A great pity that a clash of commitments deprived the Royal Blenheim ‘A’ (Oxford city) of a full strength line-up as they entertained the also hitherto unbeaten Plough (Wolvercote).

Fielding just three players (they had even cajoled question setter James to read the quiz), they succumbed, inevitably, 65-82, and so are displaced by their conquerors at the head of the Premiership table.

Reeling from back to back defeats against the protagonists above, the Ploughman’s Bunch! (also Wolvercote) vented their frustration on the luckless Black Swan (east Oxford) 91-46.

Three rounds in and only four teams, including the Plough, can still boast 100 per cent records. One of these belongs to defending champions from the north, the Blue Boar Bees (Chipping Norton). Their impressive run was extended with a 70-51 victory over the Woodman (North Leigh) and their reward is pole position in their section. Previous front runners the Black’s Head (Bletchingdon), faltered at home to the Chequers (also Chippy). A close encounter in a low-scoring affair ended, appropriately, all square, 59-59.

Perhaps the surprise of the campaign so far has been the King’s Arms (Wheatley). So long the bridesmaid, they find themselves leading the east three wins from three, with successes over strong opponents including their latest victim, the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade) by 65 to 50. They could stay unbeaten into the new year. (And that’s put the kybosh on that!) The Royal Sun (Begbroke) continues to act as the benchmark in the west. Defending their title, their third straight triumph came at the expense of the Royal Blenheim ‘B’, 66-55, but who, it has been suggested, had one eye on the shedloads of scrummy pizza served up at the conclusion of hostilities.

As an ex-offender seeking rehabilitation you could do worse than visit Oakley, where the notorious mastermind of the Great Train Robbery, Bruce Reynolds, was once invited to a book-signing session and ended up opening the local fete! Such benevolence enabled the local hostelry, the Chandos Arms, to answer one of their questions, but it was not enough, as they went down 59-71, at the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown).

The curse of the columnist has struck again! Predictably, having talked up the chances of the Seacourt Bridge (Botley), they were beaten by the Eight Bells (Long Crendon) 71-61.

Also bouncing back from a miserable start, the Green Road Club (Kidlington) just squeezed past the plucky Sun (Hook Norton), 71-63. Meanwhile, the Windrush Club (Witney), long the harbingers of false dawns, will have hoped to have turned the corner after overcoming the White Hart (Eynsham), 72-65.