Str8 Up end up going straight down

The Far North Pool Association’s 2019 championship began in earnest last Tuesday evening with local commentator Sharpshooter noting there were a spattering of changes afoot due to the new teams and “a who’s-playing-for-whom, and a ‘where-arethey-or-are-they-playing-at-all?’ feel” about the opening-round results.

“The Razorbacks hosted and beguiled the visiting Renegades on a minefield of doubt, an uneven surface,” he said, adding a draw was the final outcome of this clash after 12 games and after the Renegades had emerged with a 5-3 lead from the singles games.

Elsewhere, the Vault Bar gave home advantage away and lost to the RSA Rangers 7-5 (4-4 after the singles) with the latter side continuing their early season reputation as dark horses and a team to watch; while Waipap Gold had the team on the night to play well enough to defeat an understaffed KA Rebels by 7-5 despite trailing after the singles (3-5).

The Houhora Marlins emerged as 7-5 winners over a visiting Awanui 8 Ball (4-4); Awaz Tigers One dealt to Awaz Tigers Two 10-2 (6-2) with Sharpshooter noting there were some smug looks around the joint after that result; and the Awaz Titans played like defending champs should by defeating the Collards Str8 Uppers 11-1 (8-0).

Tonight’s draw with home teams first and * indicating likely winners is, Renegades* vs The Vault Bar, RSA Rangers* vs Waipap Gold, KA Rebels vs Collards Str8 Up*, Awanui Titans* vs Awaz Tigers One, Awaz Tigers 2* vs Houhora Marlins*, and, Awanui 8 Ball vs Herekino Razorbacks*.

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22

24

Across

(6) 4. Staff to respect perhaps (7)

8. Broken or maladjusted you can be still partly sane

(6)

9. Where one curiously remelts the metals (7) 10. Algerians ran away to get some cattle food (6) 11. The last word about copper was quickness of

mind (6)

12. Incomplete without MP perhaps (8)

18. Gin Hal gets a couple of rings for - what a

scallywag! (8)

20. A solution found in colossal inefficiency (6) 21. Shaggy ends found around the mongrel - how

obscene (6)

22. Watch noise was in front and struck a funny

chord? (7)

23. Sounds like a stripper’s instruction from the

audience (6)

24. Thorough sort of study of hip dent (2,5)

Down

1. East Indies - it’s out of spice (7)

2. Platoon exercise master could be boring (7) 3. Sam is not part of the stratagem - but he is the

goal (6)

5. Soldier has order to get a duck (8)

6. Raise - No! Stop! (4,2)

7. A smoking jacket (6)

13. Again and again he rented some built-in part (8) 14. Got ties but only for oneself (7)

15. Being jealous in France of striving (7)

16. Speak evil of leading man (but not Dean) (6) 17. A preserve not to get into (6)

19. A number colour the timber (6