WHITE Hart’s over 60s A team made a brilliant start to their Heart of England Division One campaign with a narrow four-shot victory over Moseley CC A, who have been top flight champions for the previous three seasons and were only defeated once in the division last year.
Hart captain Mike Estell and Norman Batchelor gave the hosts the start they were looking for, winning to 15 and 11 respectively, but Moseley fought back when Graham Arnott was beaten 21-11 by Bill Kinchin.
White Hart’s new club captain Stephen Turner then lost 21-11 to Robert Appleby and Ian Humphreys was 19-13 down to Ray Pegg before staging a fine comeback to take the tie 21-19.
Ken Brown then became the Hart hero by defeating Barry Jennings 21-16 in the final match to give the Redditch club a 107-103 victory.
Hart’s B team were also involved in a tight opening match at Moseley B in Division Two as the teams were again only separated by four shots.
Their three winners were Mick Perrins 21-10, Sue Sugden 21-18 and Kirk Wright 21-20 but there were defeats for Gill Croft, Sheila Humphreys and captain Brian Chatterley, although all three recorded double-figure scores in a 111-107 defeat.
In the Northfield & District League, recently-promoted White Hart A had a very tough opening match at home to King George V in Division One.
The visitors have won the championship five times in the last six years and showed their class in defeating their hosts 168-95.
Hart could not produce a single winner although captain Mick Perrins was top score with 15 and there were double-figure scores from Ken Brown, Mike Estell and Ray Richards (12 each) and Ian Humphreys and Graham Arnott (both 13).
White Hart B were also beaten 157-128 at the King George B team. The visitors had two winners – Norman Batchelor 21-18 and John Meredith 21-13 – although there were respectable double-figure cards from all the other Hart bowlers – Gill Croft (16), Mike Keynes (11), Dave Edwards (13), Sue Sugden (14), Neil Laxton and Sheila Humphreys (both 16).
White Hart’s annual Needles Doubles Tournament was well supported as nine pairs took part. The semi-finals produced two very close matches as Gill Croft and Kirk Wright fought back from the verge of defeat to pip John Meredith and Denis Turner 21-20, while Graham Arnott and Brian Chatterley finally overcame Ray Richards and Mick Perrins by the same score.
Croft and Wright then gained a narrow lead for the first half of the final before Arnott and Chatterley gained control and took the Needles Trophy with a 21-15 success.
