Following their somewhat surprising 21-15 defeat away to Essex in their previous encounter in the UKDA Nation League Warwickshire’s third fixture of the season saw them once again play away when they took on Cheshire who were residing at the foot of the Premier Division table and Warwickshire in a mid-table position. It was a fixture Warwickshire were expecting to return from with a win but that was not what actually happened.
Saturday’s games were quite encouraging as the ladies ‘B’ stormed to a great 5-1 victory with wins from Hannah Meek, Courtney Hine, Chloe McKivett, Angela Jones and Nina Bolt with Hannah Meek taking the match award for her 21-17 average and straight 3-0 win over Kirstie Corbett. The men’s ‘B’ followed up with a 7-5 win with Nigel Heydon their top player, Nigel winning the opening game against Karl Windisch 4-3 with a very creditable 30.25 average. Other winners were Ian McFarlane, Karl Reynolds, Mark Strong, Martin Tonks, Dave Hill and Mark Martin.
Sunday’s ‘A’ games began well with the ladies wining 4-2 thanks to Natalie Gilbert, lady of the match Tammy Montgomery who won 3-1 against Amy Evans with a superb 23.66 average, Sue Gulliver and Donna Pinch but it was not a good weekend for the men’s ‘A’ as they slumped to a 10-2 defeat, Gareth Braham wining the third game against Keith Croxford 4-3 and the only other win coming from this season’s newcomer to Warwickshire Chris Wickenden who beat Mal Barrow 4-0 in the final game of the weekend, Chris having a 29.47 average.
The overall result was an 18-18 draw which sees Warwickshire actually move up one place in the table to fifth and their hosts remain rooted to the foot of the table.
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In division one of the UKDA National League West Midlands lost their opening fixture away to Leicestershire 19-17 and then had their second fixture at home to Worcestershire postponed, so they were now anxious to quickly get into winning ways and a win in their away game against high riding Suffolk, who after the first two fixtures were second in the division, would be just the tonic they needed.
It was not a good weekend for the ladies as the ‘B’ side slumped to a 5-1 defeat with Shellbie Simmons (15.18) their sole winner and the ‘A’ side lost 4-2 with Gemma Barrett (20-88) their award winner, Jodie Rowlands the only other winner.
The men’s teams fared better with the ‘B’ team winning 7-5, Mark Craddock taking the match award for his 3-2 win against Kevin Leathers and 27.61 average while the ‘A’ side won 9-3, Scott Baker their top man with a 29.25 average and 4-2 win over Nick Bloom.
The overall result was a 19-17 win for the West Midlands who together with Worcestershire make up the bottom two teams in the division, both having a game in hand on the teams above them with West Midlands eight points short of Merseyside the team who are just above the bottom two.
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Black Country lost their first fixture of the season in division two of the UKDA National League 20-16 away to West of England but then won 19-17 at home against Norfolk, their third fixture brought together last season’s two promoted teams from division three as they travelled to take on Gloucestershire.
Both ladies teams proved to be too good for their hosts as the ‘B’ side won 5-1, Lacey Hughes (16.17) their award winner and the ‘A’ team won 4-2 with the award going to Chez Allcock who won 3-0 against Kirsty Dixon with a top average of 23.12.
The men’s teams made it wins for all four teams for the fixture with the ‘B’ side winning 8-4 and the ‘A’ 10-2 with the respective match awards going to Tom Bissell (30.00) and Paul Wells (29.47).
With all four teams winning the final score was a convincing 27-9 win for the Black Country which saw them leap up the table from sixth to second place, just one point short of leaders West of England.
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Just a couple of rearranged fixtures played in the Harborne and District League this week which saw Bugle Horn hand out a 9-0 whitewash to their visitors Quinton RBL to see them return to the top of the table once more with a perfect 20 points from their ten games. Second placed, and former leaders Northfield Conservative Club are now second on the same 20 points as Bugle Horn but from eleven games.
The other game played was Copper Fox ‘R’ versus Bournville with the 7-2 result going in favour of Copper Fox ‘R’ who remain fifth in the league with 14 points from ten games.
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As a result of having a bye this week, Sheldon Marlborough Arrows have lost their number one spot in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League. An 8-1 win at home against Hollywood Social has seen Langley Arrows move up into pole position, they are on the same undefeated six points as second placed Sheldon Marlborough Arrows and third in the table Dunky’s Boys who won 5-4 against Kingshurst Labour Club, but Langley have respective two and seven legs of average lead on the two teams.
The top four places remain as you were in division one despite leaders Shirley Misfits surprisingly losing 7-2 at home to Hornet who are just two places off the foot of the table. Yardley Ex Colts had a close 5-4 win at Maggies to keep them in second place and put them level on six points with the Misfits. Yardley have the advantage of having played one game fewer than Misfits and are the only undefeated team in the division. Third placed Langley Flights lost 5-4 at The Dingle while Journeys End had a bye.
