Quarter Final Preview

Well, the first part of our mission is now complete. Once we got over the early season wobble against the Thatched Cottage, we opened our legs and showed our class, pulling away in the final few games of the season.

Trailing TC with three games to go, we managed to 'pull the persuader' in the final furlong. Once we had been 'given the office' it was plain sailing. The most peculiar result of the season was that the Thatched almost didn't qualify after being beaten 7-5 by WAMDSAD in the final game!! The other 'major' result in the final week was that the Pond House managed to defeat Forresters 7-5 and take their division.

Confusion broke out at season end when the results and team averages were published with the wrong averages. Instead of being worked out on each teams final points total, they were worked out on the number of frames won. This meant the Thatched B were out altogether (hence the delay in getting the scores out to you all) until the error was noticed and corrected.

Now, assuming there are no surprises sprung by the committee (and in my experience it wouldn't surprise me) the top ranked teams were as follows:

1 Racks
2 Bell BAPL (the Bapto crowd from Bracknell)
3 Pond House (our Irish club boys)
4 Racks Pack (wallop!)
5 Forresters
6 Thatch A (Dogs Walton, Steve Adams, Lol, John Molley)
7 Thatch B (the cheese from our league)
8 NMCC/Cookham SC

The last place looks like being a play-off between North Maidenhead Cricket Club and Cookham Social, both of whom finished with the same averages. It just goes to show how every frame every week can be crucial - we managed to be ranked fourth overall after winning just three more frames than the Forresters.

The quarters come out like this:

Racks v NMCC/Cookham SC
Racks Pack v Forresters
Bell BAPL v Thatch B
Pond House v Thatch A

I think we picked up the best of the draw. The Forrester are good but I didn't want to be playing the Pond House (for obvious reasons) or the other Racks side.

The draw should feed through to the semis, so if (when) we win we will play the winner of the Racks versus NMCC/Cookham SC game - again, I think is the better of the two draws as we avoid BAPL. I think they are the strongest side.

Im not sure if it's neutral venues for the quarters - hopefully not as both the Racks teams are at home which would be a good atmosphere. The date for the games is Monday the 2nd October with both the semi finals and final the week after at The Bell.

If I get sometime whilst going to and fro from Germany I will try and organise a bit of a practice/drink session before the quarters for anyone interested. I will mail you all or ring around to see who fancies it.