Kennet hold off Bucklebury to seal final spot

KENNET A booked their place in the final of the Blackford Cup after a hardfought win over Bucklebury A in the semi-final second leg.

Kennet began the second leg with a 58-point lead and started each end on -4, whilst Bucklebury A started on +3.

Kennet’s Claire Evans opened the match with a narrow win over Olivia May in the ladies singles, and James Powell extended Kennet’s lead with a win over Alan Arnold in the men’s singles.

Susan Haines/Warren Johnson kept up the momentum for Kennet, defeating Elizabeth Brown/Andrew Macdonald in the first mixed game.

In the eight ends of ladies and men’s doubles there was only a difference of four points as each team picked up four ends.

Amy Foreman, Claire Evans and Susan Haines won three ends for Kennet, while Colin Shurey, Alan Arnold and Andrew MacDonald won three for Bucklebury.

After 14 ends Kennet were leading by 36 points on the night.

Claire Evans/James Powell split their mixed doubles with Olivia May/Alan Arnold.

Susan Haines/Warren Johnson picked up both ends against Gill Kearins/Colin Shurey, and Amy Foreman/ Malcolm Taylor and Elizabeth Brown/Andrew MacDonald both won one end in the final match of the tie to leave Kennet 387-331 winners.

That gave Kennet a 780-666 aggregate win and put them into the final against St Mary’s A.  St Mary’s A finished their league season with a 9-0 win over Shaw A and remain top of Mixed Division 1.

Alex Woods/Lee Frith, Katie Woods/Ross Parsons and Janine Fisher/Martin Graham were all undefeated.

Amy Foreman/Warren Johnson, Tata Saenmee/ James Powell and Susan Haines/Paul Knight all kept clean sheets for Kennet A as they beat Bucklebury A 9-0.

The final match in this division sees Kennet A play Shaw A to decide the runner-up spot.