Report from Matthew Covill:      MATCH REPORT v WARWICKSHIRE    COPING WITH 4-0 TRUMP BREAKS (by Nick Smith)

Congratulations to all the OBA players playing against Warwickshire today. Oxfordshire won all three of its matches.

Dawes League

The A Team left it to the last result on the last hand to win the match 11-9. How exciting! They won by 7 imps which also happens to be the minimum imp level which avoids a draw. My preliminary calculations suggest that the A Team have finished in second position to Gloucestershire. In a day of fine margins, this required Nottinghamshire to beat Leicestershire without having won a match all season, so thanks due to them!

Porter League

The B Team made easier work of their match, being over 200 imps up at the half way mark. The final margin was 313 imps which is 20-0 with room to spare. Congratulations to Graham and Jackie who topped the cross-imps across all OBA Leagues with over 2 imps per board.

The B Team have won all their matches this season and have won the division by a significant margin, so congratulations to all involved.

Markham League

The C Team won 17-3 after a slow start, so a highly satisfactory result. Although the C Team have only lost one match this season (to Gloucestershire), they finish in third position in the League.

If my early investigation is correct, it looks like Worcestershire beat Gloucestershire by 16-4 and this would be enough to win the League for Worcestershire.

Please note that we have been thanked by Warwickshire for such a good-spirited match. This is just as important as winning, so thank you to all those who played today.

The MCOL now has a short break and will resume on the second Sunday of the month (mostly) from September. Please keep your eye on the OBA website for and relevant news.

The selectors are pleased to make the following selections for the match against Worcestershire on Sunday 9^th February 2025:

The results were as follows:   MATCH REPORT

     A Team 168 v 194 imps or 8-12 VPs

     B Team 294 v 122 imps or 18-2 VPs

     C Team 263 v 252 imps or 11-9 VPs

     9-High 151 v 212 imps or 6-14 VPs

A Team

Abbey Smith and Robert Procter, Alan Wilson and Nick Smith, Henry Rose and Jonathan Davis, Ian Angus and Tom Rainforth

 

B Team

Chris Wilson and Matthew Covill, Christopher Whitehouse and Mary-Ann Sheehy, Finn Clark and Malcolm Cochrane, Graham Orsmond and Jackie Fairclough

 

     C Team

Gillian Lonsdale and Nigel Wilkes, Krys Kazmierczak and Sandra Nicholson, Lorna Swadling and Peter Finbow, Malcolm Currie and Peter Litchfield

 

Nine-High

Anna Wright and Lesley Sixsmith, Bridget Watson and John Cecil, Ian Van Maanen and Michael Allen, Nick Stubbs and Raymond Connew

 

Reserve: Erika Syba and Rob Blundell

Please CLICK TO READ a report which has been written to describe the performance of the OBA teams during the 2023-24 season, and also describe the process for selection for the 2023-24 year for the Tollemache Cup qualifier.

Congratulations to the B Team players who have won the Porter League and now go on to represent the Midlands Counties in the national final. A selection will be announced shortly for this team. The final will be held on Sunday 2^nd June 2024.

I should also highlight to you the achievements of some Oxfordshire players over the Easter Festival. In the Swiss Teams Graham Orsmond was in the winning team, and also being placed very high were Charlie Bucknell, Diana Nettleton, Lawrence Wang and Chun-Ting Lau. In the Swiss pairs there were creditable performances from Diana Nettleton, Lawrence Wang and Yining Yang in a strong field.

Meanwhile the Thursday Pairs Ladder has finished for the six months to March 2024 and the top three finishers were as follows:

Our thanks go to Stephen for organising the three leagues so efficiently. Please continue to support the ladder.

Please continue to enjoy your bridge over the Summer months. I think that the MCOL dates will be settled in June and a doodle poll should be circulated thereafter to ascertain availability for all the matches for 2024-25.

Thank you to those who turned out to represent Oxfordshire against Gloucestershire today. The results are both on the EBU website and also on the OBA one for those brave enough to look.

On the whole it was a disappointing set of results which were as follows:  A Team lost 6-14,   B Team lost 7-13, C Team lost 5-15

These results are roughly in keeping with the England rugby this weekend, although the A team took an early lead and I believe were leading into the final set. The B Team were also level at half time.

There are two highlights which I should draw to your attention. The first is that the C Team have won the Markham Division and congratulations are due to all those who have played this season. Today's was the only defeat, and it is very pleasing to be able to select so many good players from a such a healthy squad.

The second highlight is to mention that Lawrence and Yining topped the x-imps averaging a positive score of 1.39 per board. This would be less remarkable if it were not against a series of international players who represent Gloucestershire and that Gloucestershire have won the Dawes League this season - so well done to them. Oxfordshire Bridge needs people like Lawrence and Yining!

