Lickey End B team had no match this week so it was up to Lickey End A to do the honours away at The Black Cross last night.
On paper it was another evens game that could go either way on the night but Geoff ‘ Dizzy’ Nokes got Lickey on the board first with a 0-2 win in Game 1. In Game 2, Ed McManus lost 2-0 despite a couple of tons and a 140 in there. In Game 3, an uncharacteristically nervous Paul Prince lost the first leg and regained some composure to take leg 2 but a poor throw in leg 3 allowed his opponent to a finish first to take it 1-2. Steve Groves restored parity in Game 4 taking it out comfortably 0-2 and Lickey took the lead again in Game 5 with another 0-2 win by Russell Tolley. At 3-2, Game 6 was an important one to win to take a bit of pressure off before the doubles. Gaz Troth, definitely man of match on the night lit up the board with a string of ton plus scores to win 0-2 from a strong opponent.
At 4-2 going into the doubles, Lickey needed just one more win from the 3 matches. In Game 7, Geoff and Ed lost a scrappy game 0-2 and then Lickey lost leg 1 in Game 8 to put pressure on us but Steve and Gaz ground out the win 1-2 for the game and the match. In Game 9, Russ and Jim Mildner finished the night off in style with a 0-2 win for a 3-6 final score
