Reigning Division One champions Colebridge Aces started their new Leamington & District League campaign as they will hope to go on with a 10-0 demolition of Rugby A.
The Birmingham-based trio of Ian Ferguson, Eddie Lynn and Sasha Grokhotov proved too strong for stalwart Ian Randle and talented youngsters Jack Randle and Matthew Outhwaite.
Whitnash A were also 10-0 winners as former Leamington champions Alan
Hewitt and Jon Williams were joined by debutant Mick Allsop in their whitewashing of a plucky Free Church B. Wellesbourne began in style too, with Gary Stewart, Alan Cotton and Pete Dunnett easing past St George’s C 10-0.
With Warwickshire County Council adopting new names for their sides, it was the WCC Antelopes who just got the better of the WCC Bats in a tight encounter. The Antelopes’ narrow victory was secured by braces from Pat McCabe, Clive Irwin and new signing Chris van Namen.
Simon Griew starred for the Bats with a hard-fought three, having come from two sets to one down against both Irwin and van Namen, plus the doubles with Nilton Green.
Free Church A flew out of the blocks with a good win against St George’s A. Gary Webb remained unbeaten, although he was taken all the way by Saints’ Jason Adams.
Ron Vose added a couple to the Free Church tally, with Hugh Matthews taking a crucial one to gain the 6-4 win. Adams picked up a single for Saints, as did Mike Bishop and Earl Sweeney, with the latter two taking the doubles.
St George’s B were led to a 7-3 win over Enigmas A by Mark Jackson, who added the doubles with Damon Fenton. Fenton picked up a single and Tristan Gretton completed the haul with a brace. Deepak Chandrababu scored twice for Enigmas and Andrew Davies once.
Colebridge Braves had a rude awakening in Division Two - last year’s top-flight outfit fell to a strengthened Rugby B side. Alan Chan and Ladislav Gredzo both won two for Rugby, with Thomas Jacko adding one plus the doubles with Gredzo for the 6-4 victory.
Chris Burgess notched a maximum for the Braves, and John Taylor one.
Paul Ryman and Dennis Woodhead were in good form for Whitnash B, taking braces plus the doubles in a 5-5 draw with Rugby C. Dave Daniels and Matthew Outhwaite took two each for Rugby, with Dave Cox adding a single.
St George’s D were 7-3 winners over WCC Crocs with Alf Chapman leading the way to success with a hat-trick. Andy Caine added two and Tracy Fletcher a single, plus the doubles with Caine.
Derek Harwood picked up two five-setters for the Crocs and Jim Owen a single.
Nomads B also picked up a 7-3 win as Nomads A couldn’t find an answer to hard-hitting Dick Smith’s treble plus singles from Ian Stevens and Steve Poole. Tony Thomas picked up two for Nomads and Darryl Burgess one, plus a walkover and a Smith/Poole doubles.
St George’s E beat Rugby D in the only reported match from Divison Three thanks to a hat-trick from Charlotte Spencer, two by Laurence Sweeney, one from Kevin Finn and a Spencer/Sweeney doubles.
