To complete their fixture card in the Premier Division of the UKDA National League, Warwickshire brought the curtain down on the season with a home game with Sussex. Prior to the fixture there were thirteen points separating the two teams, Warwickshire lying seventh in the table and Sussex eighth.
Saturday’s ladies ‘B’ game saw the home side finish on the wrong side of the 4-2 result with Donna Pinch and Kirsty Hinchliffe their only winners, Donna Pinch taking the lady of the match award for her straight 3-0 win over Tracey Collins and 18.33 average. The men’s ‘B’ finished all-square at 6-6 with wins from Lee Miller, Matty Washbrooke, Jamie Hughes, Mark Strong, Mark Martin and Ian Shaw. Top of the averages for the men’s ‘B’ was Jamie Hughes who had a 4-0 win over Steve Collins and averaged 28.23.
Going into Sunday’s games, Warwickshire were trailing 10-8 but the ladies ‘A’ won 4-2 to put the overall score level at 12-12. Winners for the ladies were Wendy Adams, Courtney Hine, Caroline Pike and Natalie Gilbert with Caroline Pike picking up the match award for her 3-1 success against Jemma Murphy and super 23.25 average. All that was now required from the men’s ‘A’ was a win and four of those necessary seven wins came in the first half from Gareth Braham, Sam Price, Steve Hine and Kevin Dowling. Further wins in the second session from Ryan Jackson, Nigel Heydon and Wayne Mynard secured the 7-5 win and an overall 19-17 victory. Nigel Heydon took the man of the match award for his superb 31.24 average in his 4-2 win over Dave McLaren.
The win saw Warwickshire finish on a high and sixth in the division with 188 points, the second time they have finished in that position, the previous time being in the 2022-2023 season, their record in the five seasons so far has seen them finish second, sixth, third, fourth and sixth.
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