JOG have edge in title race
RAY Powell hit a hat-trick as Kintbury JOG beat Thatcham Jeffernaults 7-3 in Division 1 of the Newbury League.
Tom Watmore added a brace, including a five-set win over Paul Rattue, clinching the match 11-9 in the final set.
Pete Sinyard added the other win while Fallon Rust (2) and Rattue replied.
Thanks to a near-faultless performance by Darren Jones, Eagles beat Wolverines 6-4 in an all-Woolton Hill derby.
Jones was in imperious form, beating Richard Fettes and Jonathan Hopson in three straight, and in the stand-out match, ending Dave Barr’s unbeaten run over two seasons, winning 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 811, 11-9.
Antony Baker contributed two victories and in a fascinating contest, Keith Langley avenged his earlier loss in the season to Hopson, winning 411, 11-8, 15-13, 12-10.
JOG’s win and Wolverines’ loss means the tables have been tuned at the top of Division 1 with JOG now leading with 63 points from 16 games.
Wolverines are second with 58 points from 15 games and need a 10-0 whitewash against Jeffernaults in the their final game to win the title.
Looking back over the season averages, only four players in Division 1 achieved a win rate of 90 per cent or better.
By virtue of having played more games, Ray Powell tops the averages at 97.6 per cent with just a single loss to Dave Barr in 41 games.
Barr was second with 97.1 per cent over 34 games and one loss to Darren Jones.
Honourable mentions go to Malcolm Cummins with 93.3 per cent and one loss to Powell in 15 games.
Fourth spot went to Jones on 91.7 per cent with a single loss to Barr in 12 games.
Jones’ consistently accurate and powerful driving on both forehand and backhand wings allied to Barr’s superlative defensive capabilities will no doubt combine to present a formidable Berkshire team in the national Wilmot Cup zonal finals to be held at Kintbury’s Jubilee Centre on Saturday, starting at 10am.
West Ilsley have an unassailable lead at the top of Division 2 with 60 points from 15 games.
Thatcham Tornadoes are second with 52 points from 15.
However, third-placed Kintbury Cobras look to have second place in their grasp, as they also have 52 points but have one game left to play.
A significant factor in Cobras’ success is Dave Greaney’s 100-per-cent record in 21 games (the only player in all three divisions with a perfect success rate), coupled with Simon Craig’s 93.3-percent win rate from 30 games.
West Ilsley’s Robert F Jones and Robert J Jones also feature in the top five with 93.1 and 90.6 per cent respectively.
The race for the title in Division 3 reached a thrilling climax with Kintbury Outlaws winning the title by the smallest possible margin from Thatcham Dragons.
Both teams were tied on 64 points from 15 games but Outlaws clinched the title by virtue of having won 109 sets compared to Dragons’ 108.
Alistair Anderson from Kintbury Kippers topped the averages with 95.2 per cent from 21 games.
Kippers’ Seb Bielec was second with 93.9 per cent from 33 games.