Midland Veterans League

Oxfordshire secured promotion from Division 3 after a crushing 9-1 win in their top-of-the-table battle with Leicestershire.

o Both teams went into the match with 100 per cent records, but Oxon proved a class above - and sealed top spot with a match to go.

Despite seeing Andy Misseldine lose to hard-hitting Mick Allsop, Karl Bushell beat the same opponent in four games as Oxon edged into an early lead.

The turning point came when Bushell and Misseldine then saved two match points in their doubles and turned what looked like a 3-2 lead into 4-1.

And Oxon never looked back.

Neil Hurford put the icing on the cake in an emphatic display.

  • Bushell starred with a maximum as Forum A beat Bicester A 6-4 in Division 1 of the Oxford & District League.

In Division 2, Bill Mason made the difference as his clean sweep set Vikings B on the way to a 6-4 win over Begbroke A in a top-of-the-table battle.

History was made when Forum E fielded three generations in their game with Vikings D in Division 3.

League president Aubrey Hughes played with his son, Neil and grandson Sam Harrison in their exciting 5-5 draw.

Meanwhile, Ryan Gibbons recorded a maximum as Forum L stayed in the hunt at the top of the Development Competition with a 4-1 win over Forum O.

RESULTS

Div 1: Forum B 7 (H Yeates 3), Vikings A 3; Bicester A 4, Forum A 6 (K Bushell 3); Lord Nuffield B 1, RAL 9 (N Hurford 3, G Freeman 3).

Div 2: Begbroke A 4, Vikings B 6 (B Mason 3); Lord Nuffield C 5, Forum C 5 (C Williams 3); Witney A 5, Forum D 5; Gladiators 7 (K Giles 3), Haddenham A 3.

Div 3: Forum E 5 (S Harrison 3), Vikings D 5; Vikings C 7 (R Whiteaway 3, G Lloyd 3), Begbroke B 3; Vikings D 8 (M Aistrop 3), Witney B 2; Bicester C 4, Forum E 6 (S Harrison 3); St James B 1, Bicester B 9 (G Loder 3, N Lacey 3).

Div 4: Haddenham B 1, Forum F 9 (A Hughes 3, C Smith 3); Forum H 1, Haddenham B 9 (B Green 3, J Witney 3).

Development League: Forum F 5, Lord Nuffield E 5 (Y Hsu 3); Forum L 4 (R Gibbons 2), Forum O 1; Forum I 3 (D Simmons 2), Forum M 2; Forum K 2, Forum P 3 (W Stansfield 2).