THE semi-final line-up for the Oxford Pairs competition was completed after the early rounds were held across four different venues, writes ANDY BEAL.

Six Bells C Kidlington still have two teams left standing, with Alan Surman and Ady Cross joined by Roger Goodall and Dick Walsh.

Kevin Giles and Neil Lyon (Three Pigeons) also battled their way through, along with New Club A’s John Horton and Robert Taylor.

Giles and Lyon came closest to being eliminated.

They comfortably progressed past Colin Barrett and Colin Richardson (Chequers A) in the first round.

The highlight of the 7-4, 10-3 win was a six from Giles in the second leg.

Their biggest test came in the second round, when Ampleforth Arms A pair Rob Bradford and Pete Shepherd pushed them all the way.

A six from Bradford and five from Shepherd set an 11 in the first leg, which was too strong for the Pigeons pair.

The second leg went to three sticks after it finished 6-6, where Giles and Lyon came out on top to stay in the tie.

Replying to seven in the final leg, a five from Giles set up Lyon to clang off the three they needed to progress.

Their quarter-final match was more straightforward, as Ray Townsend and Robin Busby (Six Bells C Kidlington) were dispatched 7-6, 8-6.

Horton and Taylor’s biggest battle came in their first round meeting with Geoff and Barry Townsend from The Cricketers B.

The Townsend brothers took the opener 7-5, with Barry bagging a six.

The next leg went to a one stick shoot-out after six sticks (7-7) and three sticks (2-2) were tied.

A 2-1 win levelled the clash and a six from Taylor, backed up by four from Horton, was too strong in the final leg.

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  • Robert Taylor clanged off two sixes en route to the semi-final

It set up a second round clash with Gladiator A pairing of Chris Jenkins and Dennis Butler.

After winning the first leg 7-6, Taylor’s second maximum helped them through in the next leg.

The New Club pair also won 7-6 in the first leg of their quarter-final, against Paul Townsend and Eddie Edwards from the Three Pigeons.

The second leg was tied 8-8 and the teams could not be separated over three sticks or one stick.

It went back to six sticks, where the Pigeons pair set with six. Taylor replied with three and Horton clanged off the four dolls needed to win the leg and with it the game.

A six from Surman was the pick of his and Cross’s route to the last four.

It came in the second leg of their quarter-final against Steve Greenough and Billy Trinder from Garsington Sports A.

Already ahead after setting nine in the opener, the Six Bells duo sealed the win in style as Surman’s effort overhauled Greenough and Trinder’s five.

They had reached the quarter-finals thanks to a 5-4, 6-7, 5-4 win over Simon Summerscales and David Leopold (Black Prince) in the first round.

It was followed by a 9-4, 5-4 success against Ken Maunder and Trevor Greenaway (Garsington Sports Club).

Goodall and Walsh reached the semi-finals without dropping a leg.

They began against a single opponent, as John Greenaway was the only one of the Red Lion A Eynsham pair to turn up.

He was quickly seen off 4-3, 4-3 and a six from Goodall helped them to an 8-6, 8-7 win over Black Prince’s Alan Holt and Ian Grant in the second round.

Red Lion A Eynsham duo Lee Thompson and Terry Stuart were then beaten 6-5, 9-8.

  • JUST two teams remain in the lower section, where Ian Sharp and Dave Fry from the Pheasant Inn A will meet Chequers C team Roger Alder and Rory Mangan in the final.

Sharp (6-6-5) was in sensational form in the semi final whipping off 17 dolls as they beat Brian Reidy and Steve Jessop from Golden Ball.

He and Fry lost the first leg 8-7, but hit back to take the next two 9-4, 9-6.

In the earlier rounds they beat Wayne Grey and Jamie Smith (Donnington Club A) 2-1, before coming past Ken Hindle and Ren Gemmel (Crooked Pot) 2-0.

They had to come from behind in their quarter-final against North Oxford Con Club pair Kevin Smith & Mick Richardson, who were eventually beaten 2-1.

Alder and Mangan lost the opening leg of their first round game against Ross Harvey and Dave Soanes (Donnington Club C) on three sticks, but won the next two legs 6-5, 4-3.

They never looked back, recording 2-0 wins against Dean Plumstead and Martin Coulthard (Florence Park B) and clubmates Ady Green and Joe Green to reach the semi-final.

Alder and Mangan needed a three stick shoot-out to win the opening leg against Chris and Richard Lee (Pheasant Inn A), before securing a place in the final by taking the second leg 5-4.

