Premier leaders the Cricketers came within an ace of a century of dolls for the second time this season as they scored 99 dolls in a 3-0 win at Section 1 leaders Three Pigeons.

Den Sellar (5-6-4) and Barry Townsend (5-6-4) both hit 15 dolls as Cricketers - who also hit 99 against the George five weeks ago - won all three legs 34-27, 32-28, 33-24.

White House A kept up the pressure on the Cricketers with a 3-0 win at home to New Club A, and remain only three points behind.

But champions the George slipped out of the title race after Garsington Sports Club inflicted a 2-1 defeat.

Kevin Giles (5-5-6) hit 16 dolls and Steve Walton (4-6-4) 14 for the George, but it was still not enough.

Garsington won the opening leg on three sticks after tying 28-28.

The George levelled in the second set with 33 dolls chasing a set of 30, but Garsington then took the decider 28-27.

Ken Maunder (3-6-4) starred for Garsington with 13 dolls.

In Section 2, leaders Black Swan beat third-placed the George B 2-1.

The Black Swan took the opening leg 25-14 and then set 27 in the next leg.

In reply, the George left anchorman Pete Shepherd three to tie the leg which he did with a stick to spare, but it came to nothing as Black Swan took it on three sticks.

Black Swan set 22 in the final leg, and this time anchorman Shepherd whipped off four dolls to tie it, before the George won the three-stick shoot-out.

Black Swan's Martin Green (5-4-4) top scored with 13 dolls.

Barry Gilding and Paul Ridgeley hit sixes for New Club B as they eased to a 3-0 win over the Plough.

In Section 3, Green Road Club scored more dolls than unbeaten leaders Vikings Sports B, but still ended up losing 2-1.

Vikings took the first two legs 23-20, 18-16.

Green Road Club came back in spectacular fashion to win the final leg 27-16, with Alan Middleton (4-3-5) bagging a dozen dolls.

Paul Sawyer (4-6-5) clanged off 15 dolls for the Masons - but it was in vain as they lost 2-1 at home to Vikings Sports 2-1 in Section 4.

Leaders Cowley Workers suffered only their second defeat of the season with a 2-1 loss at home to Quarry Gate.

Workers won the first leg 19-13, and then set 20 in the next two legs, but each time anchor man Phil Hounslow whipped off the three needed to take victory.

The Crown, Charlton on Otmoor's Clare Williams got married to teammate Simon Lawes and they played aunt sally at the reception.

The practice paid off as they beat the Unicorn 2-1 in Section 7.

TEAMS in Sections 9 and 12 should note that the Cavalier in Marston has now shut. Their home games are now at The Red Lion Old Marston.

RESULTS Premier/Section 1: George A 1, Garsington Sports 2; Three Pigeons 0, Cricketers B 3; Red Lion A 3, Gladiators A 0; Woodman 0, Kings Arms 3; White House A 3, New Club A 0.

Section 2: New Club 3, Plough 0; Six Bells 2, Tiddington Cricket 1; Red Lion Brill 0, Kidlington Sports B 3; Black Swan A 2, George B 1.

Section 3: Vikings Sports B 2, Green Road Club 1; Cowley Con Club 0, Donnington Club A 3; Fairview A 2, Gardiner Arms 1; Quarry Gate B 1, Chequers B 2; North Oxford Con 0, White House B 3.

Section 4: Chequers A 1, Rose Hill Dwarfs 2; Golden Ball B 0, Red Lion Islip 3; Cowley Workers 1, Quarry Gate A; Masons A 1, Vikings Sports A 2; Bull 1, Red Lion B Eynsham 2.

Section 5: Viking Sports C 1, Whitemore Arms 2; Red LIon 1, Lord Kitchener B 2; Dogwood 3, Chandos Arms A 0; Kidlington Sports A 2, Crown A 1; Highfield B 1, Blackbird 2.

Section 6: Nelson A 0, Red Lion 3; Team Monarch 1, Golden Ball A 2; Kennington Club A 2, Nut Tree 1; Queens Head 0, Brill Club A 3; Democrats 0, Cricketers Arms A 3.

Section 7: Crown B 2, Unicorn 1; Barley Mow 2, Highfield B 1; Ashton 2, Eight Bells 1; Brill Club B 2, Blacks Head Inn 1; Red Cow 2, Plough B 1.

Section 8: Chequers C 1, Red Lion Wendover 2; Kings Arms 1, Black Horse A 2; Cricketers A 1, White Hart 2; Gladiators B 1, Jolly Postboys 2; Chandos Arms B 2, Six Bells A 1.

Section 9: Red Lion B Cassington 3, Somerset House 0; Red Lion Wolvercote 1, Fairview B 2; Shelley Arms 0, Littlemore Rugby 3; Headington RBL 2, Masons B 1; Cavalier A 3, Nelson B 0.

Section 10: Northway Club 2, Red Lion C Eynsham 1; Donnington Club B 3, Yarnton RBL 0; Plough A 3, Yarnton RBL 0; Plough A 3, Red Lion A Cassington 0; Catherine Wheel 0, Kidlington Sports C 3.

Section 11: George Inn A 0, Folly Bridge Inn 3: White Hart 2, Kennington Club B 1; Black Horse B 1, Jolly Sportsman 2; Donnington Arms 3, Black Swan B 0; Kings Arms Ladies 0, Chequers D 3.

Section 12: Six Bells B 3, Railway Club 0; Oxford Rugby Club 1, Jack Russell 2; JR Club 3, George B 0.

Sixers: A Keen (Kings Arms), B Townsend, P Adams, K Baker, D Seller (Cricketers B), K Giles, S Walton (George A), K Maunder (Garsington Sp), M Washington (New Club A), M Cook (Gladiators A), P Sawyer (Masons A), B Gilding, P Ridgeley (New Club B), P Simpson (Donnington Club A), L Brown (Rose Hill Dwarfs), P Jackson (Red Lion Garsington), S Ledwell (Nelson A), D Stansfield (Cricketers A).

Blobbers: M Cowley, S Arden (Unicorn), D Byrne (Yarnton RBL), M Arnold (Black Horse), S Fincher (Kings Arms), C Cook (Plough B).