Sorry for the late update today folks, I've been taking advantage of the (long awaited) good weather we had.

I'm sure the ones of you that have seen the league's Facebook page will already know the results of the Individual Merit semi-final matches that were played on Thursday... For those of you who haven't, the finalists this year will be Ian Ford and Mick Hirst. Ian hasn't won it before, and from the records I hold, I don't believe Mick has won it either... he was a bit uncertain whether he had or hadn't, and as we have some years that are blank in the records, we aren't one hundred per cent certain. The blank years are 1991/2 and 1984/85, so if there is anyone out there that can help me with those, then get in touch - see the 'Past Winners' page.

I only have the bare result from the Deaf Centre and can advise you that Ian (with home advantage) beat James Butcher 200-164 and so I presume Ian's 65 point start meant that he was always in front. 

At Congs, I turned up only a few minutes after the start, but as I walked in, Mick was just finishing off a very good break of 30. Giving his younger brother Dave just 10 start, this excellent early score got Mick nicely into the lead. Following that, he never really looked back. He scored quite regularly at most of his visits, whereas Dave struggled to find very much at all to score from and commented afterwards that he nearly always felt "in between" with only half chances available a lot of the time. Mick's win was therefore a comfortable 200-138 (but very well deserved) playing confidently throughout and if he can carry that on into the final this coming Thursday, even though he'll be giving 50 start to Ian, he will still be a handful for the big man from the Deaf Centre. 

Mick and Dave told me they had practiced together the day before (in a bit of a dress-rehearsal) and in that one Dave actually beat Mick (bizarrely, by exactly the same score 200-138). That's just the nature of the game though, isn't it? Sometimes, we can have a good game where nearly everything drops right for us, and then on other days we never seem to get any real chances!

So, hopefully, we will see you at Littlemoor this coming Thursday, when we will watch the Individual Merit Final, followed by a pie & pea supper (with some veggie alternatives) and then we will make the presentations to this season's winners. So far, we are aware of how many are coming from Pudsey Congs, the Deaf Centre and Littlemoor, but we still need to know from Princeville and St Andrews as to how many are likely to come, so that we know how much food to purchase. If Princeville and the St Andrews A & B captains can get in touch with me, to let me know in the next couple of days, that would be helpful. Thanks.

David Howarth

League Secretary