With only half a dozen games remaining in the regular season, the Royal Sun (Begbroke) look to have the West Division sewn up.

Victory last Thursday over their nearest rivals, the Seacourt Bridge (Botley), enabled them to open up a six point gap, surely too insurmountable this deep into the campaign.

A keenly-fought contest, the Begbroke outfit secured a four point advantage early doors which they then managed to sustain right to the finish, carrying the day 72-68. “Always good fun playing there,” acknowledged winning skipper Simon before adding, “….whether we win or lose (Ed… um!).” As is habitual these days, he also commented favourably on the culinary delights. “...the sausage, chips and bread were as tasty as ever (Ed..agreed).”

Cautious as ever, The Cat is playing down the incontrovertible truth that the Premiership is the Plough’s for the taking. The Wolvercote side’s ninth win from 10 starts, a 73-60 success over the plucky Black’s Head (Bletchingdon), coupled with a 75-all draw between their chief protagonists, the Royal Blenheim ‘A’ (Oxford City) and the Ploughman’s Bunch (also Wolvercote), has left them three points clear. Only a collapse of biblical proportions will prevent the championship pennant winging their way: a hugely unlikely event.

The Green Road Club (Kidlington) has had, by their own high standards, an indifferent season. Perhaps buoyed by their strong showing in the Mary English seven days earlier however, they entered their match up with the Blue Boar Bees (Chipping Norton) with renewed vigour. Their opponents had been defeated just the once, and that at the hands of the irrepressible Plough, and have as good as successfully defended their title in the North. On this occasion though they trudged home, head in hands, having come off second best to Chinny and Co. 68-72.

The one section which looks the most likely to go down to the wire is the East. Frontrunners, the Black Swan (East Oxford), were relegated to third spot after being battered at home by the King’s Arms (Wheatley), 40-72, who now go second. Taking over the pacesetting duties, and quite possibly a poisoned chalice, are the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade). Struggling to field five players on a regular basis, they nevertheless have a hardcore of seasoned campaigners and their edging out of the Eight Bells (Long Crendon) by 66 to 64 was mightily impressive.

The North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown) have experienced a welcome return to form posting back to back triumphs, the latest at the expense of the Chandos Arms (Oakley), 72-59.

Elsewhere, the White Hart (Eynsham) continued their good run with a 73-63 dismissal of the Windrush Club (Witney), whilst great cheer at long last for the Woodman (North Leigh), who finally got off the mark with the narrowest of victories, 61-60, at the Chequers (Chipping Norton).

Meanwhile, up the road in Hook Norton, in quite honestly the most bizarre encounter for many a long year, the Royal Blenheim ‘B’ downed the Sun, 37-26, surely the lowest aggregate score ever recorded!

James Carr's questions

1. Which country produces approximately 50 per cent of cork harvested annually worldwide?
2. Which player with 48 goals is West Ham United’s all-time leading Premiership goalscorer? 
3. What is the most common German surname? 
4. Name the 1978 UK Top 10 hit which includes the lines: Runnin’ down the Avenue, See how the sun shines brightly, In the city on the streets where once was pity? 

Answers 
1. Portugal
2. Paulo Di Canio
3. Muller
4. Mr Blue Sky