Going into their fourth fixture of the season in the UKDA National League’s Andy Wheeler Fisheries Championship Division, a home tie against London, West Midlands were lying in fourth place but with a game in hand on the three teams above them while their visitors were four places below them with fifteen fewer points.
Both of the ladies teams finished all-square at three each, the ‘B’ side’s top players was Hannah Davies who in her 3-1 win over Lynne Biondini averaged 18.19 while the lady of the match for the ‘A’ team was Kat McLean who had a 3-2 win over Jo Deamer with a 19.90 average.
There were wins for both the men’s sides, the ‘B’ recording a 7-5 success with their top player being Dean Simmons-Fullwood who won 4-3 against John Hetterley with a 26.70 average. The man of the match for the ‘A’ team was Jay Woodhouse who beat Graham Rackstraw, again by 4-3 and averaged 27.09 as the team chalked up a 9-3 victory.
The overall score for the weekend was 22-14 to West Midlands to lift them up the table one place to third with ninety-six points, twenty fewer than leaders Middlesex who have played one game more than the West Midlands as have second placed Hampshire who are only nine points to the good on the Midlanders.
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In the UKDA National League’s L-Style Division One, it was not a good weekend for the Black Country who returned from their journey to Leicestershire on the wrong side of the 20-16 result. Prior to the fixture Black Country were third in the league table and their hosts fifth but with a game in hand.
On both Saturday and Sunday the results for both the men and ladies was exactly the same, the men finishing all-square at 6-6 and the ladies both going down 4-2.
Match awards for the ‘B’ sides went to, Scarlett O’Sullivan who won 3-0 against Nicky Cropper with a 14.88 average and for the men it was Andy Garratt who despite being taken to a deciding leg by Derek Allsopp, won 4-3 and averaged 27.16. Heather Wright was the ‘A’ team’s top lady, beating Liz Brunt 3-2 with a 16.74 average. Kieran Bridgwater was in superb form for the men’s ‘A’, chalking up a fantastic 33.40 average in his straight 4-0 win over Scott Hope.
The defeat has seen Black Country drop two places in the league table to fifth, their ninety-five points leaving them trailing leaders Clwyd now by some twenty-six points.
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The Sheldon and District Winter League have been involved in the first round of their Punchbowl Trophy and winning their way through to round two were Langley Arrows, Sheldon Marlborough Ridge, Mackadown Sports and Social Club, Dog Inn Nomads, Trident Flights, Highwood, Maggies and Trident Spears.
Biggest win of the round went to Sheldon Marlborough Ridge and Dog Inn Nomads, who in turn handed out 7-0 whitewashes to Castle Bromwich Spitfires and Yardley Ex Colts.
There were also four rearranged league fixtures played, the 5-4 win for RAFA over Smithswood Social Club had no effect on the Premier League table neither did the division one game which saw Banbury Club win 5-4 at Langley Flights. With two division two games being played, a 6-3 home win over Digby saw Hunters Moon move up one place to sixth and the away team also move up one place to seventh. In the Raven Flights versus Shirley Misfits encounter, the former dropped two places to eighth while the latter remains in fifth place after Shirley Misfits won the game 7-2.
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The South West Birmingham Clubs League had their Divisional Cups on the fixture card this week, all of the fixtures producing numerous scores of a ton or over. In the divisiion one games there were 7-2 wins for Northfield Darts Club and Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club, who in turn accounted for Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ and Perfection with J.Garghan hitting a maximum for Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club.
The division two fixtures produced a 6-3 win for West Heath CEM over Bartley Green FC with R.Crawford notching a maximum for West Heath CEM. In the other fixture Cue Club had a narrow 5-4 win over Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’.
