In the Andy Wheeler Fisheries Championship Division West Midlands had an away game against Oxfordshire, the fixture vital to both teams as prior to the game the home side were lying next to bottom of the table and the away team just above them.
Saturday was not too bad a day for the West Midlands as the ladies ‘B’ shared the honours in a 3-3 draw with Shellbie Simmons their top player with a 17.95 average and 3-2 win over Babs Manning. The men’s ‘B’ had a superb 8-4 win over their counterparts winning all five of the opening five games thanks to Kevin Bambrick, Mark Craddock, Ian Stanton, Ryan Locker and Scott Baker who took the match award for his 4-1 win over James Green with a 27.81 average. Although the home team pulled one back in the sixth, by the eighth game the match was won after Kieran O’Mahoney and Adam Teasdale added their wins to the West Midlands tally and with a further win from Alex Simmons, the away side finished the day as 8-4 winners.
Sunday was not such a good day as the ladies ‘A’, after going one up with a 3-0 win from their lady of the match Jacqueline Trott who beat Nicola Curzon and averaged 15.99, the home side then won four of the five remaining games, Jacqueline Maiden the only other West Midlands winner, the 4-2 result going to Oxfordshire.
The men’s ‘A’ lost the opening game but cancelling out the hosts lead was West Midlands veteran player Ian Jones who beat Jon Jukes 4-0 with a 26.37 average to earn him his team’s match award. Jack Aldridge was the visitors only other winner of the first half as Oxfordshire opened up a 4-2 lead. And 4-2 was the difference between the two teams in the second half as Ash Khayat and Gavin Baker were the only two player to respond for the away team giving Oxfordshire’s men’s ‘A’ a final 8-4 win and an overall 19-17 victory for the weekend.
In spite of the defeat West Midlands actually moved up one place in the table to eighth but two teams directly below them Derbyshire and Oxfordshire both have a game in hand and could overtake them.
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