The Premier Division of the Prudden Summer Tennis League covering the South Warwickshire & Areas of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire is proving to be the most open competition for years. Big result of the week was Henley-in-Arden’s 4-0 trouncing of current Champions Stratford-on-Avon. This result knocked Stratford off the top and gave Evesham top spot after they more predictably beat bottom of the table Claverdon 4-0. Although now on the same points as Henley, Evesham lead by virtue of their 3-1 victory last week over Henley. The other surprise result saw Moreton-in-Marsh defeat Inkberrow 3-1 to knock them from second to fourth position. In the lower half of the Division Littletons and Stratford B shared a 2-2 draw.
Henley found the visiting champions struggling as they arrived with only one pair of players which meant that Stratford had to concede the other two rubbers both to a 0-6, 0-6, score and giving Evesham a 2-0 start. However, Henley capitalised on this as their pairs Ben Summers & Rich Butler followed by John Turner with Phil Silk both beat Tim Page & Richard Monk (Stratford) 6-3, 7-6, and then 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8) respectively.
Evesham took full advantage of the situation by soundly defeating Claverdon 4-0 to take over the Premier Division lead. John Clarke & Chris Francis (Evesham) beat Richard Butler & James Courier (Claverdon) 6-4, 6-4, and then beat Nigel Bacon & Richard Hamilton (Claverdon) 6-3, 6-2. Simon Wall & Paul Everatt (Evesham) beat Bacon & Hamilton 6-2, 6-2, and beat Butler & Courier 6-1, 6-2.
Moreton shook visitors Inkberrow when they took the opening three rubbers for a 3-1 victory. Moreton’s Will Hale & Gary Jackson defeated Gareth Price & Pete Watson (Inkberrow) 6-4, 6-3, and beat Tim Kenneally & Ricky Allan (Inkberrow) 6-2, 6-3. Chris Adams & Brian Lomas (Moreton) beat Kenneally & Allan 7-6, 7-5, but lost to Price & Watson 4-6, 3-6.
The final Premier Division match saw Stratford B and Littleton share a 2-2 draw. Phil Cox & Nick Harper (Stratford B) lost to Sean Witheford & Chris Elliott (Littleton) 3-6, 6-3, 0-1 (9-11) after an intense Championship Tie-Break, but then beat Richard Herborn & Jack Phillpot (Littleton) 6-4, 7-5. Olivier Rott & Sam Righton (Stratford B) beat Herborn & Phillpot 6-3, 6-4, but lost to Witheford & Elliott 3-6, 0-6.
Alcester remain top of Division One after they defeated Inkberrow B 3-1. This allowed the opportunity for second placed Chipping Campden to close the gap on the leaders to just one point. This they did as Campden took maximum points off Bidford 4-0, although two of the rubbers went to the wire. With a 3-1 victory over bottom side Tanworth-in-Arden, Pershore leap frogged over Ardencote Manor to take third place. Ardencote slipped to fourth after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Whitnash who at last avoided another defeat.
In Division Two this week Claverdon B remain top despite being held to a 2-2 draw with mid-table Studley. They were let off the by previously second placed FISSC losing to third placed Shipston 3-1. This result reversed their positions and left the latter only a point behind the leaders. Stratford C remains fourth after a 3-1 win over bottom of the division Littleton B. Finally, Harbury and Alcester B shared a 2-2 draw and remain unchanged.
Division Three joint leaders Ilmington and Studley B shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw but remain on top. This was because previous joint leaders Aston Cantlow had no match this week. Snitterfield pushed them down to fourth despite only managing a 2-2 draw with FISSC B who remain fifth. The bottom two sides Campden B and HDA Redditch also drew 2-2. This gave HDA their first points of the season.
It was all change at the top of Division Four as leaders Shipston B took a week off. The Wildmoor team took full advantage with a super 4-0 victory over Inkberrow C to head the table by three points over Shipston. This defeat meant Inkberrow C dropped to fourth after Campden C recorded a 3-1 win over Moreton B. In the clash at the bottom Claverdon C emerged victorious 3-1 over bottom placed Inkberrow D.
Finally, in Division Five, apart from Alcester C who sat the week out, the other top three teams all beat their bottom three team opponents. Snitterfield B pulled 5 points clear at the top when they took a straight sets victory over Henley C 4-0. Alcester B remains second despite a rest week. Henley B move up to third with a decisive 4-0 win over Pershore B. They are equal on points with HDA B but lead by virtue of their opening day head to head victory over HDA. For their part HDA B beat Bidford B 3-1, however this point doubled Bidford’s points tally for the season.