Warwickshire will be going into their third fixture in the Premier Division of the BDO Inter County Championships this coming weekend still seeking their first win of the campaign. In what will be their second home game at their new headquarters the Hen Lane and District Social Club, Beacon Road, Holbrooks, Coventry, CV6 4DS they will take on Devon who are three places above them and ten points to the good.
With this latest fixture completing the first third of the season a win for the local county is now a must to get them moving up the table.
Selected to play are Men’s ‘A’:- Steve Giddings, Ian Shaw, Nigel Heydon, Tom Aldridge, Steve Hine, Ian McFarlane, Jamie Atkins, Kevin Dowling, Antony Allen, Jamie Hughes, Noel Grant, Dean Stewart, Men’s ‘B’:- James Hykin, Karl Reynolds, Mark Carter, Carl Green, Tom Martin, Wayne Mynard, Dave Hill, Gareth Braham, Rob Comben, Mark Strong, Jack Wareing, Tom Ryan, Reserves:- Charlie Symons, Mark Martin, Pete Hughes, Matty Washbrooke, Tom McGlone, Dave Atkins, Ashley Hykin, Women’s ‘A’:- Natalie Gilbert, Sue Gulliver, Wendy Adams, Donna Pinch, Caroline Pike, Angela Jones, Women’s ‘B’:- Nina Bolt, Courtney Hine, Kat Spanswick, Melanie Jones, Chloe McKivett, Denise Keyte, Reserves:- Helen Rigg, Marian Conway, Lucy Keyte.
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West Midlands are riding high at the top of the Division One table in the BDO Inter County Championships after chalking up two 22-14 wins in their opening games against Cambridgeshire and Staffordshire. At their home venue Gilberts Bar, Willenhall they will take on their nearest rivals Dorset this weekend, Dorset are in second place and ten points adrift of their hosts, a third consecutive win for the West Midlands would put them in a very healthy position at the top of the promotion table.
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The Four Oaks and District Winter League have got their new season underway and the good news is that the league has increased their numbers from last season’s 21 to 24 with three divisions of eight teams.
Only two of the starting eight in division one continue to remain undefeated, Boldmere St Mike’s holding on to pole position after an 8-1 win at Old Oscott Arrows in their third game. Boldmere are closely followed by The Boat in second place whose third win was a similar 8-1 in their home game against Walmley CSC Arrows to leave them just one leg of average short of Boldmere.
A 6-3 win at Rosey’s Chaps takes Red Lion’s winning run to three games in division two and being the only 100% winners in the division keeps them two points ahead of Walmley CSC Flights, Drakes Drum, Digby and Oscott Sports.
As in division one only one point of average separates the top two teams in division three Oscott Social Club hold the number one spot after their latest 7-2 win away to The Towers with second placed Rosey Mac’s Leopard winning by the same margin at Castle Vale Residents.
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Leaders of the Small Heath League East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association had their fixture with Wagon and Horses cancelled in week 13 and second placed Heartlands Club took the opportunity to reduce the arrears to just two points with their 7-2 home win over Cob’s Bar who as a result drop one place in the table to fifth and are replaced in fourth position by Emerald Club who had a 5-4 home win over bottom of the table Sheldon Marlborough Flights.
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Dunky’s Boys consolidated their top spot in the Shirley and District Monday Night League with an impressive 8-1 win over Saracens Jesters to keep them two points ahead of second in the table Highwood with a game in hand. Highwood with a 180 from A.Foulkes won their home fixture with Legion Flights 7-2 to keep a two point’s gap between them and third placed The Lion who with a maximum from C.Johnson were the week’s biggest winners as they handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts bottom of the table Shirley Spartac. Although they are two points behind Highwood, Lion have played 22 compared to Highwood’s 23.
A.Thomas (Bears) hit a 180 in his team’s 8-1 win at Legion Royals and Wharf’s S.Veitch also found the three treble twenties in his team’s 6-3 win over Sharmans Cross.
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There were quite a few shock results in week six of the Camp Hill Marstons Winter League as leaders White Swan Nomads lost for the first time in six when they went down 4-3 away to third in the table Emerald Club who after their win have moved up one place in the table to second level on points with the leaders and just ahead of third in the table Tyseley WMC on average whose 4-3 win at Sheldon Marlborough Flights puts them also on ten points.
Former second in the league Roost Rebels, like the Nomads also lost 4-3 in their game at New Inn and drop to fourth place two points behind the three teams above them, New Inn move up one place to take over in the number five position.
There was a bottom of the table clash with next to bottom Sedgemere Devil’s Club winning 4-3 at Peaky Blinder who are bottom, Peaky Blinder now the only team in the league without a win so far.
