The Birmingham Friday Summer Singles League season culminated in a finals night at the Erdington Club, Sutton New Road. In the first semi final Paul Cummings, who finished fourth in the league was handed a 6-0 whitewash by John Burdett, who topped the table, while the second of the semi’s was a much closer affair with 15 years old Luis Barberan beating Barry Stephens 6-5 in an enthralling encounter which went to the final leg before a result was achieved.
The final was another close game with the Castle Vale teenager running out the 7-5 winner against John Burdett to take the title and first prize of £200.
There were no fewer than 41 scores of 100 or more in the final, Luis recording a 24.50 average to John’s 23.46.
Luis made it a tremendous double when he teamed up with Dale Savage to clinch the doubles title beating Dave Harrison and Brendan Lysaght in the final.
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The Four Oaks and District League staged the preliminary round of their Brian Goodman Cup and it produced some surprising results. The Beehive, second in division one lost 5-4 away to Boldmere Sports, who top the division two table. Two more division one teams lost both to division three opponents, Golden Hind Arrows and Brookvale Social in turn losing 6-3 to Anvil Nomads and The Fox.
Red Lion won the all division one battle with Old Oscott Arrows 6-3, while Plough and Arrows got the better of the division two contest with Old Oscott WMC beating them by a close 5-4 scoreline. The all division three game between Bishop Vesey and Erdington Arrows saw the former win 6-3.
Division one leaders Sutton Sports were also 6-3 winners in their home game against Pint Pot Flights from division two and in the other game played Erdington Stars, bottom of division two won 5-4 against Boldmere Oak, who are bottom of division three.
Just one maximum was recorded and it was achieved by Brookvale Social’s W.Naylor.
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Week three in the Sheldon and District Winter League and Crown at Olton were knocked off pole position in the premier division when they lost 6-3 at Crown at Shard End, who move up two places to take over the number one spot. Saltley Amateur Gardeners had a 5-4 win at home to Sheldon Dukes and remain in second place level on points with Crown at Shard End.
Banbury Club recorded a vital win to stay top of division one when they won 5-4 at Highwood KB’s, knocking KB’s down one place in the table to third. Taking over the second place is Iron Horse Arrows, who won 6-3 against Marston Green Tavern to leave them, KB’s, Sheldon Social and Yardley Ex Colts all two points behind the leaders.
Crown-Forget-Me-Not made it three consecutive wins in division three with a 6-3 win over Maggies, this being Maggies first defeat of the new season. Sheldon Marlborough Flights won 7-2 at home against Emerald Flights to put them level at the top of the table on points and average with Forget-Me-Not.
In the preliminary round of the league’s League Cup Old Bill and Bull, Langley Arrows and Mackadown Riley’s won through in the premier division. Division one winners were Castle Vale Stadium and Iron Horse, while Crown-Forget-Me-Not and Maggies go through in division two.
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Wins for the top five teams in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League, Blue Brick ‘C’ winning 7-2 at Black Horse to maintain their twelve points lead over Bulls Head (Netherton), who had a 6-3 home success against Brickmakers. Third and fourth placed Dudley Sports ‘B’ and Rose and Crown (Brierley Hill) both had 7-2 wins over respective opponents Rose and Crown (Wordsley) and Dudley Sports ‘A’. High Acres made up the five winners with their 6-3 defeat of Old Star ‘A’. Bridge ‘B’, who are placed sixth were the only losers in the top ten teams, losing their home game with Ivy House (Dudley) 5-4.
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Four of the five results from the Brierley Hill Friday Night League finished with a 6-3 margin. Leaders Netherton Cricket Club won at the Brickmakers, third placed Pensnett Welfare Club had a home victory over the Bell, Bridge ‘A’, who are fourth won at Bulls Head (Netherton) and seventh placed Roebuck defeated Dudley Sports ‘A’, all by 6-3.
Second in the table Dudley Sports ‘B’ had a bye and are now four points behind the leaders with a game in hand.
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The Cradley Tuesday Night League were engaged in their doubles knockout in the first quarter final M.Roberts and N.Bradley beat D.Redding and I.Townsend in a high scoring match which set the standard for the rest of the night. The second game saw C.Wrench and S.Cox beat J.Dingley and G.Male 2 – 1 and in the last of the quarter final games (as one team failed to turn up) M.Tedstone and A.Ghaley beat J.Lowe and M.Bastable.
Both of the last four games were evenly matched, the result all down to finishing doubles in both games. The first semi final saw Bradley and Roberts lose 2 – 0 to Wrench and Cox, while the second of the semi’s was a much closer 2-1 affair going in favour of C.Davies and S.Hall at the expense of Tedstone and Ghaley.
