DESPITE the cold weather there was some red-hot throwing, and the pick of the bunch was New Club’s Adrian Shepherd, who clanged off a remarkable 16 dolls (5-6-5) as his side beat local rivals Garsington Sports Club 2-1.

Garsington set all three legs and lost the first two by a whisker (23-22 and 24-22). They grabbed a well-deserved point in the final leg 22-21.

Rob Bradford excelled for The Black Prince with 15 dolls, including a maximum six (4-6-5) and was well-supported by Roger Goodall with 14 dolls (5-5-4) at home to The Swan A. Black Prince set 22 in the opening leg, and some erratic scoring in reply saw Swan fall two short with 20. In the second leg, a six from Bradford and four from anchor man Mick Phipps saw them tie the leg and send it to three sticks. Swan only set eight, with Phipps clanging off the winning doll with a chase of nine. A set of 23 in the final leg was enough to give The Prince maximum points.

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In Section Two, the Chequers A and B sides played each other and it was the B team that came out on top thanks to some fine throwing from Graham Morton, who hit 14 dolls (5-4-5). With the game at 1-1, the A team set 19 in the final leg. In reply, B team anchor man Chris Webb needed five to win and he did not disappoint, clanging off the winning doll with his final stick.

Seacourt Bridge had a disastrous start at home to Queens Head when they could only muster up a reply of seven to the set of 13 in the first leg. They rallied well in the second leg to level 16-14 but lost the final leg 13-11. Steve Walton hit a baker’s dozen (4-5-4) for Donnington Club A as they slayed the Gladiators B 3-0.

In Section Three, The Tandem had a good start at Bletchington Sports Club winning the opening leg 19-11, however that was to be their only success as the hosts hit back in the next two legs. Yarnton British Legion had to come from behind to beat visitors Rose Hill Club 2-1. Chasing a set of only nine in the opening leg, Legion left anchor man Paul Kilcoyne two to win, however he blobbed out to give Rose Hill an early lead. Legion levelled in the next leg, and in the decider, Kilcoyne needed two to win and this time he whipped off the two dolls needed.

OTHER RESULTS

Section Four: Swan C 0, Masons Arms B 3; Six Bells B 1, Cricketers Arms 2; Littlemore Rugby Club 0, Duke Of Monmouth 3; George B 3, Kidlington FC A 0; Cowley Workers 1, Northway Club B 2.

Section Five: Catherine Wheel A 0, Six Bells C 3; Red Lion A 3, Democrats Club 0; Northway Club C 2, Headington Con Club 1; White Hart 1, Golden Ball 2.

SIXERS: D Mingham (Cricketers Cowley), R Bradford (Black Prince), A Shepherd (New Club).

BLOBBERS: G Thomas (Littlemore Rugby Club), L Bucksey, C Gibbs (Democrats Club), S Warman (George B), R Smith (Swan C).

TOP DOLL SCORERS: 16: A Shepherd (New Club); 15: K Baker (Gladiators A), R Bradford (Black Prince); 14: G Morton (Chequers B), R Goodall (Black Prince); 13: A Surman (Red Lion A), S Walton (Donnington Club A).