Over Twelve Hundred people turned out at Vauxhall Holiday Park to contest the All England Inter County Championships, and the new K O Cup competition, the K O Cup was first up on the Friday evening, and Somerset, Essex, Cheshire, and Hampshire won their first matches in the Mens A, Somerset, and Cheshire also won their second match to progress to the semi-finals, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire joined them after a deciding play-off, where Somerset beat N/hants 23-18, and Leicestershire beat Cheshire 23-13, in the final Leicester went 6-5 ahead, but Somerset then took the second leg 7-4, back came Leicester to take the third leg by the odd frame, to trail by one going into the final leg, and it was Leicestershire who won the leg 7-4 to take the title 23-21.

In the B section G.M.C., Cleveland, Humberside, and Essex took the first matches, Cleveland, and Humberside won their second games to reach the semis, Leicestershire, and Essex then won play-offs to go into the semis, and these two then progressed to the final, where a close fought match saw each team share the first two legs 6-5 each, but Leicestershire took a strong hold on the match in the third with a 9-2 win, and went on to take the title 23-16 to record a double for the County.

The Ladies saw Cleveland, GMC, Leicestershire, and Somerset thanks to a three frame decider all winning their first matches, Somerset beat Cleveland with another three player play-off to progress to the semis along with Leicestershire, Cleveland, and North Yorkshire joined them after play-off’s, and it was these two that progressed to the final, where Cleveland came out on top in the Region One local derby by 23-15.

In the Youth section we witnessed some fast, and furious pool, Kent, Bedfordshire, Staffordshire, and Cambridgeshire were the early pacesetters, Bed, and Cambs won their second matches, and went to the semis, they were joined by Staffs, and Kent, and Staffs beat Beds 23-17, and Cambs beat Kent 23-19, in the final Staffs took control from the start with a 7-4 first leg win, and then won the first five frames in the second leg, but Cambs hit back to lose the leg by the odd frame, but another 6-5 win for Staffs in the third put them 19-14 ahead, and the first eight frames were shared in the final leg for Staffs to win 23-18.

In the Inter County Championships Devon, Staffs, London, and last years champions Surrey all won their first matches in the Mens A, Staffs, and London took their second matches to progress to the semi’s, where they were joined by Lancashire, and Devon, Staffs beat Lancs 23-19, and London beat Devon 23-17, in the final it was Staffs who took the first leg by the odd frame, but then pushed on with an 7-4 second leg win, but London hit back hard in the third with a 9-2 leg win to lead 18-15 into the last leg, where they wrapped the match up 23-17.

In the B section Staffs, Bristol, Norfolk, and last years Champions Surrey who won a three player play-off against Lancs won their first matches, past winners Norfolk, and Bristol progressed to the semis, where they were joined by Surrey, and London, London beat Norfolk 23-13, and Surrey after yet another three player play-off beat Bristol 24-22, the final was a Region Seven local derby, and London edged ahead 6-5, repeating the score in the second, they were dreaming of a capital double, and this became a strong reality in the third leg which they won 8-3, and although Surrey put up a brave fight in the final leg, they could not prevent London making it a double victory with their A team by 23-18.

In the Ladies section Buckinghamshire, Lancs, South Yorkshire, and Staffs took the first matches, Bucks, and Lancs went through to the semis, and they were joined by Staffs, and South Yorks after play-offs, Staffs had a fairly comfortable 23-18 victory, but Lancs just scraped through 24-23 after a three player play-off, in the final Staffs took the first leg 7-4, but Lancs hit back with an 9-2 win in the second, and with an 8-3 third leg win almost had the match won, and it only took until the third match in the final leg before they won 23-13.

In the Youth section Cleveland, Somerset, West Midlands A, and last years champions Leicestershire got off to a flying start in their first matches, Leicester, and West Mids won their second matches to secure a semi final spot, where they found London, and G.M.C. as their opponents, but London proved too strong for Leicestershire winning 23-18, and West Mids had a narrow 23-21 win over G.M.C.

In the final it was London who took a 7-4 first leg, but the West Mids hit back with a 7-4 second leg win, back came London with 6-5 win to lead by one, and it was the West Mids who won a thrilling final leg, and the match 23-20.

A fantastic weekend of pool was topped off by a presentation attended by close to four hundred people.

Mike Perkins
[Tournament Director]