RESULTS

GREENE KING OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE OXFORD PAIRS

Prelim round: A Holt & I Grant (Black Prince) 2, B Ruffles & M Ruffles (Garsington Sports A) 1; P Wilkins & C Webb (Ampleforth Arms C) 2, D Cox & K Bull (Team Monarch) 0; R Taylor & J Horton (New Club A) 2, G Townsend & B Townsend (Cricketers B) 1.

1st round: M Cook & J Weller (Gladiators A) 2, D Sellar & P Goulding (Cricketers B) 1; C Jenkins & D Butler (Gladiators A) 2, M Phipps & P Dempsey (Three Pigeons) 0; P Austin & G Wilsdon (Six Bells C) 2, T Bradford & J Kent (New Club A) 0; P Townsend & E Edwards (Three Pigeons) 2, M Cook & J Weller (Gladiators A) 0; S Greenough & B Trinder (Garsington Spts A) 2, P Hounslow & D Green (Chequers A) 0; K Maunder & T Greenaway (Garsington Spts A) 2, L Purcell & L Purcell (Rose Hill Club A) 1; A Surman & A Cross (Six Bells C) 2, S Summerscales & D Leopold (Black Prince) 1; K Giles & N Lyon (Three Pigeons) 2, C Barrett & C Richardson (Chequers A) 0; R Bradford & P Shepherd (Ampleforth Arms A) 2, S Ward & P Rampton (Six Bells C Kidlington) 0; R Townsend & R Busby (Six Bells C Kidlington) 2, P Wilkins & C Webb (Ampleforth Arms C) 1; J Clemson & M Holton (Six Bells Quarry) 2, T Recht & G Smith (Garsington Sports A) 1; R Taylor & J Horton (New Club A) 2, L Gillett & T Gillett (Rose Hill Club A) 0; A Holt & I Grant (Black Prince) 2, A Webb & T Cox (Ampleforth Arms C) 0; R Goodall & D Walsh (Six Bells C Kidlington) 2, J Greenaway (Red Lion A Eynsham) 0; L Thompson & T Stuart (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, J Bennett & S Brandon (Six Bells Quarry) 0; M Berry & E Lacey (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, K Baker & J Townsend (Cricketers B) 0.

2nd round: P Townsend & E Edwards (Three Pigeons) 2, P Austin & G Wilsdon (Six Bells C) 1; R Taylor & J Horton (New Club A) 2, C Jenkins & D Butler (Gladiators A) 0; A Surman & A Cross (Six Bells C) 2, K Maunder & T Greenaway (Garsington Sports A) 0; S Greenough & B Trinder (Garsington Spts A) 2, B Lester & S Bayliss (Rose Hill Club A) 0; K Giles & N Lyon (Three Pigeons) 2, R Bradford & P Shepherd (Ampleforth Arms A) 0; R Townsend & R Busby (Six Bells C Kidlington) 2, J Clemson & M Holton (Six Bells Quarry) 1; R Goodall & D Walsh (Six Bells C Kidlington) 2, A Holt & I Grant (Black Prince) 0; L Thompson & T Stuart (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, M Berry & E Lacey (Red Lion A Eynsham) 0.

Quarter-finals: R Taylor & J Horton (New Club A) 2, P Townsend & E Edwards (Three Pigeons) 0; A Surman & A Cross (Six Bells C) 2, S Greenough & B Trinder (Garsington Sports A) 0; K Giles & N Lyon (Three Pigeons) 2, R Townsend & R Busby (Six Bells C Kidlington) 0; R Goodall & D Walsh (Six Bells C Kidlington) 2, L Thompson & T Stuart (Red Lion A Eynsham) 0.

Semi-finalists: R Taylor & J Horton (New Club A); A Surman & A Cross (Six Bells C); K Giles & N Lyon (Three Pigeons); R Goodall & D Walsh (Six Bells C Kidlington).

LOWER SECTION PAIRS

1st round: I Sharp & D Fry (Pheasant Inn A) 2, W Grey & J Smith 1; K Smith & M Richardson (North Oxford Con Club) 2, G Arundel & E Tallon (Crooked Pot) 1; J Boyce & M Rowe (North Oxford Con Club) 2, M Hirst & .Hicks (Crooked Pot) 0; D Plumstead & M Coulthard (Florence Park A)2, C Lewis & S Rose (Donnington Club C) 1; A Green & J Green (Chequers C) 2, M Finney & S Buckle (The Blackbird) 1; T Flett & J Castle (Crooked Pot) 2, D Rawlings & C Blunt ( Golden Ball) 0; R Alder & R Mangan (Chequers C) 2, R Harvey & D Soanes (Donnington Club C) 1; P Smith & R Trafford (North Oxford Con Club A) 2, C Greenough & E Greenough (Original Swan A) 0.

