From a bowling perspective, I hope that the heat wave continues for a few more weeks, unfortunately my garden thinks otherwise as, I suspect, do many greenkeepers!
As this was, supposed to be, the final round of matches of the season for those in Division 3, it seems appropriate to start there. Leaders Adderbury hosted second place Headington knowing that both were already promoted to Division 2 next season regardless of the outcome. Chris Skidmore provided the home side with the basis of a win with his total domination of his opponents and once Phil Gladden’s rink took a five on the fourteenth end in his game the outcome never looked in doubt. However, Steve Gould pulled much of the deficit back and the result could still have been determined by the last game. This was a real struggle with few ends scoring more than a single shot and, appropriately, Cliff Hall’s rink taking one shot on the final end to tie the game. Honours to Adderbury but I suspect neither team was really bothered!
Banbury Central’s match was a very different proposition. Visitors, City and County, were already relegated but Central needed a big win if they were to have any chance of staying up at Blackbird Leys expense. Big win they achieved, never realistically looking like losing in three games and though trailing by seven shots after nine ends, Keith William’s men took a six on the tenth end and dominated the next five ends to complete the club’s whitewash.
Whilst Central were doing all they could, Blackbird Leys had the chance to guarantee their own survival at Thame. Unfortunately, they were unable to match their opposition on two rinks and only managed to tie a third. Highlight of the match was seven shot end for Alex Fleming’s rink on the sixth end of their match. Unfortunately, it was insufficient as Robin Jenner’s men recovered from the trauma to win the next five ends by nine shots and ensure their own win.
Division 1 could have been all over with two weeks to spare. Headington still look champions in waiting; especially with the second and third place teams playing each other next week; having beaten Banbury Central in a re-arranged fixture on Tuesday and following that with an expected whitewash of already relegated Kidlington. The Central match could have been so different! The home side were without four of their usual players, so they fielded a rink from their B team skipped by the enigma of this season that is Tom McKenna. This week Tom was on his best from and led his rink to a magnificent twelve shot win over Ian Henwood’s men. Whilst Central lost on two rinks their total losses balanced Tom’s win so the final rink, of Will Campion against Jason King, determined the outcome of the match. Will led by two shots at sixteen ends, Jason pulled a shot back on the seventeenth leaving Central holding the match points with one end to play. All or nothing on the last end which went to Headington by two shots, enough to win their game and take the match overall by that single shot! Whew!!
As important was City and County’s do or die game at home to Witney Mills. Having looked relegation certainties until a few weeks ago, City and County have pulled a lot back recently but knew that they need a big win as the only club that could be relegated instead of them were the visitors! On the night, they rose to the occasion winning one three rinks and drawing the fourth. It was an evening where keeping big losses off the cards mattered as City and County failed to win more than half the ends in any match yet still won most of them. Over the four games they took six ends with more than a three shot margin whilst Witney managed only one and these big scoring ends swung the game their way, no more so than Omar Sharif’s rink that, with a one shot lead at twelve ends, lost four of the last six ends but still triumph as the two they won scored nine shots between them.
A big win for Chris Gilkes ensured the match points for Watlington although it could have been more had Andy McIntyre despaired at five shots down with two ends to play in his game against Shane Cooper. His men rallied well to take a four and a three on the last two ends to snatch the game and the draw for West Witney.
In similar fashion to Division 1, Division 2 looked all over a while ago but whilst Carterton are indeed champions and Hanborough are already relegated, the last two important spots are still to play for.
Carterton’s whitewash of Chipping Norton not only cemented their first spot but also provided Shiplake with a chance of survival.
Shiplake were at home to promotion chasing Witney Town knowing that, with just one more match remaining after this, they needed a big win if they were to stay in the division at Chipping Norton’s expense. Big win they got, fielding a very strong side they won comfortably on all rinks, though it required a six on the fourteenth end from Barry Lambourne’s men to achieve their win. They now travel to South Oxford knowing that another win will keep them up.
Chippy still have two games to play, the second at already relegated Hanborough. However, they host Charlbury next week knowing that they must better Shiplake’s result if they are to have a chance of playing in this division next year.
Charlbury played steadily throughout their game at home to Hanborough, outplaying their opponents on all rinks in a match unusual only in that there was nothing of note to comment on!
Division 4 continues its merry, complex season. Playing their penultimate match, Bicester had the chance to guarantee their promotion playing one of two teams who could still overtake them. As it was, they won two rinks, with Phil Bannister’s rink taking a ten shot lead after eight ends and Martin Graves dominating the second half of his game. Chadlington were not to be outdone, winning the other two and, had Carl Smart not dropped a four on the seventeenth end of his game they would have taken the match points as well.
West Oxford needed to better Bicester’s score if they were to remain in the hunt for the title. They achieved this with easy wins on three rinks, unfortunately, Gary Richardson’s rink were unable to press home their advantage at sixteen ends in a close game as Dave Barlow closed out for Oxford University Press’s only win of the night.
The final match of the night saw South Oxford reduce their chance of promotion as they lost to Woodstock. The highlight was Don Portman’s rink coming from eight shots down with three ends to play to snatch an unlikely win by scoring two threes and a four on the final three ends.