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After the opening eight games in the new season of the Harborne and District League, only two teams, from the starting line-up of sixteen remain undefeated. Copper Fox ‘R’ top the table with an average lead over second placed Smethwick Cricket Club. In the latest round of fixtures Copper Fox ‘R’ were involved in a local derby, taking on rivals Copper Fox ‘M’ who prior to the fixture were third in the league table. The result was a narrow 5-4 win for Copper Fox ‘R’ to consolidate their pole position while Copper Fox ‘M’ dropped one place to fourth and are now four points behind their opponents.
Second placed Smethwick Cricket Club won their home game against Crown 6-3 leaving them some nineteen legs of average behind Copper Fox ‘R’ but on the same sixteen points. A convincing 8-1 home win over Weoley Castle WMC has seen Northfield Conservative Club move two places up the table to third, just two points behind the leading duo. After the Conservative Club there are three teams all on twelve points, four points off the top, and they are Copper Fox ‘M’, Northfield Darts Club and Thimble Mill
No fewer than ten maximums were scored this week, two of them coming from R.Hosey (Northfield Conservative Club), and one for his team-mate C.Airey. The seven came by courtesy of D.Lancett (Weoley Castle), P.Sitshebo (Harborne Social), C.Fowler (Copper Fox ‘M’), G.Bolton, L.Anderson (Stag and Three Horseshoes), M.Collins (Smethwick Cricket Club)and John Derbyshire (Crown).
100,121) Crown 3 (K.Smith 2×100, R.Derbyshire 100, D.Derbyshire 100, John Derbyshire 180).
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It was Jubilee Knockout Cup week in the Sutton and District League, the event being staged at four different venues, playing down to the last two teams at each to venue produce eight teams to play on finals night. Winning through from Old Oscott Sports and Social Club were Great Barr Social ‘D’ and Old Oscott ‘A’, while from Castle Vale Residents Association it was Nomads Newbies and Oscott Social. The two winners at Erdington Club were Gall FC and Blue Nomads and making up the last eight from Rosey Mac’s, the winners were The Arrows and Walmley ‘2’.
The last eight teams will play-off on Tuesday 9th June at Walmley Sports and Cricket Club.
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As the Sedgley and Gornal League fast approaches the midway point of its season, leaders Quarry Bank Liberal Club stretched their undefeated run to eighteen games by handing out a crushing 9-0 defeat to their hosts and sixth in the league Parkes Hall. The win keeps intact a two points lead on second placed Red Cow ‘1’ who won their home game against bottom of the league Meadow Lark 7-2. Third placed Netherton Sports and Social Club are on the same thirty points as Red Cow ‘1’ after winning 6-3 at fourth in the league Gornal British Legion who are now two points behind their victors. Bulls Head and Parkes Hall make up the to six, both teams are on twenty-eight point’s, Bulls Head had a 6-3 home win over Baggeridge Social.
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After the opening nine games in the John Edwards Thursday Night League there are three teams at the top of the table all on sixteen points. Wonder top the table on average following their latest 8-1 home win over Island Inn, they are three legs of average to the good on second placed Bell whose 7-2 win away to bottom of the league Brandhall Labour Club keeps them just one single leg of average ahead of third placed Tividale Sports who had a 6-3 home win over Red Cow. Third and fourth placed Whiteheath Tavern and Club ‘99’ are both on fourteen points, only two points off the top.
Seven players found the three treble twenties thid week and they were Archie Bennett (Blackheath Liberal Club), D.Braznell (Club ‘99’), N.Hodgkins (Whiteheath Tavern, Rhys Boswell (Double Tops Micro Bar), Spencer Cree (Tividale Sports) plus Christopher Devonport and Marc Perkins (Wonder). Whiteheath Tavern’s Kirk Harrison had a 160 break.
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Congratulations to Old Liberal Club whose 6-1 win at Queens Head confirmed them as champions of the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League, ending the season with sixty-six points from their thirty-five fixtures which gave them a four points advantage over runners-up Gornal British Legion. Third placed Ten Arches ‘A’ rounded off their campaign with a 6-1 home win over Crestwood leaving them six points off the top but four points ahead of fourth in the league Bird in Hand.
