Warwickshire’s trip to the South-West to take on Cornwall in a repeat of last years opener, where ‘The Bears’ slipped to a surprise defeat, began with a 3-2 win for Nina Bolt over Becky Curnow to put the ladies ‘B’ 1-0 up. Emma Dow replied for the hosts restoring parity with her similar 3-2 win against Denise Keyte. Jodie Rigg gave the away side the lead for a second time when she beat Jo Hazell 3-0, only to see the game levelled again in the fourth when Hannah Martyn won 3-1 against Kris Meek.
A straight 3-0 win for Donna Pinch against Jacqui Champion saw Warwickshire go ahead for a third time and with a lady of the match performance from Kacie O’Connor in the final game, which she won 3-1 against Tyrian Jesse and averaged 20.49, the 4-2 result went to Warwickshire.
The men’s ‘B’ could not have wished for a better start as they sailed through the first half of the game winning all six games, wins were supplies by Dave Hill, Ryan Jackson, Carl Winters, Zac Prince, Mark Strong and Karl Reynolds who in turn accounted for Sam Hicks (4-2), Jay Willey (4-0), Simon Fletcher (4-3), Dan Craddock (4-1), Kevin Bray (4-1) and Josh Symons (4-1). Taking the match award was Mark Strong who in his win over Kevin Bray he averaged 27.22.
The pattern continued as the second session got underway, Mark Carter winning 4-0 against Kyle Willmott and Mark Martin having a 4-3 win over Aaron Rowe to put Warwickshire in an unassailable 8-0 lead before the hosts got their first stripe on the board when George Jones won 4-2 against William Naylor.
Lloyd Jackson then took the lead to 9-1 with his straight 4-0 win over Troi Day. The last two games of the day were shared, Rhys Julian (Cornwall) winning 4-2 against Lee Miller prior to Adam Hancock taking the final score to 102 to Warwickshire with his 4-3 win over Ash Cran.
The opening three games of the women’s ‘A’ match all went with the first throw advantage, Marian Conway giving Warwickshire the early lead as she accounted for Laura Shepherd with a 3-1 result. Pauline Mead levelled the score when she beat Caroline Pike 3-1, only to see the away side forge ahead for a second time when Courtney Hine won 3-0 against Tracey Hancock.
The pattern was broken in the fourth, the visitors opening up a 3-1 lead when lady of the match Wendy Adams handed out a 3-0 defeat to Sandra Allen and averaged 22.77. A 3-2 win for Hannah Meek over Teresa Brookshaw in the penultimate game secured the win for Warwickshire, the final score 4-2 to Warwickshire after Nikki Furse (Cornwall) won the final game against Kirsty Hinchliffe 3-1.
With a draw already secured for Warwickshire, the men’s ‘A’ required just one winner for an overall win for the weekend and that win came in the very first game as Martin Tonks won 4-3 against Tex Thomas. Rob Jane, with a 4-2 win over Jamie Hughes levelled the game before the away side added two further wins from Steve Hine and Gareth Braham who in turn accounted for Richard Craddock (4-1) and Shaun Burden (4-3). Sam Price took Mike Jones to a deciding leg but it was Cornwall’s Jones who got the 4-3 result and by the midway point it was level pegging at 3-3 after Simon Knowles added his 4-1 win over Lloyd Jackson to the home team’s tally.
Warwickshire had a cracking start to the second half wining the opening four games thanks to Noel Grant, Nigel Heydon, Matty Washbrooke and Dom Taylor who beat respective opponents Andrew Cook (4-0), Paul Ellis (4-1), Geoff Jenkins (4-3) and Lee Agar (4-1). Dom Taylor’s win over Lee Agar earned Warwickshire’s newcomer the man of the match award for a super average of 33.76. The last two games of the weekend went to the hosts as Matt Knowles won 4-1 against Wayne Mynard and Scott Hill beat Jack
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Venue: at the Indian Queens Working Men’s Social Club, St. Francis Road, St. Columb, Cornwall. TR9 6QN
Images: PDC
