Greene King Oxford & District League Section 1 leaders New Club sprang a surprise by winning 2-1 at Premier table-toppers Cricketers to open up a three-point lead, writes ANDY BEAL.

New Club won the opening leg 29-27 with the Cricketers levelling in the next 31-24, before the visitors took the decider 31-27.

Cricketers’ Kevin Baker (5-5-4) top-scored with 14 dolls as his side stayed top of the Premier Section.

Steve Walton (4-6-5) shone with 15 dolls to help George come from behind and beat Black Swan 2-1.

He was well supported by teammate Kevin Giles (4-4-6) with 14 dolls.

Garsington Sports Club move into second spot in Section 1 after beating Three Pigeons 2-1.

Sports scored 27 in all three legs, taking a 2-0 lead, before Three Pigeons hit 28 in the last.

Eddie Edwards (6-4-4) starred for Three Pigeons with 14 dolls, while Martin Ruffels (5-4-4) was top dog for Garsington with 13.

Squire Bassett’s title ambitions suffered a setback as they lost 2-1 at home to Six Bells Quarry, who won two of the three legs on three sticks.

James Bennett (4-5-5) hit 14 dolls for Six Bells.

Punch Bowl posted more dolls than the Woodman, but still ended up losing 2-1 after taking the opening leg 22-14, before losing the next two 22-20, 15-14.

Charlie Buckingham (3-5-5) led the way for Woodman with a baker’s dozen.

Mark Poulter (4-6-3) also clanged off 13 dolls, but it couldn’t save Royal Sun from a 3-0 defeat against Ampleforth Arms in Section 3.

Vikings Sports B opened up a gap in Section 4 after beating title rivals the Griffin 3-0.

Robin Charlton (4-4-4) hit a steady dozen dolls for the victors.

In Section 5, Folly Bridge’s Martyn Boulton went from failing to trouble the doll in the first leg to whipping off all six with his final throw in a 3-0 win over Marston British Legion.

Anchor man Barry Mudd was Kidlington Sports Club A’s hero as he hit the winning dolls in a 3-0 victory over Chequers C in Section 7.

The first leg was tied 12-12 with Mudd hitting the three sticks needed to tie, before Kidlington won it back on six sticks after three and one stick shoot-outs were tied.

Mudd then whipped off the four dolls needed to win the second leg 17-16.

In the final leg, Chequers set 11 and Mudd did not need any this time as it was all over by the time he threw, which was lucky as he failed to score.

RESULTS

GREENE KING OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Premier & Section 1: George 2, Black Swan 1; Rowing Machine 1, White Hart A 2; Headington British Legion 2, Six Bells C Kidlington 1; Garsington Sports A 2, Three Pigeons 1; Cricketers B 1, New Club A 2.

Section 2: White Hart B Eynsham 1, Gladiators A 2; Squire Bassett 1, Six Bells A 2; Red Lion Brill 3, Queens Head A 0; Punch Bowl 1, Woodman 2; Chequers A 2, Kidlington Sports B 1.

Section 3: Tiddington Cricket Club 1, Three Horseshoes 2; Royal Sun 0, Ampleforth 3; North Oxford Con Club A 1, Team Monarch 2; Chequers C 1, Vikings Sports A 2.

Section 4: Vikings Sports B 3, Griffin 0; Quarry Gate B 3, Kennington Club A 0; Masons A 0, Seacourt Bridge 3; Fairview A 1, Garsington Sports B 2; Cricketers 0, Kidlington Green SC 3.

Section 5: Queens Head B 3, King & Queen 0; New Club B 3, Cricketers A 0; Nelson B 2, Six Bells A 1; Marston BL 0, Folly Bridge 3; Donnington Club A 2, Chandos Arms B 1.

Section 6: Nut Tree 1, Black Bull 2; Golden Ball B 3, Vikings Sports C 0; Gladiators B 2, Littlemore Rugby Club 1; Donnington Club C 0, Nelson A 3.

Section 7: Red Lion Wendlebury 3, Masons B 0; Kidlington Sports A 3, Chequers B 0; Chandos Arms A 1, Red Lion A Wolvercote 2; Brill Club B 0, Red Lion Yarnton 3.

Section 8: White Hart C Eynsham 2, Jolly Sportsman 1; Six Bells B Kidlington 2, Golden Ball A 1; Rose Hill Club 2, Blackbird 1; Red Lion B Cassington 0, North Oxford Con Club B 3; Donnington Arms 3, Brill Club A 0.

Section 9: Orginal Swan A 1, Fairview B 2; Kings Arms 1, Red Lion A Kidlington 2; Florence Park Club 3, Donnington Club B 0; Crown B 1, Priory A 2; Cowley Con Club 1, Prince of Wales 2.

Section 10: Red Lion Old Marston 2, Catherine Wheel B 1; Red Lion B Kidlington 1, Corner House 2; Hollybush A 1, Orginal Swan B 2; Crown & Thistle 3, White Hart 0.

Section 11: Kite 3, Original Swan C 0; Kennington Club B 3, Priory B 0; George & Dragon 1, Kings Arms B 2.

Sixers: B Townsend, J Townsend, D Sellar (Cricketers B), K Giles, S Walton (George), E Edwards (Three Pigeons), M Poulter (Royal Sun), M Boulton (Folly Bridge).

Blobbers: M Meeson (Masons A), J Sercombe (Kennington Club A), R Sharp (Chandos Arms B), G Lofthouse (Black Bull), B Newman, G Bateman (Red Lion B Cassington), G Howell (Catherine Wheel B), A Lidament, R Smy (Red Lion Kidlington), C Gardner (Corner House), C Linekar (George & Dragon), M Davies (Priory B).

ABINGDON & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Premier & A Section: Spread Eagle 3, Abingdon Legion 3; Steventon Sports A 3, Spread Eagle B 3.

B Section: Admiral Benbow 3, White Horse 3; Abingdon United D 4, Abingdon United C 2; Red Lion A 4, Harwell Legion 2; Berinsfield SC 6, College Oak 0; Barley Mow 4, Abingdon Con Club 2.

C Section: Flowing Well 5, Pack Horse 1; Plough East Hendred 6, Brewery Tap 0; Wootton Legion 2, Vine Cumnor 4; North Star B 6, Plough Long Wittenham 0; Harwell Legion 0, Steventon Sports 6.

D Section: Chequers Charney Bassett 4, Hatchett Childrey 2; White Horse 3, Volunteer 3; Crown Marcham 6, Spread Eagle 0.

E Section: Wheatsheaf 0, Red Lion 6; Bowyers Arms 4, Stanford FC 2; Abingdon Arms 2, Crown Didcot 4; Eight Bells 6, Plough Sutton 0; GWRSA 5, Eight Bells 1.

F Section: Brewery Tap 4, Boundary House 2; Fleur De Lys 6, Black Horse 0; North Star 1, Plough Appleton 5; Didcot Con Club 3, Cross Keys Abingdon 3; Old Anchor 4, Bear & Ragged Staff 2.

G Section: College Oak 2, Morning Star 4; Goodlake Arms 3, Plough Hanney 3; Bear North Morton 5, North Star 1.

H Section: Boundary House 0, Wheatsheaf 6; Railway Inn 0, Steventon Sports 6; Royal Oak 3, Goodlake Arms 3.

Sixer: K Smith.

Blobbers: J Handley, M Einon, R Normington, N Steele, B Dakin Norris, F Kelly, A Andrews, D Hughes.