JOHN Townsend and Kevin Giles were in sparkling form during a top-notch Premier Section clash, writes ANDY BEAL.

The duo both hit 16 dolls as Townsend’s Cricketers B side beat Giles’s Three Pigeons team 2-1.

Cricketers took the opening leg on a three-stick shoot-out after the scores were level on 25-25.

Three Pigeons hit back, winning the second on three sticks after the teams tied 28-28.

But Cricketers claimed the match with a 26-22 success in the deciding leg.

The match was dominated by the two players, however, with Townsend hitting 6-4-6 and Giles notching up 6-5-5.

The game between Six Bells C Kidlington and Red Lion A Eynsham saw four players hit a maximum.

Dick Walsh (Six Bells) top-scored with 14 dolls (6-3-5) as they won all three legs 27-23, 25-20, 33-25.

Mick Berry’s bakers’ dozen (2-6-5) was top dog for Red Lion.

Only two points separate top from bottom in Section 1 after leaders Gladiators A lost 3-0 at Ampleforth Arms A.

Paul Granville bagged a six as Ampleforth secured a 25-19, 22-20, 22-17 triumph.

In Section 2, Cowley Workers are still searching for their first win of the season after losing 3-0 at home to Black Prince A.

Trailing 2-0, Workers set 18 in the final leg, and Black Prince were on just eight with two players left.

But No 7 David Leopold clanged off five dolls and anchor man Ian Grant whipped off all six to give them an unlikely final leg win.

Nothing could separate Team Monarch and Bullnose Morris in the first two legs – both tied 19-19, 18-18 with each team winning a leg apiece on three sticks.

Bullnose clinched victory, however, with a 21-17 scoreline in the final leg.

Woodman’s Neil Pratley was in fine form, hitting 14 dolls (4-6-4) to give his side a 2-1 win at Six Bells A Quarry in leg scores of 17-12, 24-15, 18-19.

Queens Head A remain winless and rooted at the bottom of Section 3 after losing 3-0 at Kennington Club A.

Kennington anchor man Chris Hughes clipped off the five dolls needed in the final leg to ensure his side left with maximum points.

In Section 5, King & Queen B had Nigel Bower to thank for winning them the first two games away at West Oxford Democrats Club.

The anchor man hit a four in both as his side chased down 15 and 18 to win the legs by one doll in a 2-1 victory.

In Section 9, Tracy Denton hit 11 dolls (4-2-5) and Paul Grant ten (4-3-3) to inspire Kings Arms to a 2-1 win at home to Blackbird.

RESULTS

Greene King Oxford & District League

Premier/Section 1: Three Pigeons 1, Cricketers B 2; Six Bells C Kidlington 3, Red Lion A Eynsham 0; Red Lion B Eynsham 3, New Club A 0; Garsington Sports A 1, Vikings Sports B 2; Ampleforth Arms A 3, Gladiators A 0.

Section 2: Team Monarch 1, Bullnose Morris A 2; Six Bells A Quarry 1, The Woodman 2; Cowley Workers 0, Black Prince A 3; Chequers A 1, The Griffin 2; Black Prince B 1, Rose Hill Club A 2.

Section 3: Six Bells A Kidlington 2, Headington Con Club A 1; King & Queen A 0, Three Horseshoes 3; Kennington Club A 3, Queens Head A 0; Chequers C 3, Crown 0; Seacourt Bridge 1, Red Lion B, 2.

Section 4: Vikings Sports A 3, Masons Arms A 0; Kidlington Sports B 3, Garsington Sports B 0; Crown A 1, Six Bells B 2; Cowley Con Club 0, Original Swan A, 3.

Section 5: Vikings Sports C 1, Donnington Club A 2; Queens Head B 0, Pheasant Inn 3; Democrats Club 1, King & Queen B 2.

Section 6: The Priory 1, Chequers B 2; Red Lion C Eynsham 3, Chandos Arms 0; Red Lion A Kidlington 2, George A 1; Gladiators B 1, Kidlington Sports A 2; Donnington Club C 2, Fairview Inn B 1.

Section 7: Prince Of Wales 0, Six Bells D Kidlington 3; Northway Club 3, Donnington Club B 0; Marston British Legion 1, Ampleforth Arms B 2; Cricketers A 2, Catherine Wheel 1; Brill Sports Club A 0, Red Lion 3.

Section 8: Jolly Sportsman 1, Six Bells B Kidlington 2; Bullnose Morris B 3, Donnington Arms 0.

Section 9: White Hart 1, Red Lion A Cassington 2; Original Swan C 2, The Kite 1; North Oxford Con Club B 3, Crooked Pot B 0; Kings Arms 2, The Blackbird 1; George B 2, Crown B 1.

Section 10: Red Lion B Cassington 3, Headington British Legion 0; Prince Of Wales 2, Red Lion C Kidlington 1; Headington Con Club B 1, Cricketers Arms 2; Bystander 0, Kennington Club B 3.

Sixers

J Townsend (2), K Baker (Cricketers B), K Giles (Three Pigeons), P Glanville (Ampleforth Arms A), G Smith (Vikings Sports B), R Goodall, D. Walsh, A Surman (Six Bells C, Kidlington), M Berry (Red Lion A, Eynsham), N Pratley (The Woodman), I Grant (Black Prince A), I Walters (Kennington Club A), A Giles (Northway Club).

Blobbers

J Ryan (Chequers A), J Mazey (King & Queen A), D Middleton (Masons Arms A), T Kirby (The Priory), K Soanes (Donnington Club), S Lovegrove (Prince Of Wales), B Stone (White Hart), B Faulkner (Red Lion B, Cassington), D Spriggs (Headington British Legion), M Goodenough (Headington Con Club).

BICESTER & DISTRICT LEAGUE

(Sponsored by Hook Norton Brewery)

Premier Division/Division 1: Launton S&SC A 2, White Lion 1; Black Bull A 2, Muddy Duck 1; Highfield SC A 3, Ashton Club 0; Plough B Bicester 3, Prince of Wales 0.

Division 2: Red Cow 0, Bell Bicester 3; Red Lion Finmere 2, Bull & Butcher A 1; Red Lion Wendlebury 3, Black Bull 0; Bull Launton 1, Shakespeare 2.

Division 3: Bull & Butcher B 1, Nut Tree 3; Fountain A 1, White Horse A 2.

Division 4: White Horse B 1, Launton S&SC B 2; Red Lion Stratton Audley 0, Ex Services Avengers 3; White Hart 3, Crown Gawcott 0; Royal Oak 1, Fountain B 2.

Division 5: Black Bull C 0, Chearsley Cricketers 3; Safari Garden 3, Eight Bells 0; Blacks Head 1, KEA 2; Angel 0, Plough A Bicester 3.