The top two teams in division two Hampton and Solihull Cricket Club and Brian’s Flights made it four wins in as many games when the former won 6-3 at The Irish Centre and the latter won by the same margin at Sheldon Marlborough Ridge to put them two points ahead of third in the division Iron Horse Rebels who had an 8-1 home win over bottom team Castle Bromwich WMC.
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Coppice made it two notable scalps in consecutive weeks in the Kings Norton League when they followed up their 4-3 win over leaders Copper Fox last week with a similar 4-3 win this week at home to Thurlestone who prior to the game were second in the league but now drop to third behind Bournebrook who won 5-2 at Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club. Thurlestone are on the same 26 points as Bournebrook with a game in hand. Leaders Copper Fox got back to winning ways with a 6-1 home success over Grant Arms to keep them four points to the good on both Bournebrook and Thurlestone.
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Week seven in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League was a bye week for Quarry Bank Labour Club and as a result they dropped from top of the table to second with Cross (Oldswinford), who won 7-0 at home against Rose and Crown ‘B’, taking over the top spot with an unbeaten fourteen points from their seven games, the Labour Club having won all six of their fixtures. Third place goes to Ten Arches who suffered their first defeat in seven when they went down 4-3 at home to Netherton Conservative Club who are some ten places below them with half of the Conservative Club’s twelve points. Fourth placed Gate Hangs Well won 6-1 at home against Cat Inn to leave them on the same twelve points as both Quarry Bank Labour Club and Ten Arches.
In the Basement game bottom side Glasscutters lost 4-3 at Britannia whose first win in seven sees them move up two places to three off the bottom.
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The Rowley Monday Night League staged the finals of both their singles and doubles knockouts. The singles title went to T.Barr who beat C.Whitehouse in the final after taking out D.Whittle in the last four. Whitehouse won against J.Tart in the semis.
C.Whitehouse also finished as runner-up in the doubles as he and his partner A.Lynch lost out to M.Hadley and A.Ghaley in the final. Losing semi-finalists were S.Siviter and T.Barr and Connor Allen and J.Allen.
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This week the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League fixtures brought together the top two teams in the league when leaders Waggon and Horses played hosts to second placed Dewdrop ‘A’. The outcome was a second defeat in 28 games for Waggon and Horses as Dewdrop ‘A’ ran out the 4-3 winners. Although it was a defeat for Waggon and Horses they still hold a huge eight points lead on Dewdrop ‘A’ and with two more fixtures to play are league champions with their opponents taking the runners-up spot. Tamebridge will be this season’s Wooden Spoon winners as they are bottom and eight points adrift of the rest of the field.
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After two consecutive 5-4 defeats to Townsend Social Club and Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’, reigning champions pf the Netherton Thursday Night League Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ returned to winning ways in game six when they won 6-3 away to The Clock. The win sees the Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ move up one place in the table to third on eight points and their hosts be ousted from their number one position and drop to second on the same ten points as new leaders Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ after their 5-4 home win over Townsend Social Club who are fourth on eight points.
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There is no change whatsoever in the top eight places in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League after completing their game ten fixtures. There were wins for the top four teams, leaders Old Bulls Head winning 7-2 at Chainyard while second placed Gornal Labour Club remain on the same 18 points as the leaders, but are two legs of average short with their 6-3 success at Jolly Crispin. And two legs of average is all that separates third and fourth placed Seven Stars and New Inn after they in turn both won 6-3 against Red Cow and Five Ways.
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There were straight 7-0 wins for the top two teams in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League, leaders Quarry Bank Labour Club winning at home against Brickmakers Arms while second placed Ten Arches won at Raven to remain six points behind the Labour Club. Third in the league Bird in Hand ‘E’ are on the same 30 points as Ten Arches but four points short on average after a close 4-3 home win over fourth in the table Hollybush.
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Allens Bar ‘A’ march on in the Black Country Men’s Super League adding yet another 5-0 victory to their account when they defeated Bell, Kingswinford ‘A’. The top side have a twenty points lead over their nearest rivals Railway Tavern whose latest game saw them also win 5-0 at home against sixth in the league The Maverick. Yeltz Bar and Yeltz Bar ‘A’ swapped places in the table, Bar dropping one place to fourth after losing 3-2 away against lowly Halesowen Cricket Club while Bar ‘A’ replace them in third place after a 4-1 home win over Horse and Jockey ‘A’.
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The Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League have completed their season and Scott Baker who has been acclaimed champion now for a number of weeks completed his fixtures with a 6-2 success over Steve Lynch to give him a final total of 288 points and a lead over runner-up Ben Johnson of 26 points who wound down his campaign with an 8-0 walkover against Riley Ward.
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With the majority of teams in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League now having just one more fixture to play a number of issues have already been decided. A 7-0 win at Jack’s Bar has given Railway the singles division title but with second and third placed ECC and Woodfield both on 30 points the runners-up spot is still up for grabs, as is the doubles division title as Hurst Hill and ECC are both on 36 points, the final games will be decisive.
The second half singles division has been won by Moreton Arms while the doubles division second half winners are Gilbert’s Bar.
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