There will now be some respite until the MCOL picks up again in September. Please don't forget to practise being nice to your partner over the summer so that we are ready to launch in the new season.

                Matthew Covill. 

The results from today were as follows:    A Team lost 9-11,   B Team lost 9-11,  C Team won 15-5

Congratulations to the C Team on being unbeaten this season and securing another win today. It sets up a good position for the final game of the season against Gloucestershire.

Congratulations to the following four pairs for heading the x-imp leader board:   Christopher and Mary-Ann, Amr and Martin, Alison and Robert, Charlie and Ewa

                Matthew Covill. 

Ignoring my individual performance, today was a good day for Oxfordshire Bridge. The results were as follows:

    A Team won 13-7,    B Team won 14-6,    C Team won 12-8         See write up of a 4S hand by Alan Wilson 

Thanks to all those playing and congratulations for the wins. In a feat of modernisation, the results and hands are posted on the OBA website.  The results have also been uploaded to the EBU website, but other counties may not be so quick!  The next match will be against Warwickshire on 12^th February 2023. The selectors will aim to get together to make the team selection for that match shortly.   Matthew Covill. 

Thanks to those who turned out to play for Oxfordshire against Nottinghamshire today in fairly frosty conditions. The results were:

    A Team 14-6,    B Team 14-6,    C Team 18-2

So congratulations to all the teams on healthy wins, the C Team result just that bit healthier than the other two. The next match will be against Staffs on 15^th January 2023. The selectors will aim to get together to make the team selection for that match shortly.   Matthew Covill. 

Thank you to those who played in the match against Gloucestershire last Sunday. It was the first time that we have fielded a nine-high team and that seems to have gone well. I hope all the players enjoyed it. The match was very close with Gloucestershire narrowly beating us by 22 imps. Congratulations to Kevin and Ruth Carter who came out the best of the OBA pairs in the cross imps.

Click HERE for a report on the match kindly prepared by Chris Wilson.

The A team victory was most impressive because Gloucestershire have a number of home international players, and have been unbeaten this season, so congratulations to the A team.

In the B Team Finn and Stuart seemed to have been enjoying the day and as a result OBA now top the Division 2 table. In second place come Worcestershire who we happen to play in February.

The first match of the New Year will be against Gloucestershire on Sunday 19^th January. The selectors are pleased to announce the following teams:  RESULTS

A Team: Abbey Smith and Robert Procter, Alan Wilson and Nick Smith, Charlie Bucknell and Jonathan Davis, Denis Talbot and Kathy Talbot

B Team:  Amr El-Kashef and Martin Illingworth, Chris Wilson and Nicholas Lee, Christopher Whitehouse and Mary-Ann Sheehy, Finn Clark and Stuart Forsyth

C Team: Gillian Lonsdale and Nigel Wilkes, Krys Kazmierczak and Sandra Nicholson, Liza Furnival and Lorna Swadling, Malcolm Currie and Peter Litchfield

        Reserve: Alison Jackson and Peter Jackson

9-High: Richard Crawford and Diane Mitchell, Cliff Hones and Patricia Hones, Kevin Carter and Ruth Carter, Sarah Gregory and Peter Kiff

        Reserve: Lesley Sixsmith and Anna Wright

This is the first time that the county will be fielding a 9-high team. It goes without saying that the aim is primarily to enjoy yourselves and to make sure that the opponents do so also, whilst wondering why they have come second. We are delighted to have received many expressions of interest in the 9-High and plan to see more pairs playing for the County in this event both in the remainder of this year and in years to come.

It was a good day for OBA. The A Team won 15-5. The B Team won 19-1 subject to an appeal. And the C Team lost 16-4 (which was unexpected).

Chris has produced this MATCH REPORT. Thank you to those who have submitted hands of interest.

The current position with two matches to go is that OBA leads in the Dawes and Porter competitions and lies third in the Markham. A good position.

The A Team lost 5-15. The B Team won 17-3. And the C Team lost 6-14.

Matthew has produced this MATCH REPORT. Thank you to those who have submitted hands of interest.

LINK TO RESULTS TABLES

Congratulations to all the teams on the results which are provisionally as follows:

    A Team 19-1                    B Team 14-6                      C Team 15-5

There has been a ruling in the B Team so that result to be double checked. 

Special mention goes to Charlie Bucknell and Jonathan Davis playing in the A Team who generated 2.42 imps per board which is very pleasing.

The A and B Team won their matches 17-3, and the C Team won 15-5. This leaves the A and B Teams in first position in their respective leagues after two matches, and the C Team is lying in fourth place.   Interestingly there are different counties challenging each of our teams: for the A Team it is Gloucestershire, for the B Team Worcestershire and for the C Team it is both of these and Derbyshire.   Please click for a DETAILED REPORT

Midland Counties League Tables 2024-25: 1 | 2 | 3