The final was won by C.Wrench and S.Cox representing Chainmakers ‘B’ beating Brickmakers C.Davies S.Hall 2 – 1 in another very close game, where once again it was doubles that decided the outcome.
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After only two games just three of the eight teams in division two of the Forest of Arden Winter League remain undefeated. Iron Horse top the table with a far superior average followed up last week’s 9-0 win at Highwood Exiles with an 8-1 success over New Inns. Highwood ‘C’ and Highwood KB are the other two teams with a 100% win record and in turn they accounted for Sheldon Flights and Greville Arms, both games finishing 5-4.
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The three top teams in the Netherton Thursday Night League made it three wins in a row when leaders Springfield Social Club won 7-2 at the White Horse, second placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club also won 7-2 away to Chainmakers and third in the table Riddins Tavern went one better with an 8-1 success at home to White Swan. Bulls Head replace The Bell in fourth place after beating them 7-2, The Bell dropping to fifth
Fairfield and Rose and Crown both chalked up their first win in four games, the former moving off the foot of the table with a 6-3 win at Pensnett and Bromley, while the latter won 7-2 at Brickmakers.
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It was the clash of the Ashwood’s in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League, when the third placed ‘B’ team took on their ‘A’, who were second in the league. The result was a 5-2 win for the ‘B’ to put them level on the same 22 points as their local rivals, trailing slightly on average. The two teams are now six points behind leaders Ten Arches ‘A’, who beat their ‘B’ team 6-1.
There was a rare win for The Fox, a 5-2 home win over The Leopard, only their fourth win in fourteen games, which puts them top of the Shadow League.
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The Small Heath League staged their 501 Knockout and winning the event was Gulp Tribe player Chris Stokes, who had a final win over Emerald Club’s Neil Parsonage. Losing semi finalists were John O’Connor (Wagon and Horses) and Tom Hill (Gulp Tribe).
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No change in the Camp Hill League table as the top three teams all won. Cotterills Lane Club stay two points ahead of Scruffy Ringers after a 5-2 win over Bordesley Labour Club, Ringers winning 6-1 against Wagonners. Third placed Holy Gulp, who are four behind Ringers won 4-3 against The Lions.
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A convincing 7-1 win over Two Gates Club has taken Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth) top of division one of the Pip Club League, but only on average as Birchmoor Club have also won their opening two games, the latest being a 5-3 win at Bulls Head (Two Gates).
Three teams are unbeaten in division two, just one leg of average separating them. A 10-6 home win for Pip Club over Gate (Amington) puts them top of the table, with Progressive Club and Sports Bar ‘180’ hot on their heels.
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With Riley’s ‘C’ having a bye this week in division one of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League there was just one positional change in the table, which saw Otter and Vixen move up one place into pole position with 42 points after a 6-1 win at the Bull. Riley’s ‘C’, with the better average are now two points adrift with a game in hand.
Wolverhampton Sports Arena were the only losers in the top four teams in division two, going down by a massive 7-0 playing away to leaders Chillington Club, who remain two points ahead of both Wednesfield Legion ‘A’ and Wednesfield Conservative Club.
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Due to the Crown at Shard End having their fixture with The Crown put off till a later date, Punch Bowl’s 5-4 win at St John’s has taken them clear leaders of division one of the South Birmingham League with four points from their opening two games. Crown at Shard End and Mackadown Social are both two points behind with a game in hand.
Wins for the top three teams in division two, Trident leading the way on average from Coleshill Social and Smithswood Social, all three having won the first two games of the new season.
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Although Lyde Green Flights won the first six games of the Black Country Premier League’s inaugural season, they have lost the last two and as a result also lost pole position. Their latest 9-4 defeat at Black Country Belters has seen them drop to fourth in the table with 12 points, their victors taking over at the top with 15 points.
Hasbury Monks, who have a game in hand on the “Belters”, go second with 14 points following their 12-1 home win over Park Lane Taverners and in third place is Blackheath Beechers, whose 12-0 win over Team Bathams leaves them just two points off the leaders.
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Crown had a 5-4 win against Britannia Inn in the Rowley Monday Night League to stretch their unbeaten run to 28 games. Despite their prolific winning run Crown are only four points to the good on second in the table Springfield Social Club, whose latest fixture saw them win 7-2 at Allens Sports Bar.
Third in the table Ivy Bush ‘Z’ lost ground in the race for honours as they lost to their local rivals Ivy Bush ‘A’, who are ten places below them in the table and a massive 26 points behind them.
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