A NEW pairing will write their name into the Greene King Oxford & District League record books, writes ANDY BEAL.

Pete Sellar and Matthew Arnold, of Section 3’s the Crown Chalgrove, are the surprise semi-finalists in the Oxford Pairs.

They have been joined by Keith Powell and Terry Stuart (Red Lion A Eynsham), Paul Townsend and Neil Lyon (Black Prince B) and Rob Bradford and Pete Shepherd (Ampleforth Arms A).

It is unchartered territory for all four pairs as they have never won the competition.

Sellar and Arnold opened up with a comfortable 2-0 win over Dennis Butler and Chris Jenkins, of the Gladiators, at the Black Swan.

They faced tougher opposition in the third round in the form of Six Bells Kidlington duo Roger Goodall and Dick Walsh.

  • Sport

After winning the opening leg 6-5, they set six in the second.

Walsh could only muster a one, but Goodall clanged off a sixer.

In the decider, Walsh and Goodall set seven and in reply Sellar recorded a sixer before Arnold whipped off the two dolls needed.

They booked their semi-final spot with a 2-0 victory over Garsington Sports A’s Steve Greenough and Billy Trinder.

At the Black Prince, Powell and Stuart came from behind in their opening round win over Darren Cox and Keith Bull, of Florence Park A.

They lost the first 7-3, before levelling 6-2 and clinching the decider after Cox and Bull set seven.

In the next round, they disposed of last season’s Lower Section winners Roger Alder and Rory Mangan from Chequers C 2-0.

However, they faced a tough battle to advance to the quarter-finals at the expense of Six Bells Kidlington’s Pete Rampton and Steve Ward.

After winning the first leg, they lost the second on three sticks.

In the decider, Powell hit four and Stuart three to edge through.

They made it into the last four with a 2-1 triumph over Jon Townsend and Dave Gardiner, from Six Bells C Kidlington.

Townsend and Lyon were the victors at the Six Bells Kidlington.

After brushing aside Pip Goulding and Richard Wright (New Club A) 2-0, they got the better of Kevin Barker and Geoff Townsend (Gladiators) 2-1 in the third round after setting ten in the third leg.

In the last eight, they recovered from losing the first leg to see off teammates Darren Grant and Mick Phipps.

Townsend and Lyon set two fives in the third, which was more than enough to claim the win.

Shepherd and Bradford completed the semi-final line-up after winning through at the Red Lion Eynsham.

Despite losing the first leg against Woodman’s Ray Grant and Paul Bennett, they set nine to win the second and scraped through by the odd doll.

In the next round, they had to rely on a three stick shoot-out to take the first leg against Chequers C’s Josh Breakspear and Dave Green, before wrapping up the game in the second 4-3.

A 7-3, 7-6 win over brothers Barry and Martin Ruffels, of Garsington Sports A, sealed their place in the last four.

The semi-finals will be held at a venue to be confirmed on Monday, September 7.

RESULTS

GREENE KING OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE

OXFORD PAIRS

1st round: K Powell & T Stuart (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, D Cox & K Bull (Florence Park A) 1; P Rampton & S Ward (Six Bells C Kidlington) 2, L Thompson & M Herbert (Red Lion A Eynsham) 0; M Holton & J Clemson (Six Bells A Quarry) 2, A Green & J Green (Chequers C) 0; J Townsend & D Gardiner (Six Bells A Kidlington) 2, K Giles & M Washington (Ampleforth Arms A) 1; G Smith & T Recht (Garsington Sports A) 2, N Pratley & C Buckingham (Woodman) 0; D Butler & C Jenkins (Gladiators) 2, S Sommerscales & D Leopold (Black Prince A) 1; J McMahon & G Hambridge (Bullnose A) 2, T Greenaway & K Maunder (Garsington Sports A) 1; A Stuart & K Stuart (Rose Hill Club A) 2, J Bennett & S Brandon (Six Bells A Quarry) 0; K Baker & G Townsend (Gladiators) 2, P Townsend & S Buckingham (Woodman) 0; P Goulding & R Wright (New Club A) 2, M Berry & E Lacey (Red Lion A Eynsham) 0; G Wilsdon & P Austin (Black Prince A) 2, D Price & D Sellar (Crown) 1; B Ruffels & M Ruffels (Garsington Sports A) 2, R Taylor & J Horton (New Club A) 0.

