WEST COUNTRY NEWS
Wessex Billiards Championship
Justin Cole, Phil Davis, Brian Harvey and Mike Allen will make up the
semi-finals of the Wessex Individual Billiards Championship after the
qualifying stages which had involved four groups of five players. The
biggest surprise of the day was the elimination of last year’s Champion,
Michael White, who was crucially defeated by just five points in his
group match against Mike Allen. Mike went on to secure his semi-final
place by defeating Keith Tozer in his last match by a single point! Justin
Cole won all 4 of his games including a victory over Roy Foster who
ousted Brian Harvey last year. Phil Davis topped his group, winning a
deciding game against Vince Hardwell who was returning to the
Championship after several years absence through back problems. Brian
Harvey also won all four of his matches, but was made to struggle by
Dick Watts who led for 25 minutes before Brian produced a break of 159
to secure his win.
Sandford Orcas & District Billiards League
The current season got away to a good start for our rivals the Black Puds
from the Dove Valley League when on 22nd September at Mayfield
near Ashbourne, they pulled off their best win ever against Sandford
Orcas League Scrumpys. This was our 11th meeting and it proved to be
just as light-hearted and friendly as the previous ten. We look forward to
the next set-to at Wincanton in April 2002.
| D Feeley | 271 | C Walters | 164 | ||
| B Hayes | 239 | M Woolmington | 122 | ||
| M Feeley | 119 | R. Coffin | 114 | ||
| R Plant | 143 | J Masters | 163 | ||
| G Coe | 154 | D Mitchem | 124 | ||
| R Ratcliffe | 161 | C White | 156 |
Saturday 29th September saw Sandford hosting Bath & District at
Bradford Abbas and Sherborne Clubs, with Sandford this time coming
out winners by 6 games to 3.
| C. White 47 | 143 | K. Tozer | 300 | ||
| M. Woolmington | 222 | W. Todd | 168 | ||
| R. Foster | 325 | D. Lord | 227 | ||
| G. Warren | 236 | A. Bastin | 211 | ||
| J. Stringfellow | 194 | R. Lydiard | 226 | ||
| J. Masters 44 | 313 | D. Smith | 232 | ||
| D. Holt | 238 | K. Brain | 171 | ||
| M. Gillham | 190 | C. Coles 50 | 335 |
Sandford’s spirits were again lifted on 20th October when they were
guest players at venues in the West Wilts League area. The hosts did a
little better than in the two previous meetings but still lost 7-3 to a mean
Sandford team. West Wilts do deserve credit however for raising a team
of 10 players in these days of conflicting interests.
| C. White 46 | 225 | D. White | 158 | ||
| J. Stringfellow | 191 | G. Hares | 200 | ||
| J. Masters 41 | 292 | H. Winstanley | 159 | ||
| D. Holt | 254 | R. Millard | 146 | ||
| M. Woolmington | 168 | M. Binns | 239 | ||
| C. Walters | 292 | A. Kettlety | 145 | ||
| J. Gillham | 194 | M. Dew | 207 | ||
| M. Gillham | 275 | (54) M. | |||
| G. Warren | Sen 327 | ||||
| G. Warren | Jun 298 |
Referees Seminar
Billiards and snooker players from the region were invited to attend a
seminar at the Prince of Wales Club, Mere, Wilts given by Tutor/Examiner
referee David Smith of Bristol. The small but interested audience (10
male and 1 female) were entertained and instructed of many aspects of
refereeing, they were posed questions and situations in both games by
David who was in turn asked many questions relating to improbable but
possible situations which could or actually had arisen in the course of
club matches. The session lasted over 3 hours and could have gone on
much longer but for a call by for last orders and a finish by 11.00 pm.
Altogether an enjoyable and instructive evening.