2nd round: I Sharp & D Fry (Pheasant Inn A) 2, K Hindle & R Gemmel (Crooked Pot) 0; B Reidy & S Jessop (Golden Ball) 2, G Newbold & T Debanks (Crooked Pot) 0; K Smith & M Richardson (North Oxford Con Club) 2, P Flathery & M Joines (Donnington Club C) 0; J Boyce & M Rowe (North Oxford Con Club) 2, M Davies & D Lammin (Florence Park B) 0; C Lee & R Lee (Pheasant Inn A) 2, P Smith & R Trafford (North Oxford Con Club A) 0; A Green & J Green (Chequers C) 2, B Green & P Alder (Chequers C) 0; A Cox & M Simpson (Donnington Club A) 2, T Flett & J Castle (Crooked Pot) 1; R Alder & R Mangan (Chequers C) 2, D Plumstead & M Coulthard (Florence Park A) 0.

Quarter-final: I Sharp & D Fry (Pheasant Inn A) 2, K Smith & M Richardson (North Oxford Con Club) 1; B Reidy & S Jessop (Golden Ball) 2, J Boyce & M Rowe (North Oxford Con Club) 0; R Alder & R Mangan (Chequers C) 2, A Green & J Green (Chequers C) 0; C Lee & R Lee (Pheasant Inn A) 2, A Cox & M Simpson (Donnington Club A) 0.

Semi-final: I Sharp & D Fry (Pheasant Inn A) 2, B Reidy & S Jessop (Golden Ball) 1; R Alder & R Mangan (Chequers C) 2, C Lee & R Lee (Pheasant Inn A) 0.

SIXERS

I Sharp (Pheasant Inn A) 2, R Taylor (New Club A) 2, L Thompson (Red Lion A Eynsham), R Townsend, A.Surman, R Goodall (Six Bells C Kidlington), B Townsend (Cricketers B), K Giles (Three Pigeons), R Bradford (Ampleforth Arms A).

ABINGDON & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Prem & A Section: Fox 3, Tandem 3; Abingdon United 6, Abingdon Con Club 0; Steventon Sports 6, Abingdon Legion 0; Plum Pudding 3, Spread Eagle 3.

B Section: Red Lion 2, Chequers Charney 4; Hart Harwell 4, College Oak 2; Fox 0 Abingdon United 6; Spread Eagle 2, Plough 4.

C Section: Black Horse A 4, Royal Oak 2; Berinsfield SC B 3, Stanford FC 3; Vine B 1, Black Horse B 5.

D Section: North Star A 6, DC Bystander 0; The Hatchet 3, Drayton Golf Club 3.

E Section: Crown 5, Saxton Arms 1; Bear & Ragged Staff 4, Pack Horse 2; Queens Arms 1, Abingdon United 5; Morning Star 1, Red Lion 5.

F Section: Boundary House 6, Abingdon Arms 0; Harwell Legion 3, North Star 3; Spread Eagle 2, Boundary House A 4.

G Section: George & Dragon 2, Old Anchor 4; Plough 4, Plough A 2; Horse & Harrow 4, North Star 2; Brewery Tap B 5, Red Lion C 1; Plough 4, Crown 2.

H Section: Black Swan B 3, Challow Legion 3; Plough 0, Harwell Legion 6; Eight Bells 3, Black Swan A 3; Crown 6, Steventon Sports 0.

Sixes: D Butler (Fox Steventon), B Stowell (Vine B), L Brown (Saxton Arms), D Cogdell (Old Anchor).

BICESTER & DISTRICT LEAGUE

(sponsored by Hook Norton Brewery)

Premier & Div 1: Launton S&SC A 3, Muddy Duck 0; Black Bull A 3, Nut Tree 0; Shakespeare 1, Prince of Wales 2; White Lion 3, Black Bull 0.

Div 2: Bull 0, Highfield SC A 3; Red Lion Wendlebury 2, Bull & Butcher B 1; Ashton Club 1, Red Cow 2; Bull & Butcher A 0, Red Lion Finmere 3.

Div 3: Barley Mow 2, Crown Twyford 1; White Hart Originals 3, White Horse A 0; Highfield SC A 0, Bell Bicester 3; White Horse B 3, White Hart Wanderers 0.

Div 4: Plough Marsh Gibbon 1, Ex Services 2; Fountain A 3, Safari Garden 0; Chearsley Cricketers 3, Launton S&SC B 0; Bell Lower Heyford 2, Fountain B 1.

Div 5: Black Bull C 3, Crown Gawcott 0; Red Lion Stratton Audley 3, Black Bull D 0; Blacks Head 2, Eight Bells 1.

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