2nd round: M Holton & J Clemson (Six Bells A Quarry) 2, C Hambridge & J DeBanks (Bullnose Morris A) 0; J Townsend & D Gardiner (Six Bells A Kidlington) 2, K McMahon & W Waite (Bullnose Morris A) 1; P Rampton & S Ward (Six Bells C Kidlington) 2, J Greenaway & L Hazell (Red Lion A Eynsham) 0; K Powell & T Stuart (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, R Alder & R Mangan (Chequers C) 0; D Walsh & R Goodall (Six Bells A Kidlington) 2, G Smith & T Recht (Garsington Sports A) 1; L Purcell & S Bayliss (Rose Hill Club A) 2, A Gorge & G Coyle (Bullnose Morris A) 1; S Greenough & B Trinder (Garsington Sports) 2, J Kent & T Bradford (New Club A) 1; P Sellar & M Arnold (Crown) 2, D Butler & C Jenkins (Gladiators) 0; D Grant & M Phipps (Black Prince A) 2, A Stuart & K Stuart (Rose Hill Club A) 1; J McMahon & G Hambridge (Bullnose A) 2, S Bishop & A Lewis (Ampleforth Arms A) 0; K Baker & G Townsend (Gladiators) 2, P Dempsey & D Townsend (Black Prince B) 0; P Townsend & N Lyon (Black Prince B) 2, P Goulding & R Wright (New Club A) 0; B Ruffels & M Ruffels (Garsington Sports A) 2, J Glenister & M Rollins (Woodman) 1; R Bradford & P Shepherd (Ampleforth A) 2, R Grant & P Bennett (Woodman) 1; G Wilsdon & P Austin (Black Prince A) 2, T Gillett & L Gillett (Rose Hill Club A) 0; J Breakspear & D Green (Chequers C) 2, B Green & P Alder (Chequers C) 0.

3rd round: K Powell & T Stuart (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, P Rampton & S Ward (Six Bells C Kidlington) 1; J Townsend & D Gardiner (Six Bells A Kidlington) 2, M Holton & J Clemson (Six Bells A Quarry) 0; P Sellar & M Arnold (Crown) 2, D Walsh & R Goodall (Six Bells A Kidlington) 1; S Greenough & B Trinder (Garsington Sports) 2, L Purcell & S Bayliss (Rose Hill Club A) 0; P Townsend & N Lyon (Black Prince B) 2, K Baker & G Townsend (Gladiators) 1; D Grant & M Phipps (Black Prince A) 2, J McMahon & G Hambridge (Bullnose A) 0; R Bradford & P Shepherd (Ampleforth A) 2, J Brakespear & D Green (Chequers C) 0; B Ruffels & M Ruffels (Garsington Sports A) 2, G Wilsdon & P Austin (Black Prince A) 1.

Quarter-finals: K Powell & T Stuart (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, J Townsend & D Gardiner (Six Bells A Kidlington) 1; P Sellar & M Arnold (Crown) 2, S Greenough & B Trinder (Garsington Sports) 0; P Townsend & N Lyon (Black Prince B) 2, D Grant & M Phipps (Black Prince A) 1; R Bradford & P Shepherd (Ampleforth A) 2, B Ruffels & M Ruffels (Garsington Sports A) 0.

Semi-finalists: K Powell & T Stuart (Red Lion A Eynsham); P Sellar & M Arnold (Crown); P Townsend & N Lyon (Black Prince B); R Bradford & P Shepherd (Ampleforth Arms A).

LOWER SECTION PAIRS

Prelim round: M Richardson & K Smith (North Oxford Con Club) 2, I Sharp & D Fry (Pheasant Inn A) 0; R Berry & N Peachey (Littlemore BL) 2, D Lammin & D Plumstead (Florence Park B) 1.

