July

NEWLAND'S Phil Birch notched up an excellent 129 not out as his side recorded 255 in the derby game against Upton and Hanley Castle. The visitors contributed to a fine game with good batting themselves before falling just ten runs short.

COLWALL reached the last 16 of the National Village Knock-out with a win against Isham of Northampton-shire. Richard Williams finished with 3-37 and then scored 82 to guide them home. They then secured a quarter final place with a win against Fillongley by six wickets with 89 from Dave Powell.

MALVERN Chess Club ended their three year title drought by beating Kidderminster in the final of the Worcester and District League knockout cup.

CASTLEMORTON rider Stella Baylis won the British Riding Club Horse of the Year championship at Hartpury College. Stella, representing Malvern Hills Riding Club, competed on Bright Colours.

EASTNOR reached the finals of the HCB Eric Jenkins Memorial Cup with a 44 run victory over Garnons, Haris slogging 81, including five sixes, and Jim Sandford taking 4-8.

MALVERN College pupil Roko Mijic won the individual rifle trophy at the annual schools shooting championships at Bisley to pick up the Spencer-Mellish trophy after an exciting shoot-out.

BROMYARD'S Nick Adcock ended in the gravel trap at Druids Hill bend at Brands Hatch after a nudge. Restarting his Beetle RSi at the back of the field, he stormed through to claim seventh in the latest rounds of the Volkswagon Racing Cup, earning the title Driver of the Day.

August

MALVERN cyclist Liam Killeen put in a magnificent performance in the Commonwealth Games to secure a bronze medal in the inaugural men's cross-country mountain bike race. Members of his family were among the cheering crowds as the 20-year-old rode down the finishing straight carrying an England flag.

A FIVE pound bream helped Jerry Thomas to a winning haul and Malvern Angling Club's Fitzwater Cup fished on the Severn at Hanley Castle.

DREAMS of a Lord's final evaporated for Colwall as they were beaten by Elvaston of Derbyshire in the quarter finals. The home team recovered from 4-3 to record 194-9 off 40 overs. Amid rain breaks and gloomy batting conditions, Colwall fell 40 runs short.

WORCESTERSHIRE Golf Club's trip to play Chester Valley in the United States ended in defeat sending the Malvern Bowl across the pond.

CYCLIST Tracy Moseley from Malvern became the first British woman to win a World Cup Downhill at Fort William in Scotland. The UK number one then went on to clinch the NORBA Series Final at Vermont in the USA.

ROWERS Colin Scott and Nicholas Baker were among the medals. Colin won gold rowing for the GB team at the ten nation Coupe de la Jeunesse in Portugal, as a member of the coxed four team. Nick won gold at the Home Counties Regatta in the junior eights rowing for England.

FORMER Formula One World Champion Damon Hill visited the Ledbury base of the Minardi team. He was being fitted for a seat after agreeing to drive at a charity bash at Donington Park.

LEDBURY RFC got the new season off to a cracking start by winning the Upton 7s event, beating Worcester Wanderers 28-5 in the final.

September

A RECORD 252 run partnership between Tom Wolfendale (134no) and Steve Ferguson (119no) secured Colwall runners up spot in Glos/Wilts Division One, the stand coming in a 55-run victory over Hatherley and Old Reddings. It was not all good news though, defeat against Wormelow meant relegation from the Herefordshire Sunday League.

MALVERN Town secured their first win of the season with a 5-0 hammering of Rainworth MW in first qualifying round of the FA Carlsberg Vase. They followed up with a 6-0 win over Lye Town in the league.

WORCESTER Nomads Seconds won the first divisional title in the club's 75-year history and player Dave Pearson became the first ever Second XI batsman to record 1,000 runs in a season.

A WEEK proved a long time in sport for Malvern RFC. Losing away to Whitchurch 59-6 was followed by a 24-7 North Midlands Cup win against the same opposition. "We got our heads right today," said skipper Vince Hill, after the victory.

