With the winter season coming to an end in the Sheldon and District League the singles and doubles knockouts have been played off. Both events were staged at the Crown, Olton with 78 players seeking the singles title and 66 pairs battling it out for the doubles title.
In the singles all of the four quarter finals finished with 2-0 scorelines with Tom White, Nigel Davis, Ian Spencer and Alan Mayell making the semi-finals. Tom White won through to the final with 2-0 win over Nigel Davis both players representing the East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association and lining up against him in the final was Ian Spencer (Dunky’s Boys) who was taken to deciding leg by Alan Mayell (Iron Horse) in his last four game. The final also went to a decider with Spencer just getting the edge on Mayell.
The doubles semi-finals saw the two Dunky’s Boys teams of Pete Yardley and Andy Hutchings plus Jason Jennings and Simon Edwards in turn defeat Brian Anderton and Mark Osbourne (Willclare Sports and Social) and Tom White and Terry Webster (East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association). The all Dunky’s final saw Jennings and Edwards win 2-1 against Yardley and Hutchings.
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Seventeen players turned out for the latest Shirley Legion Double Top League’s singles knockout and in his first appearance in the knockouts Wayne Clarke made his way into the final after an impressive 3-0 win over Thomas Bent, a close 3-2 win against Steve Heeks and a 3-1 success in the semis over Mark Gwalchmai.
From the other side of the draw Mark Henderson with a 3-2 wins over Mick Bown, Craig Clarke and John Smyth reached the final where once again he had a familiar 3-2 win over Wayne Clarke.
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Game number eight was an unlucky one for leaders of the Camp Hill League Roost Rebels as they lost for the first time this season when playing away to third in the table Tyseley WMC, returning on the wrong side of a 5-2 scoreline. Despite the defeat the Rebels stay top of the table with 14 points, two better off than second placed Sheldon Marlborough Flights who after their 6-1 win over Emerald Club have a game in hand which could see them take over at the top of the table.
At the other end of the table Station Wagon moved up the table following their 4-3 win at Wagon and Horses, Emerald Club taking over the bottom spot.
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Week number three in the Shirley and District Monday Night League saw quite a few changes at the top of the table as former leaders The Wharf lost 6-3 at home to Dunky’s Boys and drop to fifth while Dunky’s move up one place to third. Taking over in pole position is The Bears who were 7-2 winners at Sharmans Cross to put them slightly ahead on average of The Lodge who went from third to second with an 8-1 home win over Shirley Spartac.
Saracens Misfits 6-3 win against Plume of Feathers puts them on the same six points as all of the three teams above them all four top teams have won their three games. The only other unbeaten team in the league is ninth placed The Lions, whose 5-4 win over Saracens Jesters was only their second game.
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There were just two rearranged fixtures played in the Small Heath League which saw leaders East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association win 9-0 against Wagon and Horses to open up a two points lead at the top of the table with a game in hand on second placed Heartlands Club. In the other game played Cob’s Bar had a 6-3 win over Sheldon Marlborough Flights.
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A 6-3 home win over Three Diamonds keeps The Bell’s 100% win record going in the Rowley Monday Night League and also keeps their two points advantage over second placed George intact after they had a convincing 8-1 win over Loyal Lodge who replace Bulls Head at the foot of the table after Bulls Head chalked up their third in in twelve, somewhat surprisingly beating fourth in the league Ivy Bush 5-4.
There were no fewer than three 160 breaks in week twelve supplied by A.Cowley (Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’), D.Bourne (Three Diamonds and L.Wainwright (Loyal Lodge).
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With three more fixtures to play in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League an 8-1 win at Glasscutters has given Brickmakers Arms the title. The win takes Brickmakers points tally to 78 and gives them an unassailable eight points advantage over second and third placed Ten Arches ‘A’ and Ten Arches ‘B’ who in turn won 7-2 at British Oak and 6-3 at home to Hop House. Fourth in the table Britannia are a further 12 points adrift after losing 5-4 away to Bird (Wordsley) who are eighth in the table.
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Woodside ‘A’, former leaders of the Silver End Sunday Morning League suffered a shock 7-1 defeat away to Glasscutters ‘A’ who are some eight points behind them in fifth place, Woodside slipping to second place behind Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club whose 7-1 win at Kings Head ‘A’ takes their points to 22 and gives them a slender one point lead over Woodside ‘A’.
High Acres recorded their first point of the season when they held Dudley Sports to a 4-4 draw however High Acres remain rooted at the foot of the table.
