Duncan on cue for second successive year

Duncan Waring of Clay Cross Brotherhood lifted the OMYA Cup (Individual Scratch) for the second year running, securing a nail-biting 4-3 final success over Bolehill's Ricki Slack, a five-time winner of the event himself and now runner-up twice in the last three seasons, at Crich Comrades Club.

Waring had battled through a tough run to the final, defeating the likes of Scott Brooks, Ben Monk and Justin Weller en route while Slack had come through against John Roseman in the opening round and another individual finalist Rob Muxlow in the last eight.
Early doors it was all Waring as he dominated table time, taking the opening couple of frames with the minimum of fuss, with visits of 32,29 and 22 contributing to 82-12 and 50-14 winning margins.
The Bolehill cueman began to find his feet in the next despite Waring himself having a run of 23, however Slack's 29 break got his cue arm moving sufficiently to get over the line 73-58 to pull one back.
Waring was still striking the ball well and was in with 27 before Slack hit back to make it nip and tuck but a mishit safety allowed the Clay Cross player to pounce with a splendid clearance of 49 to go 3-1 up with scores of 77-35.
Waring ran in a 39 at the start of frame five but again Slack fought back with the aid of a run of 20 and edged the frame on the final black from long range from just off the side cushion.
It was 3-3 as Slack engineered a 63-26 verdict with a visit of 21 and he made the early running in the decider as he moved twenty ahead despite Waring's excellent early standards.
However, knocking in the black inadvertently proved costly as Waring then pulled back to level the scores after which a bout of safety play and snookering meaning the referee was kept busy with the miss rule in operation.
With Waring emerging from this period with a 12-point advantage, Slack then got in with yellow to brown to reduce the gap to three before more tactical play eventually left him a chance on blue to middle, albeit from near the green pocket.
However, playing for pink increased the difficulty of the shot and it went awry, meaning Waring came back to the table to dispatch impressive match-winning pots on a straight blue from a narrow angle into the green pocket while holding for pink which was just off its spot, cueing from the jaws of the middle pocket, both coolly taken with an air of confidence for a deserved success.

In the T & M Motors Snooker League, Clay Cross Brotherhood No2 extended their lead to four points with a 3-2 win at Crich Comrades with second placed Alfreton No2 inactive, though they now have two games in hand.
Callum Greenfield, Lee Shaw and John Roseman put the visitors three to the good but Nick Berry pulled one back and then Ade Smith and Paul Trevett took the doubles leg on the black.

Bolehill No1 have been pushed all the way by Bolehill No2 in their two clashes this season and once again they were held to just a 3-2 verdict like earlier in the season, which moves them narrowly into third place.
Ian Doe and Ricki Slack put the play off contenders 2-0 up before Mick Bunting (on the black) and Owen Williams levelled it up.
Ian Birks (runs of 25 and 21) and Slack stepped up in the pairs leg to ensure it went to the formbook however.

Edgefold No2 were defeated 3-2 at Alfreton No1 despite the excellent efforts of Scott Brooks who was twice successful (including as reserve giving the extra handicap due to player shortages).
Cole Smith and Andrew Haggarty had put the hosts two in front and Smith then teamed up with Phil Longden to see them over the line.

Belper Royal British Legion took maximum points from Edgefold No3 with Justin Weller top scoring and Mark Newby and Wayne Shooter taking each of their singles and doubles legs in the 5-0 triumph.

The same night they doubled up playing Edgefold No2 in the Jimmy Harper Plate competition and took a 327-277 win against a depleted host team who could only field two players on the night.
Scott Brooks (28 break) had taken the opener 81-55 but wins for Mark Newby, Steve Bullock and Justin Weller put the visitors in the ascendancy and despite Brooks and father Martin Barwick taking the doubles leg, the aggregate totals favoured the Legionnaires.