The Spalding and District League – sponsored by Vital Recruitment – returned to league action but, with only two matches, scheduled attendance was sparse.
In total seven matches were played across three competitions, four of which were completed.
The spare tables were in use but it was disappointing that teams did not take the opportunity to catch up or bring forward matches, more on which later.
In Division 1 Jokers took over the top of the table with a 4-1 defeat of JDM Allsorts.
Sasha Martin turned out for his first match of the season and secured a double in straight ends while Guntars Briedes added another.
Phil Chandler scored for the losers although they strangely they pushed the doubles to a fifth end.
Jokers are one clear but Holland have matches in hand.
With their scheduled match already played Nets and Edges brought forward a match with Defenders who had no match.
The Netters’ Reece Kerry continued his good form with two points and Allan Lewis’s tight win gave them the match.
Martyn Green won for Defenders and they took a close run doubles.
Bladerunners were once more short of a player but Dave Gibson won his two singles against Outsiders to move their points total into double figures with four matches to complete.
In one of those Kerry came from behind to claim his best win to date and move his team to second.
South Holland claimed their place in the final of the Moulton Shield with a straight ends win over Division 2’s MatDuf.
Unsurprisingly Holland only allowed their opponents to top 10 three times in ten ends.
Skidlids were also busy in two matches.
First they defeated Can’t Move Won’t Move 3-2. Richard Matthews and Clive Shardlow both won one singles and combined to take the doubles, but the Mover’s Garry Wilkinson won both his singles.
They then picked up a further two points in their (still) unfinished match with MatDuf, Shardlow coming from behind to take a singles game before they won another doubles.
Those two points were then enough to leapfrog them to the top of the table, while the Movers go second.
Next week (December 9) sees the Paddy Palgrave Hard Bat competition. Members are reminded to register before 7.45pm to be in the draw.
That will be the last night’s play before the Christmas break.
Division 2 should note that only tables 1 to 4 will be able to play on the next night (January 6).
Hurricane Brothers/Bourne Nightmayors, Casey’s Pingers/MatDuf, Can’t Move Won’t Move/Young Guns and Castel Sports/Mine’s a Pint have all had to be postponed and will be rescheduled for week 24 (April 6) unless they choose to play them at other times.