EASTNOR won promotion to the top flight of the Worcestershire Cricket League thanks to a 77 run victory over Martley but defeat in the final game against Evesham left them runners up to their opponents.

SIXTY two runners contested the Ledbury Chase with David Wilcox, of Worcester, setting a new record time of 1.23.18. The team trophy was won by Geoffrey's Angels, Natalie Marsh, Katherine Cox and Karen Wright.

October

MALVERN Rangers secured their first win of the season in a local derby against Ledbury Town Reserves. Nick Robinson claimed the goal, four minutes from time, which secured the win.

A RECORD entry of nearly 270 runners contested the Beacon Race, won by Chris Beecham of Highgate Harriers in 43.56. Ladies winner was Kate Goodhead of Gloucester AC in 47.37 and there was a special award for Colin Ozaane, the first home out of a 30 strong contingent from the Channel Islands.

MALVERN Town's attempts to reach the second round proper of the FA Carlsberg Vase ended in a disappointing defeat to Norton United, 2-0.

A FORMER Malvern Squash Club player won a world title at the age of 71. Dr John Cox, the club's top player during the 70s through to the mid-80s, won the 70-74 category at the World Masters Games Squash Champion-ships in Melbourne, Australia.

BULL Allstars' Jamie James scored a magnificent seven as his side overwhelmed Madresfield 11-0, taking his tally to 19 in five games.

LEDBURY Town built up a run of nine straight wins with victories over Brierley and Hagley (2-0), Gornal Athletic (5-2) and Leominster Town (3-0). Barwell ended the run with a 4-1 win in the FA Vase first round proper, Ledbury reduced to nine men.

LEDBURY RFC overcame higher ranked opposition in Wolverhampton to progress to the third round of the Powergen Intermediate Cup.

November

WEST Malvern were knocked out of the WFA Minor Cup in dramatic fashion. Leading until the 87th minute, West Malvern conceded a disputed late penalty which took the tie to extra time. With the scores locked at 4-4, penalties determined the winner, Badsey Rangers Reserves advancing 4-2.

GORNAL Athletic were the last team to beat Malvern Town back in September but came unstuck when they visited the Langland Stadium. Malvern's revenge was a 6-0 thrashing, new signing Paul Edwards getting the last. It got worse for Gornal -- three days later Ledbury turned them over 4-2.

RALLY duo Bob Ceen and Alistair Douglas took on the challenge of the Network Q Rally of Great Britain stages in South Wales. The pair finished 39th and last but were awarded bottles of champagne for perseverance, the testing conditions forcing the retirement of top drivers like world champion Marcus Gronholm.

LONGTON provided a masterclass in rugby when they defeated Malvern 43-5 at Spring Lane, the league leaders showing why they remained unbeaten this season.

A BARRETT Price penalty two minutes from time edged Ledbury to victory 21-18 against Pershore, the start of a good month with wins against Southam (15-11), Old Halesonians (18-9), Keresley (40-9) and Pershore again in the North Midlands Cup (18-13).

LEDBURY rider Ben Saunders became the British U21 Motocross champion by a clear 100 points, now setting his sights on European races.

COLWALL Women's Hockey Club were maintaining a strong challenge in the West Clubs Women's League Premier Division, with a 4-3 win at Taunton Vale and 2-1 victory over Bournemouth Ladies sandwiching their first defeat of the season, 2-1 to Portishead/Firebrands.

December

BULL Allstars look almost unstoppable as they head towards their second successive Malvern Football League title. Jamie James scored 12 goals as they trounced St Peters 19-1 and then defeated Kempset United Reserves 4-0. They have already scored 105 times in their 11 league games so far.

MALVERN Town extended a superb run that has seen them win their last six West Midlands Premier Division games and secure a place in the semi-final of the Worcester Royal Infirmary Cup with a 4-2 win over a Worcester City side.

MALVERN Rugby Club secured the services of Welsh international scrum half David Llewellyn who has been capped 23 times by his country. Llewellyn is on the way back from a ruptured achilles tendon and plays for Malvern as part of his rehabilitation.