WEEKLY UPDATE 15 DECEMBER 2024

Only 3 matches to report on this week, as the fixture between Princeville D and Deaf Centre A has been postponed until Monday 6th January. Also another death to report on - this time one of our Life Vice Presidents and former Eastbrook player Trevor Bowman. There is a separate tribute to Trevor, and his involvement with the league, immediately below this weekly update.

League leaders Pudsey B,  with five consecutive wins after a first match loss, topped and tailed the first half of the season with defeats when Princeville C defeated them 3 -1 on their own table. Keith Tomlinson curbed Sid Ash's high scoring run and restricted him to his lowest total of the season (181)  but Keith only scored 47 points himself to finish on 152 and a 29 point defeat. Graham Bentley must have scored much more freely however, as he racked up 219 to Graham Tudor's 151. In the other game, home captain Dave Howarth missed out by 16 against Paul Devitt, to give the visitors a 3 - 1 win and move them into second place in the table 3 points behind the leaders. Princeville A went into the week in second place but were unable to take advantage of Pudsey B's slip up, going down 4 - 0 for the second week in succession, this time against Pudsey A whose inconsistent form has seen them sandwich two 4 - 0 home wins around a 4  - 0 away defeat. Peter Allan upped the bottom division highest break to 27, in his game with Edward Lawson, although his the winning margin was only 13. The second game was even closer, as Ralph Allan edged out Gareth Kershaw by just 2. Captain John Allan however had a more comfortable 46 point victory over Trevor Kershaw as Pudsey A moved up to third in the table, at least until the postponed fixture is played in January

At Princeville it was the bottom two teams - Princeville B and Deaf Centre B - who were in opposition, but it didn't look much like it as the Deaf Centre romped away to a 4 - 0 victory. John Bedford's poor run of form continued, as he lost to Ian Ford, and then with both tables available, the other two games were played at the same time, allowing Don Hardcastle to play on his preferred table. He might have wished he'd stuck to the teams regular table however as Graham Lambert recorded his first win of the season beating Don by 12 (Well done Graham). In the other game, I never got to grips with an in form Jeremy Dixon, who sits high in the Players Table. My unfinished break of 41 at the bell still left me 53 behind, when I had needed a win of similar proportions to secure the aggregate point.

There are no matches this coming week, as the scheduled Pairs Preliminary round game has been postponed until the New Year, and so the next update will not be until after the first set of fixtures in 2025, which are due to be played on Tuesday 7th January. Committee members are reminded that there will be a League Committee meeting on Wednesday 8th January at the Deaf Centre 

In the meantime can I wish all players and visitors to the web site a very Merry Christmas and  a Happy New Year

Stephen Kershaw

Secretary