Wots Ganin

Gaz Calcott Pool Guru...

I remember my opening match report in 2002 and commenting what a shit season we’d just had (2001) and that we had to try and improve – 6 years later and it’s F**king Déjà vu. However, following 2001 we went on to a period of great achievement so lets hope it follow the same pattern!

Major changes in the Men's A team after several players of long standing had decided to call it day and so it was a step up from the B team for Sam Mills and Scott Varden, the inclusion of our 2 England internationals, Rob Butterworth & Phil Parkin and a warm welcome to Craig Sturmey who’d just completed a very successful year playing Interleague for Reds 1.

A confident start saw the Lads take the 1^st section 7-4 and they went into an 11-5 lead before Oxford hit back to take the section 6-5 and bring the overall score to 12-10 in Warwickshire’s favour. Another good performance in the 3^rd section saw Warks win 7-4 to go 19-14 in front. Steppy had been having a bit of a mare in the first 2 sections, so Daz Lee was introduced into the reckoning. Oxford pulled 2 frames back at the start of the final section, but wins from Phil Parkin, Paul Willis and Sam Mills saw Warks make it 22-16 and it was Craig Sturmey who made it 23 to win the match for Warwickshire A. Final score 25-19 to Warks.

A 4 out of 4 from Paul Willis saw him get the Man of the match trophy whilst there were 3 out of 4’s from Phil Parkin, Sam Mills, Craig Sturmey and Rob Butterworth.

Team: Karl Knight, Nige Griffiths, Phil Parkin, Sam Mills, Craig Sturmey, Rob Butterworth, Scott Varden, Lee Steptoe, Roger Hunt, Paul Mason, Daz Lee and Baz Hinde.

Me and Dave Collins always look forward to the first match of the season cause this is the only time when we’ve got loads of players to choose from ……. Which will probably NOT be the case in 2 matches time when Warks B get to Northampton and find that we’ve just got the bare 11 players!

A nightmare of a start as the B team were 4-7 down at the end of the 1^st section, but rallied round to take the 2^nd section 6-5 to reduce the deficit to 10-12. Loads of changes as there were 4 players having lost 2 out 2 and they pulled it back to 14 all before Oxford stepped up a gear and took the section 7-4 to go into the final section with Warks B trailing 14-19. Oxford took the 1^st frame to go 20-14 up so if there was ever a time to step up to the plate then this was surely it …. And step up they did. 6 straight wins saw Warks draw level at 20-20, Oxford made it 21-20 only to see Russ Harding get Warks back on level terms again. Ben Gilbey put Warks into a 22-21 lead and Dave Lea got the match winner for the Lads.

Young Guns take note: 4 out of 4 from both Martin Groves and Roy “Saga” Pontefract with Roy getting the man of the match award. There was 3 out of 4 from Tonksy and 2 out of 2 from Howard Bailie.

Team: Dave Easson, Russ Blinco, Martin Groves, Martin Tonks, Jason Page, Roy Pontefract, Dave Collins, Aaron Easson, Mark Winham, Ben Gilbey, Andy West, Howard Bailie, Neil Pincham, Russ Harding, Dave Lea, Mark Gaynor, Steve Valentine and Stu Tedstone.

A good start for the ladies team – they had 11 players!

Not such a good start on the table as they went 7-0 down, but won the last 4 to lose the section 4-7.

A better performance in the 2^nd section as they narrowly lost 5-6, but they got over run in the 3^rd section which they lost 3-8 to leave Oxford needing just 2 more frames for victory in the final section.

2 frames in and Oxford had the game in the bag going on to win the match 13-31.

A brilliant 4 out of 4 from Hazel Payne saw her get Player of the match trophy whilst Ali Wilkins got 3 out of 4.

Team: Wendy Forde, Katie Bonham, Lorna Kernaghan, Julie Brittain, Sally Brazener, Kat Jarvis, Charlie Scarff, Ali Wilkins, Liz Cheetham, Hazel Payne and Tracy Layfield.