WEEKLY UPDATE 22 JANUARY 2025

Pudsey B have led the table for the past 2 months, but went into this week's fixtures only joint top with Princeville C. They got off to the worst possible start against Pudsey A, as Graham Tudor lost to Ralph Allan, in a game played in advance of the fixture - actually the previous Thursday. Sid Ash then suffered his first defeat of the season - but by only 6 points - to Peter Allan. This left the long time league leaders 19 adrift in the match but with the benefit of a big win in the reverse fixture. The third game was another close affair, with Dave Howarth beating John Allan by 10 - not quite enough to pick up the match point for Pudsey B but comfortably hanging on to the double aggregate, so a 3 - 2 defeat for the league leaders. Princeville C also got off to a bad start, as Graham Bentley lost the Princeville A's Gareth Kershaw, but a steady performance from Paul Devitt (what else), saw him beat Trevor Kershaw, to put the C team 4 points ahead on the night. A determined effort from C team captain Keith Tomlinson then led to a big win against Edward Lawson and a 4 - 1 victory for the C team, which sees them as the new outright leaders.

The other match at Princeville produced something of a turn up, as bottom of the table Princeville B defeated Princeville D 4 - 1, meaning that 7 of their 12 points so far this season have come against these opponents. (Can we play you every week), Again the team that ended up second best won the first game, as my 32 break proved not enough to hold off Chris Jarvis's challenge. A game between the bottom two players in the players table looked like going heavily John Bedford's way, as he extended his 35 point handicap advantage over Mick Cockcroft to over 60, with less than 20 minutes to go, but a 32 break from Mick set the  nerves jangling and John had to scramble a few more points at the end for a 19 point victory, leaving the D team still 2 points in front on the night. The D team's Steve Gatenby was conceding 55 points to Don Hardcastle at the start and was not helped by the balls taking a distinct liking for the cushions throughout. Steve however kept going and was well within range by the last few minutes only for Don to score a valuable dozen or so points for a 13 point victory and a rare 4 -1 success for the B team

The Deaf Centre derby was played at Littlemoor, as the Deaf Centre is currently out of action, and the A team were without Peter O'Connell, meaning that Brian Robinson was again forced into a double shift. The B team however have had some good results of late and moved up to third spot in the table with a 4 - 1 victory. .Jeremy Dixon got them off to a good start with a 30 point win against Ihjaz Hussain, before Brian Robinson came agonisingly close in his first game against Ian Ford - losing by just 2. His second game was almost as close as he went down by 12 to Graham Lambert, whose result's in the last 3 matches have belied the earlier impression that he needed an increase in handicap! So all 4 points on the night for the B team with the A team hanging onto the double aggregate by just 4 points. 

So Princeville C lead the table by 2 points from Pudsey B, with Deaf Centre B a further 4 points behind. This position is unlikely to change much on Monday, when Princeville D and Deaf Centre A play their postponed fixture, but could do so on Tuesday when Deaf Centre A visit Princeville again to play league leaders Princeville C while Deaf Centre B play Princeville A. At Pudsey second placed Pudsey B entertain bottom of the table Princeville D and Pudsey A are at home to Princeville D

Stephen Kershaw

Secretary

  

 WEEKLY UPDATE 17 JANUARY 2024

With the Deaf Centre playing home matches at Pudsey, while repairs are carried out at their normal home venue, this might have been expected to favour league leaders Pudsey B, as they took on Deaf Centre B, and so it looked as Graham Tudor scored 242 in a 58 point victory over Ian Ford. Sid Ash then continued his winning run with a very narrow 3 point victory over Graham Lambert, who had signed off for Christmas with a first win of the season and got very near to a second one here. Jeremy Dixon however spoiled the home party, with a 74 point victory over Dave Howarth, to secure a win on the night for the Deaf Centre and the double aggregate point as well for a 3 - 2 win for his Deaf Centre team. Princeville C took full advantage of the leaders slip up, with a 5 - 0 victory over bottom of the table Princeville B, to draw level at the top of the table. Keith Tomlinson looked very out of sorts in the early stages of his game with Peter Turner and trailed by over 40 points with 13 minutes to go, but a break of 22, followed immediately by another run into the teens saw him overhaul the deficit and hang on to win by 9. Princeville B's John Bedford continues to struggle, and was not helped this week by travel problems on the motorway, but Graham Bentley looked very confident for the C team and ran away with a 48 point victory. In the last game, I had runs of 38 and 33 in the first half of my game to overcome a 40 point handicap deficit, but Paul Devitt is nothing if not patient and once his chances came he regained the lead to win by 30 and consign the B team to a fourth nil points in 8 matches, while the C team are now joint league leaders.

