MAUDSLAY returned to winning ways with a comprehensive victory over Jumbo Jet Set to maintain the pressure on unbeaten Swan Studley Skittles League leaders Engineers.
The win for Maudslay saw them post their highest team total to date in completing the double over Jumbos as Dick Walters made 42 (14-stack), Keith Fryer 41 (14-stack) and five other team-mates 35 pins each.
Jumbos never remotely looked likely to upset their opponents despite Rob Rowberry, in only his second game, top-scoring with 36. Dave Hollands made 34 and there were 33 pins each from Ben Jones and Geoff Turrell.
The top against bottom fixture had an inevitable outcome when Well Developed – two players light – took on full-strength Engineers.
Well Developed at least won the first of the five legs for a consolation point but could not stave off a double league loss to Engineers who had singles champion Ian Greenway making 38, Mark Ganderton 37 and Andy Clewlow and Maurice Wroe 36 each.
For the losers, there was further consolation as Martin Brennan hit his team’s highest individual score of the season with 45 (16-stack), while Mike Gunnell and Janina Brennan made 37 and 34 respectively.
Yet another team completing a double was Lodge Farmers, over Swingers. Despite producing their lowest team score of the season, Lodge Farmers were grateful their opponents also made their lowest season’s total.
Each team won one of the first two legs before Lodge Farmers pulled away in leg three. They then took each of the last two legs, if only by a single pin, but it was more than enough to keep Lodge Farmers in third place and their best scores came from Jason Kirk and Lynne Long with 34 each and Alex Cull’s 33.
Swingers’ top scorers were Daren Harmen and Brenda Morris with 33 apiece.
Moving up a place to fourth were Alcester Nomads thanks to a comfortable success against out of form Team BG.
Nomads narrowly took both of the first two legs but were only five pins ahead at that stage. They then stretched that lead to 30 pins after leg three to effectively win the game.
Team BG did manage to win the next leg but that was the end of their resistance as Nomads easily won the last leg. Bob Browning scored 36, Graham Hanley 35 and Mac Eaton 34 for the winners and for Team BG best were Gail Stringer with 33 and 32 each from Margaret Sanders and Ray Cartwright.
Results: Maudslay 10 (345) Jumbo Jet Set 1 (304); Engineers 9 (330 – ten players and 292 – eight players) Well Developed 2 (263 – eight players); Alcester Nomads 9 (309) Team BG 2 (279); Swingers 2 (273) Lodge Farmers 9 (288).