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The Rowley Monday Night League played their Masters Knockout down to the last sixteen players and winning through were, T.Brennan, B.Gillies (Bell), H.Kainthal, J.Tart (Tividale FC), W.Cairnes, M.Hadley, R.Lenton (Rowley Labour Club), L.Homer, A.Wallace, D.Homer (Gate Hangs Well), I.Vincent (Hawthorns Tavern ‘B’), L.Hawthorn, M.Crumpton (Whiteheath Tavern), R.McCarthy (Bell), S.Edmunds, R.Poll (Spring Meadow).
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It was the Doubles Knockout week in the Silver End Sunday Morning League and winning their way through to the quarter-finals were, R.Lenton & P.Homer, S.Gough & C.Hadlington, J.Perks & C.Willetts, S.Blewitt & G.Jackson, D.Wicklow & S.Cooper, S.Davies & R.Bennett, J.Billingham & B.Watts, W.Whittaker & S.Guest.
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ made it fifteen wins in seventeen games in the Brierley Hill Monday League when they won 6-3 at Mount Pleasant, the win keeping them two points ahead of second and third placed Lamp Tavern and Raven. Lamp Tavern had a similar 6-3 win away to Rose and Crown ‘B’ while Raven had a closer 5-4 success at High Acres. Fourth in the league Bridge also won 5-4 in their fixture at Starving Rascal and although they are four points off the top of the table they do have two games in hand which could see them join Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ on the same thirty points.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League played their Doubles Knockout down to the last sixteen pairs and winning through were, A.Nicholls & R.Riaz, J.Wrench & A.Homer, W.Green & C.Pickett, N.Fullwell & K.James, N.Cooper & I.Jones, C.Smith & C.Slater, S.Hill & L.Slater, C.Pickett & J.Glazzard, D.Hadlington & M.Hall, M.Redding & G.Gethen, C.Newton & A.Galeb, G.Marson & A.Marson, S.Tipper & C.Davies, M.Moore & D.Haden, B.Jukes & R.Lawley, S.Skidmore & J.Churchill.
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As early as game three in the Netherton Thursday Night 501 League and only four teams from the starting line-up of thirteen are able to boast a 100% win record. A 5-4 win away to fifth placed Townsend Social Club keeps Bulls Head top of the table with nine points. Second placed Old Liberal Club have only played two games and won both of them 8-1 against Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘B’ and Furnace to leave them on six points but with a game in hand on the leaders. Also on the same six points as the Liberal Club are Plough and Harrow, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’, Townsend Social Club and British Oak, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ and British Oak have both only played two games.
Chalking up maximums this week were, Gavin Moreton (Old Liberal Club), Carl Wakeman (Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘B’), Liam Homer, Finn Allen (Haden Cross), Bobby Ratcliffe (Bulls Head) and Mark Rollinson (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’).
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Allen’s Barr ‘A’, hold on to pole position in the Black Country Ladies Super League despite losing 3-2 to Allen’s Bar ‘C’. The ‘A’ side stay top with thirty-seven points while the ‘C’ team drop one place to third with thirty-four points, one fewer than the ‘B’ side whose 4-1 win over the ‘D’ team gives them thirty-five points, the ‘D’ team remain bottom with twenty-six points.
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Although the two top players in the West Midlands Ladies Super League, Jaqueline Maiden and Evonne Taylor didn’t play this week, they both hold on to their respective top and second positions, in fact the top four players remain the same with Gemma Barrett placed third after adding on her 3-2 win over Tara Fullwood and Kath Jenkins fourth after she beat Jacqui Simmonds 3-1. The top four positions see Maiden on seventy-six points from twenty games, Taylor on sixty-seven points from eighteen games, Barrett has sixty-six points from twenty-one games and Jenkins, who has played eighteen games is on fifty-six points.
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