The Premier Division race in the Prudden Tennis league for the South Warwickshire and District is really beginning to hot up with three teams vying for the title. Previous leaders Henley-in-Arden slipped up as they were held to a 2-2 draw by mid-table Inkberrow. This allowed Evesham to catch them on equal 22 points as they had beaten Moreton-in-Marsh 3-1. However, current Champions Stratford-on-Avon are hot on their heels and would have joined them at the top had they not dropped a point to their sister side Stratford B in a 3-1 win. The keen competitiveness is emphasized by results of earlier head-to-heads where Henley had beaten Stratford, while Evesham had beaten Henley and Stratford had beaten Evesham. The match between Claverdon and Littleton had to be rescheduled to next week due to problems with the courts.
Evesham moved back to the top alongside Henley when they defeated fourth placed Moreton 3-1. Top pair for Evesham proved to be Dave Hubbard & Chris Francis who took both their rubbers beating Gary Jackson & Brian Lomas (Moreton) 6-4, 6-3 and then Chris Adams & Tim Firth (Moreton) 6-3, 6-1. Simon Wall & Paul Everatt (Evesham) beat Adams & Firth 6-2, 6-0 but lost to Jackson & Lomas 6-1, 4-6, 0-1 (11-13) in a very close Tie-Break.
Henley was ambushed by visitors Inkberrow and despite hoping to extend their lead at the top, were in fact disappointed to be held to a 2-2 draw. The Henley first pair of Ben Summers & John Turner succeeded in giving their team maximum points in their two rubbers beating Tim Kenneally & Pete Watson (Inkberrow) 6-3, 6-1 and then Gareth Price & Matt Knowles (Inkberrow) 6-2, 6-3. Unfortunately for Henley the second pair Rob Summers & Rich Butler went down in both their rubbers losing to Price & Knowles 3-6, 3-6 and to Kenneally & Watson 4-6, 2-6.
Finally, in the Premier Division, Stratford were irritated to only defeat their B Team 3-1 which kept them in second place in the league. In the match The First team pair of Callum Bailey & Ralf Neilson beat James Smith & Nick Harper (Stratford B) 7-5, 6-4. They then beat Mark Parsons & Olivier Rott (Stratford B) 6-3, 6-4. The second Stratford A pair Tim Page & Richard Monk beat Parsons & Rott 6-4, 6-4 but lost to Smith & Harper 3-6, 4-6.
Division One, like the Premier Division, saw a three teams fighting for the title. Again each had beaten the others at some stage this season with Campden beating Alcester but losing to Pershore, and Pershore in turn losing on sets and games despite a 2-2 score with Alcester. However, Campden do have a game in hand as this weeks fixture at Whitnash was rained off and will be re-arranged within 14 days. Alcester took advantage of this to reach the top equal on 22 points with the other two teams after Bidford were well beaten 4-0. Pershore missed a chance to lead on their own when they only managed a 3-1 win against Inkberrow B. Finally, Ardencote stay fourth after thrashing bottom team Tanworth-in-Arden 4-0.
Division Two’s top three teams all secured victories but previous leaders FISSC of Stratford were knocked off the top by Shipston-on-Stour. FISSC only managed a 3-1 win over previously fourth placed Studley. Shipston however, managed a 4-0 whitewash of bottom club Harbury. Although level on points with FISSC, Shipston top the division by virtue of their early season victory over them. Third side Claverdon managed a good 4-0 result at the expense of Littleton B. Finally, Stratford C replaced Studley in fourth after they drew 2-2 with Alcester B.
Snitterfield increased their lead at the head of Division Three with a 4-0 battering of basement side HDA Redditch. Studley B stays second with a 3-1 win over FISSC B. Ilmington move up to third with two results. First a 2-2 draw in a re-arranged match against HDA. In the second match Ilmington enjoyed a good 3-1 win over Aston Cantlow which allowed them to swap places with each other. Campden B drop further into relegation worries with a week away from action.
The Wildmoor team move another point clear at the top of Division Four with an easy 4-0 victory over Moreton B. Shipston B now trail by four points after they dropped a point in their 3-1 win over previously third placed Chipping Campden C. Inkberrow C took that third spot from Campden thanks to their 3-1 win over sister side Inkberrow D who now look odds on for the drop to Division Five. Claverdon C with a free week stays in the relegation zone.
In Division Five leaders Snitterfield B and second placed Henley B split further away from the rest of the field as both enjoyed comfortable straight set 4-0 victories. Snitterfield B over Bidford B and Henley B over HDA B Redditch. Alcester C moved up one place to third overtaking HDA B when they beat bottom of the league Pershore B 4-0. Henley C was the side without a fixture this week and stays just clear of the relegation places.