WEEKLY UPDATE 2nd MARCH 2024

All four play off matches went to form this week (or at least in line with league position). Pudsey A (top) beat Princeville D (4th) and Deaf Centre A (2nd) beat Deaf Centre B (3rd) in the Qualification matches, while Princeville B (5th) beat Princeville C (8th) - but only just - and Pudsey B (6th) beat Princeville A (7th) in the Elimination matches. So in the quarter finals on 12th March Deaf Centre B are at home to Pudsey B, while it's another derby at Princeville, where the D team play the B team.

The scorecards for these matches can be seen on the Scorecards page

The match between Princeville B and Princeville C was played on Monday, to ensure that both teams could field a full complement of players. Peter Turner (B team) had a rare win, against Graham Bentley, and a big score (224), which John Bedford followed up with another win for the B team, beating Brian Haigh by 15, so going into the final game the B team led 2 - 0 and by 32. I started 30 behind Paul Devitt on handicap, and the scores rarely got more than 20 different to this in either direction. With time running out, I came to the table 38 behind with a tricky in off to play. I took my time, got it and followed it with a cannon to leave me 33 behind. I took my time again with another tricky shot - a pot this time - but unfortunately took too long, because the bell went just as I started to move my cue towards the ball, but before I'd hit it. Although the red went in it didn't count and so the C team had picked up 2 points for a 2 - 2 draw - so into a shoot out. The referee commented that it could be \along night. I won the toss, and perhaps to Paul's surprise, opted to play first. I was relieved to see my ball go down the pocket for a\point. Paul - who had got the shot earlier in the game following a foul - hit the pocket angle, but the cue ball set off across the table towards the red. There was an anxious moment as it passed narrowly behind the red  - and so  a 1 - 0 win for the B team.

In the other Elimination Play off match at Pudsey on Tuesday, it looked as if it might be similarly close, as Sid Ash got a point for Pudsey B, but only by 9, and Trevor Kershaw reduced that, beating Dave Howarth by 5. The close finish did not however materialise, as Graham Tudor continued his recent good form, beating Gareth Kershaw by 51 to win the match for Pudsey B - so for Princeville B, like Princeville C on Monday, it was their last match of the season

In the Qualification Play off at Pudsey, Pudsey A comfortably defeated a depleted Princeville D. Graham Bentley put in a second shift of the week but lost heavily to Ralph Allan, and Princeville reserve Dave Bowers lost by 21 to Peter Allan. Mick Cockcroft then had a good win against John Allan, but it was never going to be by enough to force a shoot out. At the Deaf Centre there was certainly a close finish in one game, as Jeremy Dixon and Ihjaz Hussain finished level on 146, so with half a point each this match was never going to end in a draw. In the game between the players sitting second and third in the Players Table, Peter Wood came out on top by 33, against Brain Robinson, but Ian Ford racked up 246 points to beating Peter O'Connell (191) ensuring the A team had 22 points to spare on the aggregate. So Pudsey A and Deaf Centre A are into the semi finals on 26th March, and await the winners of the quarter finals detailed above.

This coming week is the first full round of the Individual Billiards with 4 of the matches to be played at Pudsey. The match at the Deaf Centre between Brian Robinson and Gareth Kershaw is being played on Monday, when the same players will also be playing the first round of the Snooker competition, having been drawn together in both. I believe Peter Wood is also hoping to play his Snooker first round against Mick Cockcroft on the  same night. At Princeville, I am playing John Bedford in the afternoon, leaving Brian Haigh and Mick Cockcroft to play at the more usual time. Chris Jarvis has already played and beaten Ralph Allan but I have not been made aware of any other changes to the four games to be played at Pudsey

Stephen Kershaw

Secretary