1st round: A Cox & M Simpson (Donnington Club A) 2, M Davies & A Durham (Florence Park A) 0; E Hanlon & M Burke (Black Swan) 2, B Shepherd & J Cleaton (King & Queen) 0; M Rowe & T Weller (North Oxford Con Club) 2, M Richardson & K Smith (North Oxford Con Club) 1; J Smith & W Grey (Donnington Club A) 2, P Smith & R Trafford (North Oxford Con Club) 0; W Townsend & M Copelin (Red Lion Cass) 2, R Berry & N Peachey (Littlemore BL) 1; L Beauchamp & A Hudson (North Oxford Con Club) 2, C Lee & R Lee (Pheasant Inn A) 1; T Jones & T O’Brien (Black Swan) 2, P Smith & S Wells (North Oxford Con Club) 1; I Bowler & D Bowler (Littlemore BL) 2, S Buckle & Y Finney (Blackbird) 0.

Quarter-finals: M Rowe & T Weller (North Oxford Con Club) 2, A Cox & M Simpson (Donnington Club A) 1; E Hanlon & M Burke (Black Swan) 2, J Smith & D Grey (Donnington Club A) 0; I Bowler & D Bowler (Littlemore BL) 2, W Townsend & M Copelin (Red Lion Cass) 1; T Jones & T O’Brien (Black Swan) 2, L Beauchamp & A Hudson (North Oxford Con Club) 0.

Semi-finals: E Hanlon & M Burke (Black Swan) 2, M Rowe & T Weller (North Oxford Con Club) 1; I Bowler & D Bowler (Littlemore BL) 2, T Jones & T O’Brien (Black Swan) 1.

SIXERS

J Townsend, R Goodall (both Six Bells C Kidlington), G Smith (Garsington Sports A), P Sellar (Crown), P Shepherd (Ampleforth Arms A), G Wildson (Black Prince A).

ABINGDON & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Premier & A Section: Fox Steventon 3, Steventon Sports A 3; Spread Eagle 4, Abingdon Utd B 2; Abingdon Utd D 4, Tandem 2; Hart Harwell A 3, Berinsfield SC A 3; Plum Pudding 4, Spread Eagle B 2.

B Section: Abingdon Con Club 6, Stanford in the Vale FC 0; Berinsfield SC B 2, Plough East Hendred 4; College Oak A 6, Abingdon RBL A 0; Red Lion A 4, Waggon and Horses A 2.

C Section: Bowyers Arms 2, Chequers 4; Fox Denchworth A 4, Black Horse A 2; Hatchett Childrey 3, Fox Denchworth B 3; Royal Oak 2, College Oak B 4.

D Section: Fleur de Lys 2, Vine Cumnor 4.

E Section: Black Swan A 4, Boundary House Abingdon 2; Vine B Cumnor 4, Harwell RBL A 2; Wheatsheaf Drayton 3, FMSSC M/Star Cholsey 3.

F Section: Old Anchor A 2, Spread Eagle C 4; Plough Long Wittenham 4, Abingdon Arms Wantage 2.

G Section: Crown Marcham 2, Plough Appleton 4; Packhorse Milton 4, Old Anchor B Abingdon 2; Steventon Sports B 1, Black Swan B Abingdon 5.

H Section: RAL Rec Soc Rutherford 2, The Bell Grove 4.

BLOBBERS

B Humphries (Steventon Sports B), B Smith (Vine B Cumnor), D Arnott (Old Anchor B Abingdon), D Morton (Waggon and Horses A), G Brown (Black Swan B Abingdon), J Davis (Packhorse Milton), J Hobbs (Crown Marcham), J Smith (Plough Long Wittenham), J Thomas (Stanford in the Vale FC), M Preston (FMSSC M/Star Cholsey), N Beard (FMSSC M/Star Cholsey), P Baker (Wheatsheaf Drayton), P Clark (Waggon and Horses A), P Sapwell (Plough Appleton), R Couch (Fox Denchworth B), R Hobbs (Crown Marcham).

BICESTER & DISTRICT LEAGUE (sponsored by Hook Norton Brewery)

Div 4: White Lion B 1, Highfield SC B 2; White Hart Wanderers 1, Chearsley Cricketers 2; Hundred Acres 0, Swan islip 3; Crown B 1, Plough Marsh Gibbon 2; Safari Garden 2, Fountain B 1.

Div 5: Phoenix 2, Royal Oak 1; Crown Gawcott 1, Red Lion Stratton Audley 2; Nightingale 2, Eight Bells 1; Poachers Pocket 2, Black Bull Divas 1; Black Boy 1, Launton S&SC B 2.