Stourbridge snooker league round-up

First Division Singles Final at Bahia’s SC

Paul Garbett (Stourbridge Institute A) beat Paul Bowen (Norton Social B) 3-2. Paul Garbett, who has enjoyed his most successful season, topping the averages with 21/22 victories as he helped his team to the First Division Championship, won the individual event against Paul Bowen, whose team also secured promotion. The tight match table at Bahia’s SC was difficult to negotiate, with Garbett going 2-0 up, only for his opponent to strike form to draw level, before he took the title on the brown, his first individual championship.

Second Division Singles at Old Edwardians’ Club

Reece Bahia (Bahia’s SC) beat Adam Boswell (Bahia’s SC) 3-2. Reece Bahia made a successful defence of the championship he lifted last season with a hard-fought victory over his team-mate, Adam Boswell. Adam potted a long, straight black to take the opening frame, but Reece fought back to take the next two frames on the colours. Adam drew level but Reece just did enough in the decider to take the match on the pink.

Over 45 Individual Handicap at Stourbridge Institute

David Oakes (Amblecote Inst A) beat Chris Randle (Kinver Constitutional C) 3-2. Receiving 34 points start per frame, Chris Randle took the opening frame on the black, but David Oakes found his touch with a break of 38 to take the second frame comfortably. The third could have gone either way, despite an awkward snooker on the last red costing Chris 32 points. He then missed frame-ball blue, and Dave was able to sink the black to lead 2-1. Chris then drew level and both players had chances to take the deciding frame, before Dave took the black to secure his first-ever championship lifting the Eric Martin Memorial Cup.

Over 65 Individual Handicap at Stourbridge Institute

Bob Guise (Kingswinford Cons C) beat Arnie Tromans (Kinver Constitutional C) 3-2. Bob Guise gave Arnie Tromans 8 points start per frame, but Arnie took the opening frame, and made it 2-1 after Bob had levelled the scores, potting well. Bob then made it 2-2 with a good, long black, after Arnie had cleared yellow to pink, and a snooker costing 30 penalty points helped Bob celebrate his first championship, lifting the Ray Billingham Memorial Cup, thwarting Arnie’s attempt of a third title win.

Second Division Team Knock-Out Final at Amblecote Institute

Bahia’s SC, receiving 20 points start beat Kinver Const C 497-432. Bahia’s were given a fine start by Matt Redfern, who made a break of 30, and Andy Martin, who won narrowly against Steve Hadley, to extend their lead to 58; Chris Whitehouse’s black against Andy Sloan increased the lead to 62, but Steve Spruce brought Kinver back into contention, pulling clear on the colours to win by 38 against Karl Weaver. Reece Bahia, with a lead of 24 saw his opponent, Arnie Tromans take four early blacks, but steadily pulled clear on the last few reds to earn Bahia’s the Sam Harrison shield.

It has been a fine season for both Kinver and Bahia’s: not only have they tied for the Second Division championship, Kinver won the team knock out cup, while Bahia’s were runners up in the plate, won the 3-a-side cup, and, between them the teams provided the finalists in all four of the singles handicap competitions.