11:40am Thursday 29th July 2010
Headington's Shaun Claridge came back from the dead to be crowned Oxfordshire singles champion for the first time with a 21-17 win over Carterton’s Paul Sharman at Chipping Norton.
Claridge looked to be facing a heavy defeat when he trailed 15-3 after 11 ends of the final.
But he started a fightback with seven shots over the next four ends to make it 15-10.
Sharman appeared to have stopped the rot with a two on the next.
But then Claridge chalked up 11 unanswered shots over the next six ends to seal a remarkable comeback.
Claridge’s triumph was the highlight of a hat-trick of titles for Headington, who also captured the triples and fours crowns.
The triples title was always going to be Headington’s as they provided both finalists.
And it was the side of Nathan Lewis, Nick Rae-Welsh and Howard Watts, who dethroned reigning champions Ian Henwood, Paul Mabbutt and Craig Nicoll 19-9.
Skip Watts lifted the trophy for a sixth time, while his two teammates were claiming county title for the first time.
The fours final also produced convincing winners with Colin Whitehead, Mark Peachey, Ian Snowdon and Mark Charlett brushing aside Oxford City & County’s Vic Bye, Brian Slatter, Paul Comley and Chris Earl 21-14.
Shiplake Village’s Jim Bland and Barry Lambourne, a previous winner, took the pairs title with a 19-8 win over Banbury Borough’s John Philpott and Calvin Carpenter.
The under 25s singles crown went to Carterton’s Ryan Full, who defeated Cotswold’s Shane Cooper 21-13.
All the finalists now go forward to the national championships at Worthing, which get under way on Saturday, August 14.
FINAL RESULTS
Under 25s: S Cooper (Cotswold) 13, R Full (Carterton) 21.
Singles: P Sharman (Carterton) 17, S Claridge (Headington) 21.
Pairs: J Philpott & C Carpenter (Banbury Borough) 8, J Bland & B Lambourne (Shiplake Village) 19.
Triples: I Henwood, P Mabbutt, C Nicoll (Headington) 9, N Lewis, N Rae-Welsh, H Watts (Headington) 19.
Fours: V Bye, B Slatter, P Comley, C Earl (Oxford City & County) 14, C Whitehead, M Peachey, I Snowdon, M Charlett (Headington) 21.
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