AFTER recording their first Warwick & Worcester League win of the season at Erdington & Richmond the previous week, White Hart doubled up on Saturday with a 226-191 home win against their Division Four opponents.
The Redditch club made a dream start to the match with convincing wins for Graham Arnott (21-10), Norman Batchelor (21-11) and Kirk Wright (21-11), who was avenging his Heart of England Merit semi-final defeat by Steven Green last year.
Further wins for Dave Edwards (21-14), Neil Laxton (21-19), Mike Estell (21-4) and captain Ian Humphreys (21-20) helped to give Hart the two points and lifted them to second in the table.
In the Heart of England Over 60s League, White Hart’s two Friday teams could have been forgiven for thinking it was the 13th as they were both unlucky to be beaten by very narrow margins.
The A team went down 111-107 in Division One at Wythall A where they had two winners – Ken Brown (21-13) and Kirk Wright (21-14) – while the B team were edged out 104-103 by King George V in Division Two despite three winning cards from Stephen Turner 21-14, Tom Hawkes 21-18 and captain Brian Chatterley who enjoyed a fine 21-9 win over Bev Pritchard.
In the Heart of England Cup, White Hart A were defeated 143-130 by Maggies B. They had two away winners – Ray Richards (21-11) and captain Mick Perrins (21-12) – but only one winner at home – Paul Matthews (21-15) – despite Kirk Wright (18-21), Stephen Turner (19-21) and Ken Brown (19-21) all recovering from large deficits in the first half of their ties.
The B team suffered a heavy 163-83 defeat by Wythall A in the same competition, with captain Norman Batchelor (21-16) their only winner.
In the Yardley Wood Superleague, White Hart A came within a few shots of recording a fine win at local rivals Alcester A in Division Three, only to finally succumb 146-141.
They had four winning cards from Ray Richards 21-17, Neil Laxton 21-10, John Meredith 21-16 and captain Kirk Wright 21-19.
White Hart B enjoyed their second home win of the season in Division Four with a comfortable 162-93 victory over King George VI B, having seven winning cards from Ian Humphreys (21-8), Mike Jeynes (21-14), John Bridger (21-16), Denis Turner (21-5), Phil Hemming (21-18), captain Tony Buckley (21-8) and Dave Kings (21-3) who was making a fine comeback for the Headless Cross team after recovering from a badly broken ankle last year.
Hart B now occupy second place in the table, just one point behind Alcester B.
In Northfield & District Sunday League, White Hart B defeated Baldwin B 144-128 with four winners in the process – Mike Hancock 21-15, Tom Hawkes 21-4, Gill Croft 21-19 and Norman Batchelor 21-5 – lifting them to second place in Division Four – three points behind Ye Olde Knowle.
