Pairs Report

League games took a rest this week, but the weather did not, as the pair’s competitions took place. In the Oxford pairs played at two different venues it went to form as the five top doll scorers battled their way through to the semi-finals play offs, Kevin Baker & Scott Thompson (Gladiators A) Rob Bradford & Roger Goodall (White House) Nigel King & Mark Poulter (Red Lion Cassington) & Steve Ward & Pete Rampton (Red Lion Kidlington).
Played at Six Bells Kidlington holders Roger Goodall & Rob Bradford for The White House started off with a 2-0 win against Jason Fox & Steve Ducker from Red Lion Kidlington, winning both legs 6-5, 6-4. In the second round they had a much tougher game against Andy Loveridge & Phil Simpson from Donnington Club A who set 7 in the opening leg. Goodall hit 3 in reply with Bradford smashing off the 5 dolls needed to give them an early lead. In the second leg Loveridge hit 3 and Simpson 5 to give the Donnington pair a good set of 8. The holders were on good form as Goodall clanged off all six in reply and Bradford finished off the job by hitting the 3 dolls needed to snatch the leg by one doll and the game 2-0.
In the next round they were pitted up against teammates Phil Austin & Mick Phipps and again the holders had to be on top form to see them through. Austin & Phipps set 8 which normally would be enough to see you through, but a 4 from Goodall and five from Bradford once again saw them through by the odd doll with 9.The second leg Austin hit 5 but partner Phipps blobbed out which was never going to be enough as Goodall hit his second six of the night to see them through without Bradford having to throw.
Scott Thompson & Kevin Baker from The Gladiators A had a comfortable first round win against Adam Williams & Yorkie Finney from The Blackbird 5-4, 8-2. They then brushed aside Ken Bradbury & Clive Proudfoot from Garsington Sports Club 2-0 winning the first leg 4-3 and the second 3-2 with Baker not needing to throw. In the quarter final against the pair from North Leigh FC Jeff Glenister & Paul Townsend proved to be no obstacle as they beat them 2-0 in the leg scores of 7-4, 6-5.

Played at The Cricketers Nigel King & Mark Poulter from Red Lion Cassington were drawn against teammates Steve Rogers & Jez Thompson in the first round and brushed them aside with a two leg win 9-2, 5-4. In the next round against Ray Grant & Spencer Buckingham from North Leigh FC was a tighter affair as they had to rely on a three sticker to see them though the first leg. Tied at 6-6 a set of 4 in the three sticks gave them a 1-0 lead. A set of 7 in the second leg was just enough as the North Leigh pair fell just one doll short with 6 in return.
The Quarter final against another North Leigh pairing Neil Pratley & Charlie Buckingham was a much stronger game which could have gone either way. King & Poulter won the first leg 4-3 but an impressive set of 9 by Pratley and Buckingham saw them level the game. The final and deciding leg was tied 7-7 with King and Poulter going through on three sticks 3-2.
2009 winners Pete Rampton & Steve Ward from Red Lion Kidlington had a tough opener against Steve Bayliss and Kevin Stuart from The George who set and won the first leg 8-3. Rampton & Ward hit straight back in the second leg to level 7-6, and in the final leg a set of 4 by the George pair was never going to be enough as Rampton clanged off all six in reply to see them through.
In the next round they were drawn against 2017 winners Jon Townsend & Dick Walsh from The White House. Rampton & Ward won the opening leg 6-5 and the second leg 2-1 on three sticks after it was tied 5-5.
In the quarter final against Simon Jones & Adrian Shepherd from The New Club they won the opener 6-5, but a set of 8 by Jones & Shepherd saw them level. A set of 4 by the club men in the final leg was a disappointment and not sufficient as Rampton whipped off all six dolls for the second time in reply to see them through.

LOWER SECTION PAIRS.
Played at one venue through to the final David Lammin and Dave Rudman from Littlemore Rugby club will play Steven Reeves & Mick Morbey from Vikings Sports club who both battled their way through in some tough games.
In the first round Lammin & Rudman were up against a strong pairing of Dean Plumstead & Nick Edmonds from Section 5 runaway leaders Six Bells C who won the opening leg 7-5. The Rugby men hit back in the second leg 4-3 and in the deciding leg they scrapped by on three sticks after it was tied 5-5.
In the next round against Will Cormack & Sean Trafford from Bletchington Sports Club again they had to dig deep to get through. They lost the opening leg 4-3 and drew level in the second leg 5-4. In the final leg once again, they had to rely on a three sticker 2-1, after it was tied 4-4 on six sticks.
The semi-final they were against a very strong pairing of Patrick Giralao & Jack Lane from Northway club who set 7 in the first leg. A 4 from Lammin and 3 from Rudman saw them take an early lead by the smallest of margins. A set of 7 in the second leg was enough to see them through.
Steve Reeves and Mick Morbey won their first-round match against Neil Jackson & Adam Woodley from Donnington Club D 6-5, 5-4. In the next round against another Donnington pair Dave Simms & Liam Purcell was a humdinger of a game. The first leg was tied 5-5 with the Vikings pair winning it on three sticks 3-2. A set of 7 by Simms and Purcell was enough for them to win the second leg and level the game and they then set 5 in the last leg. Four from Morbey and two from Reeves saw them over the line and into the semi-finals where they met Henry Johnson & Ade Cooper from Kidlington FC. Two sets of 6 & 7 which include a six from Reeves was too strong for the Kidlington Pair and saw the Vikings pair make it into the final for the first time.

SIXES
R.Goodall (2) (White House)
P.Rampton (2) (Red Lion Kidlington)
S.Reeves (Vikings Sports)
B.Ruffles (Garsington Sports)

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