top spot in the Ashwood Premier League after a somewhat mixed bag of results in week six. He began the night with a 5-2 win over Mark Glaze but then lost 4-3 to Chris Manoila to take his points tally to 71 from 12 games. Former leader Tom Stockton is in second place, he also suffered mixed fortunes as he beat Josh Pickett 4-3 then lost by the same margin to Andy Vellender to leave him seven points off the top with a game in hand.
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The Black Country Thursday Night Singles League is up to week six and just four points separate the top four players with them having played varying amounts of fixtures. Gareth Johnson had a fruitful night kicking off with a 6-2 win over Paul Dicken and then handing out an 8-0 whitewash to Kieron Ford to put him top of the table on 101 points from 12 games. Johnson’s nearest rival is Shane Price who lost ground when in his first game with third placed Graham Hall he lost 6-2, however he quickly recovered to win his next fixture with James Davies 8-0 giving him 100 points from 13 games.
Third and fourth placed Graham Hall and Nick Fullwell have both played eleven games Hall after beating Price added an 8-0 success over Paul Harrison to take his tally to 99 points. Fullwell is one point behind Hall, he didn’t play this week.
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With leader of the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League Jon Blakemore not playing in week nine Andrew Jervis took full advantage to draw level on 72 points with him as he added 8-0 and 6-2 wins over respective opponents Jon Williams and Keith Hollowood. Although both Blakemore and Jervis are on the same number of points Jervis does still have a game in hand. Simon Pritchard won his fixture with Colin Wood 5-3 to give him third place in the table and leave him just two points behind Blakemore from the same nine games.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League is back up and running and the early pacesetters in both the singles and doubles leagues after the opening two games is Wednesfield Legion. In the singles league they added a 5-2 win over Stile to keep them top on average from Gilbert’s Bar who had a 6-1 win at Yew Tree while in the doubles league it’s the same two teams leading the field once again with Wednesfield winning 2-1 at Stile to lead Gilbert’s on average again after they won by the same 2-1 scoreline at Yew Tree.
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