Warwickshire & West Midlands Sport

Champions come a cropper

CHAMPIONS Stratford suffered a 3-1 defeat to pretenders Moreton-in-Marsh in the Prudden Summer Tennis League Premier Division.
Another upset saw Littleton, who began their campaign so strongly last week with a 4-0 victory, go down 3-1 to Henley-in-Arden who head the table after overtaking Evesham who lost 4-0 to Stratford B.
Moreton’s captain Will Hale and partner Gary Jackson did most damage to Stratford with straight sets wins over Tim Page/Callum Bailey 6-3, 7-6, and Richard Monk/Sam Righton 6-2, 6-2.
Moreton’s other pair Chris Adams and Brian Lomas secured victory by beating Monk and Righton 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8) in the closest of championship tie-breaks but they went down 3-6, 3-6 to Stratford’s first pair Page and Bailey.
Henley moved top after a good win over Littleton with top pair Ben Summers and John Turner enjoying comfortable straight set wins over Andy Reynolds and Richard Herborn 6-2, 6-3, plus Sean Witheford and Joe Sinclair 6-3, 6-3.
The second Henley pair Rob Summers and Phil Silk endured two epic tie-break struggles, going down in the first to Witheford/Sinclair 7-5, 2-6, 0-1 (6-10), but ensured overall victory by overcoming Reynolds/Herborn 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (13-11).
Evesham were surprised by Stratford B whose first pair James Smith and Phil. Cox took maximum points by beating John Clarke and Chris Francis 6-4, 7-6, and then Dave Hubbard/Simon Wall 7-6, 6-2. The other Stratford pair Olivier Rott and Sam Righton beat Hubbard/Wall 6-3, 6-4, and Clarke/Francis 6-2, 6-4.
Inkberrow beat visitors Claverdon 3-1 but no details are yet known. The home side have been issued with an official warning for not submitting their scorecard within the time limit allowed for under rule 17.
DIVISION ONE
Alcester stay top after another 4-0 victory over Tanworth-in-Arden. Chipping Campden moved up to second a point behind after thrashing Inkberrow B 4-0.
A further point adrift are Ardencote Manor who slipped back to third after being held to 2-2 draw by Bidford-on-Avon, while Pershore remained fourth after beating Whitnash 3-1.
DIVISION TWO
The top two, Claverdon B and Shipston B, shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw and stay joint top.
Stratford C gained two valuable away points to move up to joint third with FISSC after drawing 2-2 with Studley.
FISSC also drew 2-2 with Alcester B who are now joined in fifthnot only by Studley B as a result of their aforementioned draw, but also by Harbury who beat Littleton B 3-1.
DIVISION THREE
Snitterfield remain top despite being held to a 2-2 draw byIlmington who stay equal second.
They share second place with Aston Cantlow who move up courtesy of a 4-0 drubbing of HDA Redditch. Studley, without a game this week, slip to equal fourth while FISSC B join them in fourth after drawing 2-2 with Campden B.
DIVISION FOUR
Leaders Shipston B blasted Inkberrow B 4-0, while previous joint leaders Inkberrow C dropped to third after they were surprisingly held 2-2 by Campden C who recorded their first points of the season.
Newly promoted Wildmoor Spa moved into second spot by beating still pointless Claverdon C 4-0.
DIVISION FIVE
Snitterfield B have taken over at the top after defeating joint leaders Alcester C 3-1.
Alcester slipped to equal second alongside HDA B who jumped up the table by blowing away Henley C 4-0. Pershore also gained ground to join Henley B, who had no game this week, in joint fourth when they beat Bidford B 3-1.

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