It looks like being a very exciting season in the 2010 Prudden Summer Tennis League. The League which covers the South Warwickshire & Areas of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire throws up some competitive tennis, non-more so than the Premier Division. Every single team in this Division, except the bottom club Claverdon, changed positions thanks to this week’s results. Current champions Stratford-on-Avon narrowly move back from third to the top after they thrashed bottom side Claverdon 4-0. Inkberrow make the biggest move of the week from sixth up to second following their excellent 4-0 triumph over Stratford B, who in turn drop a similar amount from third to seventh in the table. Evesham move up from fourth to third equal with Henley-in-Arden when they defeated last weeks leaders 3-1. Finally, Littleton drop from second to third equal after being held to a 2-2 draw by Moreton-in-the-Marsh, who themselves move up just behind Littleton with this result.
It was a simple straight sets result for Stratford proving too strong for the Claverdon team. Callum Bailey & Ralf Neilson for Stratford beat Richard Butler & James Courier (Claverdon) 6-0, 6-2, and then beat Nigel Bacon & Pete Thomas (Claverdon) 6-0, 6-1. Stratford captain Tim Page & Simon West defeated Bacon & Thomas 6-0, 7-5, and then Butler & Courier 6-1, 6-2.
Inkberrow now only trail the leaders by a single point after they enjoyed a similar straight forward victory over Stratford B. Their top pair Pete Watson & Tim Kenneally beat Nick Harper & Sam Righton (Stratford B) 6-2, 6-2, and beat Felix Aldes & Jack Meier (Stratford B) 6- 2, 6-0. Gareth Price & Graeme Rankin (Inkberrow) beat Aldes & Meier 6-1, 6-1, and beat Harper & Righton 7-5, 6-3.
Evesham and Henley both share equal third after their 3-1 result to Evesham. This was a step up one for Evesham but a drop two places for Henley. Heroes for Evesham in a tight match were Simon Wall & Dave Hubbard who managed to win both their rubbers 6-1, 7-6, over Phil Silk & Richard Butler (Henley) and 6-4, 6-3 over Ben Summers & John Turner (Henley). The second Evesham second proved weaker than their first as John Clarke & Chris Francis lost their opening rubber to Summers & Turner but redeemed themselves in their last rubber by just edging out Silk & Butler 6-0, 4-6, 1-0 (10-4) in a Championship tie-break.
The final Premier Division match saw Littleton an Moreton share a 2-2 draw. Will Hale & Gary Johnson took both points for Moreton beating first Andy Reynolds & Richard Herborn (Littleton) 6-4, 6-2, and then Nick Hird & Chris Elliott (Littleton) 6-2, 6-3. Brian Lomas & Chris Adams for Moreton went down narrowly in both their rubbers losing first to Hird & Elliott 7-6, 3-6, 0-1 (8-10) in a tie-break and then losing to Reynolds & Herborn 6-7, 3-6.
Division One in contrast to the Premier Division saw only Bidford and Inkberrow B swap places in an otherwise unchanged table. Alcester stay on top courtesy of another resounding 4-0 thumping, this time over Whitnash who continue to tumble toward the bottom. Chipping Campden, while slipping to two points below the leaders, move two clear of third placed Ardencote after Campden defeated bottom team Tanworth-in-Arden 3-1. Ardencote stay third after being held by Inkberrow B to a 2-2 draw. That result was enough to lift the latter side above Bidford-on-Avon who went down 4-0 to fourth placed Pershore.
Upward movers in Division Two this week were FISSC up one to second place and Studley up two to fifth. Claverdon B remained leaders of the division after a convincing 4-0 victory over Alcester B who drop a place with this result. FISSC made their move to second thanks to a 4-0 win over Littleton B who stay rooted to the foot of the table. Shipston slip to third after fourth placed Stratford C held them to a 2-2 draw. Finally, Studley moved up those two places to mid table after an excellent 4-0 win over Harbury who now sit in the relegation zone.
In Division Three there were only two teams that changed places, but it was a major change. Last weeks leaders Snitterfield swapped places with fourth placed Studley B. Snitterfield had a free week and Studley B took full advantage to leap frog them by soundly beating HDA Redditch 4-0. There was no change in the other places in the division as second placed Chipping Campden B drew 2-2 with bottom but one Ilmington and third placed Aston Cantlow drew 2-2 with fifth placed FISSC B.
It was as you were in Division Four. Shipston B and the Wildmoor stay first and second respectively after they shared a 2-2 draw. Inkberrow C and Chipping Campden C share third despite the former having a week off after Campden C enjoyed emphatic 4-0 win over Claverdon who remain pointless. In the last match Moreton-in-the-Marsh B keep Inkberrow D anchored to the bottom of the table without a point.
Division Five's leading four teams stay in the same positions despite the top two teams defeating the next two. Leaders Snitterfield B stay in the lead by well beating fourth placed HDA B 4-0. Meanwhile, Alcester C closed the gap in second with an excellent 4-0 victory over fourth placed HDA B. Henley C were the main movers moving up two places from bottom with a great 4-0 victory over Pershore B. Bidford B without a match this week move to bottom of the league.