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After a surprising 5-4 home defeat last week at the hands of the Bull and Bladder team in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League, High Oak returned to winning ways again this week with an 8-1 win at Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ to take them back to the top of the table but only by three legs of average over Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ who won 5-4 at Fox and Grapes.
Third in the table Roebuck are on the same 22 points as the two teams above them following their 5-4 win at The Swan and are only four legs behind High Oak.
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Week eight of the Netherton Thursday Night League matched the top and bottom teams with leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club winning 8-1 against Saracens Head. Second in the table Bulls Head fell another three points behind the leaders to now trail by six after losing 5-4 at home to third placed Riddins Tavern who join their opponents on 18 points.
Following their recent run of poor results White Horse chalked up a good 5-4 win away to Fairfield to put both teams on 9 points.
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The Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League had the second round of their Rickuss Cup on the fixture card and league leaders The Vine waltzed into the next round with a 5-2 win over middle of the table Merry-Go-Round while second in the league Tipton Sports had a convincing 6-1 win away to third placed Miners Arms. Dewdrop ‘A’ were 5-2 winners away to next to bottom of the table Court House and there was a close 4-3 win for Sportsman against New Talbot.
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The top two teams in the Brierley Hill Friday Night League High Oak and Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ took their unbeaten runs to seven games with respective 6-1 wins over fourth placed Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’ and Delph Bell. With a perfect score of 14 points the leading duo have a four points advantage over third in the table Ashwood who won a close encounter with Miners (Wollescote) 4-3.
There was a first win in seven for Netherton Cricket Club ‘B’, their 5-2 win over Gornal British Legion seeing them move up two places from the foot of the table and their opponents replace them in the bottom position.
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Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ lead the Cradley Tuesday Night League but their eighth game of the season saw them gain a very narrow 5-4 win over next to bottom of the table Plough. The win puts the leaders on 21 points, second placed Netherton Sports and Social ‘A’ have the same 12 points after their 8-1 win over fourth in the table Bulls Head and are now only three legs of average off the top.
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Old Bulls Head consolidated their number one spot in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League by handing out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts Netherton Cricket Club. They remain two points ahead of their nearest rivals Gornal Labour Club who had a much closer 5-4 win against White Lion.
Third in the table Coseley Tavern suffered a surprising 5-4 home loss at the hands of the Chainyard outfit who are just three places off the foot of the table.
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Bombay Bob’s Boys march on in the Pip Club League adding a further 8-1 win over Progressive Club to their account to keep them top of the Main Division with a game in hand on second placed Belgrave Sports and Social Club whose similar 8-1 win over Wigginton Arms puts them on the same 34 points as Bombay. No fewer than five maximums recorded this week supplied by Bob Mills, Joe Wilson (Belgrave Club), Martin Edwards, Phil Daulman (Belgrave Sports and Social Club) and Phil Jones (Birchmoor Club).
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With just one more fixture to play in the Henley and District Winter League Studley Cricket Club confirmed themselves as champions in an emphatic way by beating their nearest rivals Studley Conservative Club 7-2 to give them an undefeated 26 points with their opponents left trailing by four points.
In addition to the Cricket Club’s 7-2 win Dorridge and Wootton Bears won by the same margin against Wythall Legion and Village Inn. The only none 7-2 result was 6-3 to Wythall RBL over Beausale.
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Game number eight in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League saw Whitmore Reans WMC lose 4-3 away to second in the table Hurst Hill and at the same time lose pole position being replaced by Cleveland Arms who won 6-1 against Royal, Albrighton to put them on 14 points the same as Hurst Hill. Whitmore drop to third place on 12 points two fewer than the two teams above them and only two ahead of fourth in the table ECC ‘A’ who had a bye this week.
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No change in the top five places in the singles division of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League as leaders Riley’s ‘C’ with a 5-2 win at Wednesfield Conservative Club stay ahead of second placed Railway on average after Railway won 4-3 at Jones Road.
In the doubles division just two legs of average separate the top three teams Bull in pole following their 3-0 win over Pendulum. Bull replaced Wednesfield Conservative Club as leaders after the Conservative Club lost 2-1 at home against Riley’s ‘C’ who are now in third place and the Conservative Club drop to fifth, Railway are third with the same ten points and average as second placed Railway, Railway won 2-1 at Jones Road.
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A couple of results from division two of the South Birmingham League, one of them a real surprise as leaders The Dog lost 5-4 away to C’s Flights, Dog stay top of the division with 14 points from nine games but second placed C’s Hot Shots are only two points behind them after their 8-1 win over The Trident and have played one game fewer. Third placed Toby Jug are on the same ten points as Hot Shots, they have a game in hand on them and two in hand on leaders Dog.
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