THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

It was a splendid evening for Oakley's Ladies tonight as they took on the Southbourne Club from Bournemouth in the Hampshire Final of the National Top Club. As challengers, Southbourne could choose the neutral venue and opted for Banister Park at Southampton, where they had beaten the local team in the previous round. Despite having to replace a player on the morning of the game, so making two changes from the previous round, it was Oakley that roared out of the blocks taking an early lead in all four disciplines with the Triples in particular establishing a massive 18-0 advantage. Southbourne fought back, drawing level in the Singles and moving ahead in the Pairs, but by now the Oakley Triples were 20 shots in front and Oakley had the comfort of knowing that, providing they won two of the four disciplines, the Triples score would enable them to win on aggregate shots. First to finish were the Pairs who came back from 6 shots down to tie their game and when shortly afterwards the Triples won handsomely it looked as if, barring a complete disaster, Oakley would triumph. So it proved. The Singles won and, with the result determined, Southbourne conceded the Fours. Oakley scores: Heather Statham won 21-16, Laura Butler and Val Ryan drew 15-15, Janie Vickers, Shirley Ball and Alice Lovett won 28-4, Diane Yarrall, Christine Williams, Sue Dixon and Ruth Bown won 24-6

Oakley has only previously won the Hampshire Final of the Top Club in 2008 and only two players of that team were playing today. The Club is now in the Last 16 nationally, something it also achieved in 2019 when the rounds were not County based, and now has to play either Bembridge from the IOW or Gildredge Park, Sussex for a place in the Last Eights at Royal Leamington Spa. Well done everyone.