OXFORDSHIRE got off to a winning start in the Balcomb Trophy, edging to victory over Berkshire at Headington BC.

Paul Sharman’s rink proved the heroes, their 28-22 success helping the side to a 43-41 overall win, securing Oxon a place in the regional finals in Surrey on Sunday, June 23.

AJ Docherty’s four, the highest scorers in Oxfordshire’s Middleton Cup victory the previous week, lost 19-15.

But Sharman’s four saved the day, edging home to secure a narrow triumph.

Oxfordshire 43, Berkshire 41

(Oxon scores first)

Rink 1: S Watts, S Cooper, C Gilkes & P Sharman bt S Winskill, K Mallandain, P Hulbert & A Knapper 28-22.

Rink 2: J Abercrombie, K Holloway, M Sykes & A J Docherty lost to C Shaw, BJ Byles, D Holder & R Newman 19-15.

Oxfordshire went down 115-102 to Leicestershire in a friendly match at Narborough BC.

They won on only two rinks, although only one shot separated them on two others.

Leicestershire 115, Oxfordshire 102

(Oxon rink scores)

Rink 1: B Willoughby, J Stephens, J Benfield & M Andrew won 19-16.

Rink 2: N Hambridge, J McGeough, J Hurren & B Bloomfield won 23-20.

Rink 3: R Radband, T Gripe, D Wedge & M Morris lost 19-20.

Rink 4: K Washngton, A Smith, K Buckle & I Whelpton lost 10-23.

Rink 5: B Jrvie, B Ealey, D Bullock & A Ley lost 14-18.

Rink 6: P Demczak, R Oliver, A Fleming & C Lewis lost 17-18.

  • OXFORDSHIRE Under 25s achieved their first Junior Home Counties League win in three seasons with a 6-4 victory over Buckinghamshire.

Despite only winning one of the three matches, Harvey Alder’s rink triumphed by a big margin as Oxon secured a 76-55 success.

The result went some way to making up for a shocking start to the event when Oxfordshire lost 10-0 defeat to Berkshire.

  • OXFORDSHIRE’S women lost 125-100 to Kent in their Johns Trophy match.

They could only triumph on two of the six rinks and went down 18 points to four.

Oxfordshire 100 (4pts), Kent 125 (18)

(Oxon rink scores)

Rink 1: M Morris, E Brown, P Ray & B Havard lost 24-21.

Rink 2: J Stafford, G Muir, C Thornhill & W Cross lost 25-14.

Rink 3: J Flitter, P Taylor, H Kingsley & C Penson lost 23-11.

Rink 4: M Bullock, E Robinson, P Faulkner & C Gaskins won 21-19.

Rink 5: J Lynch, M Alderson, L Kemish & D Knight lost 19-14.

Rink 6: S Mayo, J Banton, C Bloomfield & J Berry won 19-15.

  • TOM Clark’s rink secured a first of the season when they claimed all eight shots on an end.

The achievement helped Adderbury beat Charlbury 5-1 in Division 2 of the Oxford & District League.

The full house came on end six, helping Clark’s rink to a 26-12 win.

Elsewhere, leaders City & County beat Chipping Norton 5-1.

John Benfield’s rink led Alan Ley’s side by three shots at 15 ends but lost 12 shots on the last three ends to ensure City secured victory.

Five dropped shots on the 17th end cost South Oxford’s Vic de Paauw the game against Headington B’s Russell Edwards. But it did not matter as his side ran out 4-2 winners.

In Division 1 the top two sides both triumphed, Headington A thumping Witney Town 6-0, with Mark Charlett’s rink winning by 28 shots, the biggest in the league this season.

Second-placed Carterton whitewashed West Witney to keep up the chase.

Bicester lost 4-2 at Thame in Division 3 and slipped to second, with Chadlington taking over after their 4-2 win over Banbury Central B.

RESULTS ROUND-UP

Division 1

Banbury Central A 69 (4) Watlington 65 (2) (Banbury skips first): N Galletly 19, D Auger 13; W Campion 16, C Gilkes 20; M Andrew 20, S Watts 14; K McNeil 14, G Hooker 18.

Carterton 95 (6) West Witney 51 (0) (Carterton skips first): P Sharman 18, P Skidmore 15; Rob Clanfield 22, S Cooper 13; B Sparkes 26, D Leighfield 14; G Walker 29, K Alder 9.

Headington A 117 (6), Witney Town 35 (0) (Headington skips first): N Rae-Welsh 26, B Bloomfield 4; M Charlett 35, P Warner 7; H Watts 28, Scholan 14; I Snowdon 28, P Demczak 10.

Division 2

Charlbury 64 (1), Adderbury 85 (5) (Charlbury skips first): E Pitts 26, C Skidmore 13; D Dix 16, P Gladden 19; Mark East 10, D Sharpe 27; D Cooper 12, T Clark 26.

South Oxford A 72 (4), Headington B 60 (2) (S Oxford skips first): D Tidball 9, C Whitehead 12; V De Paauw 17, R Edwards 19; M Keen 25, P Arundel 17; K Mobley 21, S Gould 12.

Chipping Norton 57 (1), City & County A 81 (5) (Chipping Norton skips first): K Field 6, C Pollard 25; J Benfield 14, A Ley 23; P Hickman 25, O Shariff 11; T Sealey 12, C Lewis 22.

Division 3

Shiplake 84 (5), Bloxham 42 (1) (Shiplake skips first): J Bland 13, T Gardner 15; B Lambourne 25, J Lucas 11; G Kennedy 24, R Hopkins 11; D Webb 22, D Morse 5.

Thame 57 (4), Bicester 52 (2) (Thame skips first): B Giles 19, M Graves 7; C Shannan 13, P Sansome 16; K Calcutt 15, P Hooley 10; R Jenner 10, K Taylor 19.

Chadlington 62 (4), Banbury Central B 49 (2) (Chadlington skips first): C Smart 12, R Cox 14; P Madeley 18, E Creed 8; R Arthur 16, K Williams 17; P Radbone 16, T McKenna 10.

Division 4

City & County B 89 (5), Burford 57 (1) (City skips first): T Gripe 21, J Hurren 17; M Plested 16, D Lafford 26; K Buckingham 28, S Gould 6; R Heaven 24, B Parker 8.

Woodstock 76 (5), South Oxford B 47 (1) (Woodstock skips first): S Hopkins 21, J Cope 7; P Shipton 16, D Lyne 10; T Stevens 21, D Child 9; D Francis 18, D Bye 21.

Oxford University Press 71 (5), West Oxford 66 (1) (Oxford skips first): P Tweddle 24, M Bostock 16; D Barlow 20, C Sherwood 10; G Jordan 19, A Blackburn 12; R Cann 8, G Richardson 28.