Both matches at Pudsey were turned round by big wins in the last game. Peter Allan got Pudsey A off to a good start with a 30 point victory over Peter O'Connell, and although Ralph Allan lost to Brian Robinson by 17, Pudsey still held an aggregate point lead, but Ihjaz Hussain then defeated John Allan by 95 to claim 3 more points for Deaf Centre A, who won both the match and the double aggregate for a 4 - 1 success. 

The other match at Princeville got off to an entertaining start as Dave Bowers, on a rare appearance, achieved numerous somewhat unexpected scores to hold onto his handicap lead against Edward Lawson. Edward came racing back into the game in the later stages but was still 4 points adrift at the bell. Mick Cockcroft's health problems are not helping his billiards and Gareth Kershaw took advantage with a 52 point victory, putting the A team well in control against the D team. Trevor Kershaw then had an early 32 break and never looked like letting the advantage slip, as he defeated Chris Jarvis by 25. This 4 - 1 win  moves Princeville A into third place, three and a half points behind the joint leaders - which makes next week's meeting between Princeville C and Princeville A a crucial encounter. Princeville D are six and a half points off the pace but like Deaf Centre A who have a point more, they are not out of the championship race, as they have a postponed match to play which has now been rearranged for Monday 27th January at Princeville

This coming week's fixtures are all derby affairs, as Princeville C play Princeville A and Princeville B play Princeville D. At Pudsey it's B v A, while on the other table tenants Deaf Centre A play Deaf Centre B

Stephen Kershaw

Secretary

 WEEKLY UPDATE 10 JANUARY 2025

No actual billiards to report on this week, with Tuesday's matches being postponed because of the weather and Wednesday's League Committee Meeting going the same way, but there are several admin type issues to report on

My current opinion - still to be confirmed by the committee - is that this week's postponed matches be played on Tuesday 25th February which is the week following the published fixture list. The Play Off competition to remain on the published dates, which are alternate weeks commencing 4th March. The Individual and Pairs matches (which interspace the Playoffs) will therefore be moved on by 2 weeks each, with some games now being scheduled for Easter Week 22nd April. I will publish a full list as we get nearer to those competitions starting - and once the dates have been confirmed. (If you play in both leagues please note note that the Pudsey League have taken a different approach with their postponed fixtures)

With the League Committee Meeting being postponed, draws have not been made for the Individual and Pairs competitions but with these not now starting until 11th March there is plenty of time

There is extensive repair work being carried out at the Deaf Centre, and as a result the Billiard Room will not be available for matches until at least February. It has therefore been agreed that until the Deaf Centre is available again their teams will play their home matches at Pudsey (Littlemoor). (Please note that the Deaf Centre have made other arrangements for their Pudsey League matches on Thursdays, which will be played at Windhill and Daisy Hill Cricket Club (known in my cricketing days as just Windhill Cricket Club))

The Deaf Centre's Graham Lambert has only made occasional appearances over a long number of years, making handicapping difficult, but as he has played more regularly this season there is more data available and it has been agreed that his handicap for the second half of the season will be increased to Rec 130, effective immediately

The weather is forecast to relent over the weekend and hopefully therefore next Tuesday's matches will go ahead as per the fixture list with Bradford Deaf Centre's home games being switched to Pudsey where they will meet their new hosts. It will be A v A and B v B. It's a derby week at Princeville where it's B v C and D v A

Stephen Kershaw

Secretary

 URGENT NOTICE 7 JANUARY 2024

All tonight's league fixtures (7 January) have been postponed, due to adverse weather conditions, and will be played later in the season.

This week's league committee meeting on Wednesday 8th has also been postponed until further notice

Stephen Kershaw

Secretary