Open County Champs 2003:

Reading Post Office Club, Sunday 28th September.

Gareth, Barry, Capt Nigel, Jimbo, Mark, Ian & Steve.
 

Sussex

Cambridge

 

Sussex

Northants

B.Holt*

5,230

1,610

N Elmer

 

B.Holt*

14,960

0

M.Atwell

I Street

7,000

4,150

P.Doherty*

 

I Street

1,950

3,350

S.Oram*

S.Mariner*

14,450

280

A.Dennis

 

S.Mariner*

2,270

6,640

S.Coleman

G.Lloyd

15,250

800

D.Franklin*

 

G.Lloyd

5,110

6,300

D.Coats*

J.Millward*

13,820

700

K.MacDonald

 

J.Millward*

8,740

980

J.Neal*

M.James

2,570

2,080

M.Wright*

 

M.James

7,880

7,050

A.Chambers*

N.Senior*

10,100

2,910

P.Buckle

 

N.Senior*

9,300

1,620

T.Dunkley

7

68,420

12,530

0

 

4

50,210

25,940

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sussex

Bucks

 

 

 

 

B.Holt

3,510

9,920

T.Isard*

 

Other Division 2 Results:

 

 

I Street*

7,090

800

E.Jordan

 

Cambridge 2 - 5 Northants

 

S.Mariner

9,710

1,600

N.Morton*

 

Bucks 6 - 1 Northants

 

 

G.Lloyd*

9,020

4,970

S.Ellis

 

Bucks 6 - 1 Cambridge

 

 

J.Millward*

6,180

3,240

R.Hussey*

 

 

 

 

 

M.James*

9,150

6,190

J.Burrows

 

 

 

 

 

N.Senior

11,980

4,190

D.Clark*

 

 

 

 

 

6

56,640

30,910

1

 

 

 

 

 

  

Final Table:

Pld

Won

Legs

Pts

Sussex P

3

3

17

17

Bucks

3

2

13

13

Northants

3

0

9

9

Cambridge

3

1

3

3

   

Sx Avers

Pld

Won

Brk

score

Aver

Rpts

N.Senior

3

3

2

31,380

10,460

7.7

J.Millward

3

3

2

28,740

9,580

6.6

M.James

3

3

1

19,600

6,533

5.4

G.Lloyd

3

2

1

29,380

9,793

4.7

S.Mariner

3

2

2

26,430

8,810

3.7

B.Holt

3

2

2

23,700

7,900

2.5

I Street

3

2

1

16,040

5,347

1.3

  
With one of the strongest Sussex teams ever assembled, the return to the Division 1 of the County Championships looked well and truly on the cards, however it doesn’t always go to plan. Sussex had to sit out the opening match and watched a strong Bucks team tear apart the Northants contingent 6-1. It was not going to be an easy ride for Sussex. With Cambridge our first opponents it was Bucks turn to sit out and watch as we gave away few chances and ran through the match to amass a 7-0 score line. Then the big game for us, Bucks. We had to give away 4 breaks so our task was stretched even more. With Ian Street winning a tight game and Barry Holt not getting a chance, we were happy at 1-1. Then Steve Mariner and Gareth Lloyd made few mistakes to lean the match towards us at 3-1. With Jim Millward and Nigel Senior against the break, and Mark James taking on the legendary John Burrows, victory still had to be earned. But the boys stood tall and we took all 3 legs. This meant we had to lose 7-0 to Northants, and Bucks had to beat Cambridge 7-0 to deny us promotion. Even Sussex couldn’t fail to be promoted from this position! The last match was a bit of an anticlimax, slackness set in and 3 legs were allowed to slip. No damage though, Sussex gained promotion to Division 1 next season.
   

County Champs: Div 1 2003

 

Final Table:

Pld

Won

Legs

Pts

Berks

 4 - 3

Surrey

 

Oxford

4

3

18

18

Kent

 4 - 3

Oxford

 

Berks

4

3

15

15

Kent

 5 - 2

Hants

 

Kent

4

3

14

14

Oxford

 5 - 2

Surrey

 

Hants

4

1

13

13

Berks

 4 - 3

Hants

 

Surrey R

4

0

10

10

Hants

 5 - 2

Surrey

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kent

 4 - 3

Surrey

 

Div 1 high break - Tony Walsh 18,690

 

Oxford

 4 - 3

Hants

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berks

 6 - 1

Kent

 

Div 2 high break - John Burrows 17,240

 

Oxford

 6 - 1

Berks

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

Even without their conductor, Oxford were again crowned County Champions. However if Berks had lost 4-3 to Oxford instead of 6-1, they would have won. Berks by their own admission were inconsistent all day, but still strong enough for second. Despite the lack of house-hold names, Kent toughed it out to claim 3rd spot. Hants were happy enough to stay up, but last years runners-up Surrey had a shocker. Their matches completed, without a win to their name they decided to slip out the back door when know one was looking!   

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