Congratulations to Warwickshire and England player Jamie Hughes on winning the Zuiderduin Masters and pocketing an early Christmas bonus of 5,000 euros.
Jamie kicked off with a tight encounter against Latvian Madars Razma, which he won 5-4 he then won with a more comfortable 5-1 margin against Dutchman Jan Dekker. In the quarter finals he beat Michel Van Der Horst in three straight sets, a game which Jamie himself described as “Scrappy and disappointing”.
The semi finals matched him against his fellow countryman Tony O’Shea who quickly opened up a 2-0 sets lead. Hughes then had to dig deep, but nevertheless survived numerous match darts to go through to the final with a close 3-2 win.
He then took on another of his countryman in the final, Gary Robson, who after a good start in which he took out 135 on the bull in the second leg lost his way and Jamie with an amazing run of fourteen straight winning legs, opened up a 4-0 lead. He then won the final set 3-1 having whitewashed his opponent with a 5-0 scoreline and recording a superb 95.78 average.
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With leaders Crown at Shard End having a bye in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League, second placed Crown at Olton took full advantage to draw level on points with them as they won a close 5-4 game away to third in the table The Lyndon, leaving the home team two points adrift of the top two teams.
In division one Banbury Flights had a bye and their nearest rivals Castle Vale Stadium had a 6-3 win over Holy Souls to lift them above Banbury into pole position with the same 14 points as the former leaders but with a superior average.
Division two leaders Crown-Forget-Me-Not continue to be the only team with a 100% win record, their latest success being a 7-2 win at Highwood Exiles to maintain their four points lead at the top over second in the table Maggies, who had a close, but nevertheless vital 5-4 win at Sheldon Marlborough Flights, who are third in the table and four points behind Maggies with two games in hand.
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The Camp Hill League staged their League and Consolation Cup finals. In the League Cup league runners up Scruffy Ringers lost out to third placed Holly Gulp, while the Consolation Cup title went to The Lions with Devil’s Club the runners up.
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It was cup week in the Four Oaks and District League first the second round of their Coronation Shield in which division one side Golden Hind Arrows proved to be far too strong for third division leaders Anvil Nomads as they ran out 10-5 winners. Second division leaders Golden Hind overwhelmed lowly division three side Bishop Vesey 14-1, but it was a different story in the other two games, both finishing with a closer 8-7 margin with wins for Old Oscott Arrows and Old Oscott WMC over respective opponents Sutton Sports and Brookvale Social.
In the first round of the Norman Day Cup C.Packer (Boldmere Sports) had a 105 break plus eight scores of a ton or more but ended up on the losing side as The Beehive won 8-7. Congratulations go to Boldmere Oak on winning their first match of the year, a stylish 9-6 victory over Plough and Arrows.
Maximums were scored by S.Lysaght (Brookvale Social), S.Harvey (The Beehive) and Old Oscott Arrows M.Compton who made it his second of the season.
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Olton Crown took their unbeaten run to seven games in division one of the Forest of Arden Winter League with a 6-3 win over Greville Arrows to keep them four points ahead of second placed Highwood ‘A’ who have just six results so far.
Iron Horse consolidated their pole position in division two by handing out a 9-0 whitewash to their visitors Highwood Exiles. Iron Horse with 14 points are level with second placed Highwood ‘C’, who won 7-2 at Crown Arrows, but have played one game more than the leaders.
The league will once again be staging their Forest of Arden / Riley’s Christmas Open, which will be staged at the Solihull club on Sunday 21st December. For a £5 entry fee there will be a guaranteed £150 for the winner, plus payouts for the runner up and losing semi finalists. In addition there will also be a first round loser’s competition. Registration will be up to 12.30pm on the day with a 1.30pm start.
For any further information contact Brian Twist on 07768-838384, or at [email protected]
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Sportsmans Rest had a tough away fixture in the Aston League, when they travelled to take on third in the table and unbeaten in six games, Kingstanding Ex Serviceman’s, however the journey was well worth while as they returned with a 6-3 win to put them top of the table on 16 points, two ahead of second placed Red Lion, who won their game at Aston Social 7-2, they have a game in hand on the leaders but are well behind on average.
