Players pocket league awards

Published: 10:59, 21 June 2019

The Alcester B team of Mick Weatherhead, Tony Baylis, Robin Hayman, captain Tim Greenaway, Phil Brown and George Brown.

SNOOKER

THE Stratford Snooker League brought the curtain down on an enthralling 2018/19 season with their presentation evening held at Stratford Sports Club, reports Tony Baylis.

And the evening kicked off with what was probably the best ever staging of the Colin Clark Memorial Cup competition.

League singles champion Stuart Watson was drawn to play Over-50s champion Adrian Butler in one semi-final, while the respective runners-up in those competitions, Mick Weatherhead and Tony Lambert, played in the other.

Watson had to concede a huge 112-point start to Butler over the two-frame match, but started very well, with breaks of 41 and 52 respectively enabling him to cut the deficit to 43 after the first frame.

Another 24 early in the next got him within striking distance, and then a superb break of 64 clinched his place in the final. Meanwhile, on table two, Weatherhead also made good early progress on Lambert’s 76 start, cutting the deficit to just 16 with a frame to go.

He then got to within a point of his opponent before he too finished his match with an excellent 64 break.

So once again the two best players to have ever played in the Stratford Snooker League had to do battle, not long after their classic league singles final, which Watson won 5-3.

This time he had to give Weatherhead a 28-point start, and it was Weatherhead who made the best start with a break of 28 to go 61 up.

Watson hit back with a 43 and was on course to catch Weatherhead before missing the pink, and Weatherhead took pink and black to retain his 28-point advantage.

Another break of 43 from Watson saw him take the lead for the first time midway through frame two, but Weatherhead was back in front as they went into the colours.

After a bit of a tactical exchange, Weatherhead potted a superb match ball brown and followed up with blue and pink to exact some revenge on Watson for the singles final.

The trophy presentations started with the Dennis Church Memorial Cup for the Over-50s being presented by Dennis’s daughter Lesley to league treasurer Adrian Butler.

The rest of the trophies were presented by league chairman Peter Benstead, and a raffle and buffet rounded off an excellent evening.

2018/19 trophy winners

Stratford Snooker League - Winners: Kineton A; Runners-up: Alcester B

Divisional Cup - Winners: Alcester B; Runners-up: Studley Cons

Knock Out Cup - Winners: Dad’s Army; Runners-up: Stratford Sports

Minor Cup - Winners: Home Guard; Runners-up: Kineton A

League Singles - Winner: Stuart Watson; Runner-up: Mick Weatherhead

Handicap Doubles - Winners: Andy Grummett and Tony Baylis; Runners-up: Mark Garrison and Pom Delmonaco

Handicap Singles - Winner: Jason Morris; Runner-up: Tony Lambert

6 Reds - Winner: Greg Matthews; Runner-up: Nick Taylor

Over-50s - Winner: Adrian Butler; Runner-up: Tony Lambert

Highest league break: Mick Weatherhead (92)