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There were cheers all round at Kingswinford Conservative Club as in week 14 of the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League they chalked up their first win in fourteen games when they beat the team three places above them Lion (Stourbridge) 5-4. Despite the win the Conservative Club remain at the foot of the table but now level on two points with Hare and Hounds just above them.
At the top end of the table leaders Brickmakers Arms had a close 5-4 win at sixth placed Hop House to keep not only their 100% win record going but also their four point’s advantage over second placed Britannia who won 6-3 at home against Gigmill.
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Leaders of the Netherton Thursday Night League Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club suffered a setback to their title hopes as they surprisingly went down 7-2 at Bulls Head only their second defeat in 24 games. Bulls Head are third in the table six points (two wins) behind Riddins Tavern in second place, however they do have three games in hand on Riddins who beat Townsend Social Club 6-3. Although the Ex Serviceman’s Club lost, with three more games to play they now require just one more win to secure the title.
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A massive 9-0 win over Wonder has seen Bell win the Rowley Monday Night League title as the victory has taken their points tally to 54 and with a six points lead over second in the table George and only two more games to play they cannot be caught.
Bell have regained the title after losing out and finishing as runners-up to George last season, the roles this campaign possibly reversing as second placed George require one win from their last two games to take second place. The latest games saw George win 6-3 against Fairfield to give them 48 points the same number as third placed Cradley Sports and Social Club after their 7-2 win at Hare and Hounds, the two teams may be level on points but George have a huge average advantage.
In the league’s Bill Bishop Cup there were wins for the league’s top two teams as Bell defeated Cradley Sports and Social Club and George won against Fairfield.
In the Challenge Cup Three Diamonds won against Bulls Head and Spring Meadow beat Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’.
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With games running out in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League leaders Vine with a 6-1 win over Ivy Bush have one hand on the winner’s trophy as they hold a two points lead with a game in hand over their nearest rivals Tipton Sports with only three games to go.
Tipton Sports kept their hopes alive with a vital 4-3 win away to third in the table Dewdrop ‘A’ who are now eight points behind them.
At the other end of the table Wonder, who are bottom played hosts to Cottage Spring who are just above them. The outcome was a 4-3 win for the away side to see them overtake Hayes Social who lost 4-3 at home to Waggon and Horses.
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With four more games to play in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ added a 5-4 win at Dudley Sports ‘A’ to their account to put them on 54 points two more thn Roebuck in second place who had a 7-2 success at Fox and Grapes. A 6-3 home win over Portway has left third in the table High Oak some six points short of Roebuck and eight off the top.
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After the opening six games in the new season of the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League, three of the starting fourteen teams are locked at the top of the table on an unbeaten twelve points. An 8-1 home win over White Lion has seen Old Bulls Head hang on to pole position on average from Lamp Tavern who won 6-3 at Pensnett Liberal Club, they lead Netherton Cricket Club on average after their 5-4 win against Chainyards.
The overall results for the week saw no change in the top seven places.
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Wilson Hall, the only team in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League to have won all of their first six games had a 4-3 win over one of the former leaders of the league King Arthur with S.Roberts recording a 160 break and a nine darts game for the victors.
Second in the league Swan ‘A’ and third placed Bird (Wordsley) are both on ten points and both won 6-1 in turn at Church Tavern ‘B’ and Gigmill.
K.Cooksey had a 160 break and A.Batham a nine darts game for Bell in their 4-3 home win over Fox Inn (Lye).
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In week thirteen of the Ashwood Premier League there was only one change in the top six laces and that was at the top as for the second successive week Nick Fullwell, due to other commitments was unable to turn up and because of this lost his number one spot in the table as Connor Pickett with 5-2 wins over Andy Vellender and Jack Moore moved up into pole position with 163 points from 27 games, four points more than second placed Fullwell but from playing four games more than him.
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The Pip Club League have been engaged in their Open Cup which saw league leaders Belgrave Sport and Social Club with a 180 from Gary Podmore plus two 112 breaks from Ian Turner defeat Dolphin whose Richard Gale also notched a maximum. There were further wins for Pip Club, Birchmoor Club and Sports Bar ‘180’ who in turn accounted for Kettlebrook Club, Aldergate Club and Progressive Club. Joining the four winning teams in the quarter finals will be Dolphin Wanderers, Old Liberal House, Globe (Wilnecote) and Belgrave Club who all had a bye.
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With Riley’s ‘C’ not having a game in week 29 of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League second placed Railway caught up on games played with a 6-1 win at Penn Bowling to leave them six points behind leaders Riley’s ‘C’ in the singles division.
In the doubles division a 2-1 success for Railway over Penn Bowling has taken them to within two points of Riley’s ‘C’ who again top the table.
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