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The Cradley Tuesday Night League staged their Over Sixties Knockout in memory of former member Des Watton who passed away earlier this year and being as Des was 60 years old, the knockout was only available to the senior players in the league.
Playing at The Gate (Colley Gate) the winner of the event was Alan Dimmock, who beat Brian Pearsall 2-1 in the final, Alan checking out on 118 in third leg to clinch the title.
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Rose and Crown (Brierley Hill) dropped on place to fourth in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League when they lost their home tie with High Acres 6-3, High Acres moving up one place to fifth. Bulls Head, Netherton also dropped one place in the table to sixth following their 7-2 defeat by their hosts Blue Brick ‘B’, who are placed seventh.
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Wombourne Cricket Club were the only losers in the top four teams in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League. Leaders Ten Arches ‘A’, with 38 points had a 7-0 home win over Netherton Cricket Club with S.Mills recording a 160 break for the winners. Second and third placed Ashwood ‘A’ and Ashwood ‘B’ both won 6-1, the ‘A’ team beating The Swan and the ‘B’ side accounting for Wombourne Cricket Club to put them six points ahead of them, the ‘A’ team are four points ahead of the ‘B’ and four points adrift of the leaders.
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Springfield Social Club had a crucial 6-3 win over second in the table Netherton Sports and Social to keep them in the number one spot in the Netherton Thursday Night League and one win ahead of their rivals. Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club lost their third place dropping to fifth after a somewhat surprising 6-3 defeat at White Swan who are just three places off the foot of the table. Another team to do well this week were Rose and Crown, who beat The Bell 5-4 and move above them on average, The Bell having a game in hand on their victors.
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No change at the top of division one in the South Birmingham League as the top two teams Crown-Forget-Me-Not and Crown at Shard End both won 8-1 in turn against Toby Jug and Punch Bowl. Third placed Mackadown Social are on the same eight points as the leading duo trailing on average, their latest fixture seeing them win 6-3 at The Raven.
There were 7-2 wins for Coleshill Social and The Trident, the top two teams in division two, Coleshill taking their unbeaten run to seven games beating Banbury Flights while The Trident defeated Poachers Pocket. The Dog lost third placed to their hosts Smiths Wood Social who beat them 6-3.
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The Bird, Wordsley and Bird ‘A’, Stourbridge swapped places in the Stourbridge Monday Night League following the home team Wordsley lost 6-3 to Bird ‘A’ and drop down to seventh, Bird ‘A’ moving up to sixth.
Leaders Ashwood beat bottom of the table Crestwood 7-2 to make it seventeen straight wins and give them a four point’s advantage over second in the table Ten Arches, who won 6-3 at Bird ‘B’ (Stourbridge).
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In the Small Heath League Gulp were quick to bounce back from last week’s surprising defeat by Sheldon Marlborough Flights beating Cob’s Bar, who had returned back to back wins in their last couple of games, 6-3 after the tie stood at 3-3. The win puts Gulp two points ahead of Wagon and Horses, who like Gulp suffered a defeat at the hands of the Sheldon Marlborough Flights as they lost 5-4.
Bottom of the table Clock Inn took on title chasing Mitre in a tight game that went to the final leg of the match before Mitre confirmed a 5-4 win leaving Clock still without a win in eight games.
In the local derby Emerald Club versus Emerald Flights it was the latter who got the 5-4 result to leave Emerald Club reeling as they suffered their second similar defeat and drop off the pace in the title race..
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In division two of the Pip Club League bottom of the table Bulls Head ‘B’ (Polesworth) chalked up their first win of the campaign, their first in eight games when they amazingly beat second in the table Pip Club 9-7 to leave Pip Club four points adrift of leaders J W Belgrave who won 10-6 away to third in the table Sports Bar ‘180’who are also on the same ten point’s as Pip Club.
In the league’s new division one Round Robin League Wigginton Arms are the early pacesetters after beating Two Gates Club 7-1, but they are only top on average as Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth) and Wilnecote Club are also on two point’s following their 6-2 wins.
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The Tamworth League played off the first couple of rounds of their Andrew Evans Memorial Cup and making the last four were, Belgrave Club, Fox and Dogs, Old Liberal House and Longwood.
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