The South Warwickshire Summer Tennis League which also covers parts of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire threw up a real surprise in week 6 of the summer season. Premier Division leaders Stratford-on-Avon suffered a shock result with their first defeat of the year going down 3-1 at home to Littleton. Before this match reigning champions Stratford had not even dropped a single set let alone a rubber, but Littleton's players ended that honeymoon despite their team remaining in fourth place. In a less dramatic upset Alcester moved to second overtaking Evesham when they beat them with a flattering 4-0 result that betrayed the closeness of the match. Mid table Claverdon and Henley-in-Arden clashed resulting in a 2-2 draw. Finally, the bottom two clubs Chipping Campden and Shipston-on-Stour met at Shipston and shared the points in another 2-2 draw.
Heroes for the Littleton team were Mike Crooks & Richard Herborn who won both their rubbers, first beating the mighty Stratford partnership of Tim Page & Callum Bailey comfortably 6-1, 6-2 and then seeing off Stratford's other pair Bill Fitchford & Roy Malik 6-0, 6-1. Littleton's second pair Chris Elliott & Jack Philpott overcame Fitchford and Malik 6-2, 1-6, 1-0 (10-5) but then lost to Page & Bailey 3-6, 1-6.
Alcester retook their early season second spot after they overpowered Evesham. Stuart Beach & Gareth Price began the assault for Alcester with a tight victory over Simon Wall & Paul Everett (Evesham) 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-6). They then beat Andy Crowther & Ray Foster-Morison (Evesham) 6-4, 6-1. Alcester's Tim Kenneally & Will Morley-Cotterell beat Crowther & Foster-Morison 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6) and beat Wall & Everett 7-6, 7-6.
Claverdon entertained Henley resulting in a even matched 2-2 draw. Henley's John Hunt & Matt Williams took their side's rubbers by beating Richard Butler & Carsten Astheimer (Claverdon) 6-3, 6-3, and then Andy Ashley & Rob Summers (Claverdon) 6-4, 6-3. The other Henley pair Max Retallack & Brett Mackay fought hard taking both their rubbers to tie-breaks before going down 6-3, 2-6, 0-1 (6-10) to Ashley & Summers and then losing 6-1, 4-6, 0-1 (2-10) to Butler & Astheimer. .
Shipston and Campden stay rooted to the bottom of the table with their 2-2 draw, Adam Moran & Tobias Kemp (Shipston) were the only pair to emerge unbeaten as they defeated both Geoff Vaughan & Johan Van der Sterren (Campden) 6-1, 6-1 and then Peter Felton & Theo Roberts (Campden) 6-0, 6-0. Hugh Allen & Ben Allen (Shipston) lost to Felton & Roberts 0-6, 0-6 and lost to Vaughan & Van der Sterren 0-6, 2-6.
Division One saw Ardencote Manor extend their lead at the top to six points after they once more took maximum points in their 4-0 win over Inkberrow who drop a place to fourth on 11 points following this defeat. Pershore retained second place despite being held to a 2-2 draw by fifth side Aston Cantlow. This result also meant that Pershore with 13 points are only one point clear of Studley, who moved on to 12 points when they overawed rock bottom Alcester B 4-0. Bidford-on-Avon moved away from the bottom after a great 3-1 victory over Studley in a match that was rained off the week before.
In Division Two leaders Studley B broke free at the top with 18 points by enjoying two victories in a week. First they took the match against third placed Campden B 3-1 and then defeated fourth placed Snitterfield A 3-1 in a match that had been rained off last week. Stratford B dropped to second on 13 points after they were surprisingly beaten 3-1 by fifth placed Claverdon B. Lastly a meeting of the bottom two teams saw Whitnash take the honours 4-0 over Shipston B.
Division Three leaders are still Moreton-in-Marsh A with 16 points. They took a 3-1 win over Henley B who drop to fourth on 11 points with this result. Inkberrow B dropped to third place after a 2-2 draw with penultimate side FISSC Stratford. Redditch outfit HDA A moved up to second in the table on 13 points thanks to their victory over bottom team Littleton B 3-1. Ilmington had no match this week.
Onto Division Four and Ardencote Manor B with 18 points stayed top by two points over Wildmoor Spa A as both managed 4-0 victories. Ardencote's was at the Expense of joint fourth placed Alcester C and Wildmoor A over bottom team HDA B of Redditch. Snitterfield B stayed third despite a free week. Further down the division joint fourth Pershore B drew 2-2 with sixth placed Claverdon C.
Division Five saw Studley C take over at the top with 15 points over Campden C's 14 when the latter had no match. Studley chalked up a 3-1 victory over fourth placed Moreton-in-Marsh B who now have 10 points.. Bidford B stayed in third spot with 11 points despite being held to a 2-2 draw by bottom placed Henley C. Finally, Inkberrow C hosted Wildmoor Spa B and their 2-2 draw lifted Wildmoor B off the bottom of the league.