TEAMS from all divisions of the Worcester League battled it out in the preliminary and first rounds of the team handicap knock-out competition.

In the preliminary round, Nemesis, from Malvern, were unable to keep their original date with Himbleton ‘C’ due to flooding, but made up for it with the closest match in the round.

Adam Throssell got the home side underway, beating Don James 6&12, but that advantage was reversed when Richard Cullis proved too strong for Malcolm Parker.

Parker and Ray Davies then had a ding-dong battle resulting in a difference of just one point overall.

Pete Rogers pulled back a handful of points for Himbleton against James, but that was not enough and Nemesis ran out winners by nine points.

Enigma got off to a good start at home to Pavilion Players with number one John Cawthra losing 14& 16 to Margaret Dignum.

However, Players’ number one Stefan Bonnafous scored convincing wins over Alan Spink and Mark Haines to put his team in the driving seat and they went on to win by 138 points.

Past winners St Georges Dragons looked to have a good chance against lower-placed WGCC. Dragons number one Geoff Woodward scored good points from David Stevens and Brian Webb, but was equalled in his encounter with opposing number one Graham Meredith.

Meredith failed to gain any points against Kamil Churminzski and was beaten 13&15 by Steve Mills.

However, with good support from Stevens and Webb, the visitors managed to hold on for a 63-point win when the handicaps were revealed.

Having fought their way through the preliminary round, WGCC were away to top team in Division Two, Broadheath Belters.

Brett Brining gained quite a few points for the home side, taking a set off Meredith among others.

For WGCC, Webb and Paddy Mullen clawed back more points from Belters number three Roger Bates and Meredith completed the match with a good win over his opposite number one Pete Stevens, winning 21-14 and 21-10 to take WGCC through to the next round by 54 points.

Dukes Way Dynamos lived up to their names with a sparkling display against last year’s finalists YMCA Elizabethans.

Having had a bye in the preliminary round, Dukes were a bit of an unknown quantity and being low-placed had a favourable handicap, which enabled them to claim a 108-point win over the Elizabethans.

Results (handicap in brackets), preliminary round: YMCA Enigma (170) lost to Pavilion Players (45) by 138 points; St Georges Dragons (90) lost to WGCC (245) by 63 points; Himbleton ‘C’ (95) lost to Nemesis (130) by nine points.

Round one: Broadheath Belters (75) lost to WGCC (200) by 54 points; Dukes Way (305) beat YMCA Elizabethans (95) by 108 points.