Holders Kevin Baker and Philip Adams (Cricketers B) were given a scare before reaching the pairs semi-finals.

They opened up by beating Dave Leopold and Simon Somerscales (Black Prince) 2-0 in the second round.

After winning the first leg, Baker and Adams had to rely on a three-stick shoot-out in the second following a 7-7 tie.

In the quarter-finals, the Cricketers duo were pushed all the way by Mick Berry and Eddie Lacey (Red Lion Eynsham), before winning 2-1.

The reigning champions took the opening leg 6-5, only for their opponents to grab the next 4-3 on three sticks.

Baker and Adams set nine in the decider, and Berry and Lacey fell just short with eight.

Earlier, Berry had followed up his maximum six in the first round by clanging off another in round two as the Red Lion pair overcame Ken Maunder and Trevor Greenaway (Garsington Sports Club) 2-1.

Maunder also hit a six for Garsington in a 8-7, 6-7, 6-5 scoreline.

Last year’s runners-up, Kevin Giles and Paul Townsend (Three Pigeons), almost crashed out in the second round before scraping past Kevin Stuart and Brian Mossop (Rose Hill Club) 2-1.

The Rose Hill pair took the first leg 8-7, and then set nine in the next, only for Townsend to clang off a six, before Giles whipped off four dolls to level.

The Three Pigeons duo then took the decider 7-6.

Giles and Townsend had an easier ride in the quarter-finals, beating Tony and Keith Bull (Team Monarch) 2-0.

Alan Goodgame and Alan Surman (Six Bells C Kidlington) reached their first semi-final without dropping a leg.

They beat Liam and Luke Purcell (Rose Hill Club) in the first round and then brushed aside Ian and Darren Grant (Black Prince), with Goodgame bagging himself a six.

In the quarter-finals, the Six Bells pair eased past Garry Smith and Tommy Recht (Garsington Sports) 9-4, 7-6.

Brothers Barry and Geoff Townsend (Cricketers B) completed the semi-final line-up.

They squeezed past teammates Pip Goulding and Den Sellar 2-0 in the second round.

They then came from behind to beat Graham Hambridge and Gary Coulthard (Bullnose Morris) 2-1.

Phil Wilkins and Chris Webb (Six Bells B Quarry) battled their way through to the lower section pairs semi-finals.

They defeated teammates Andy Webb and Terry Cox 2-0 in the quarter-finals.

Clive Walsh and Nick Edmonds (Kidlington Sports Club) secured their place in the last four with a 2-1 victory over Elliott and Craig Greenough (Original Swan A).

Ben Green and Paul Alder (Chequers C) beat Kevin Richardson and Kevin Smith (North Oxford Conservative Club) 2-1 to secure their first semi-final appearance.

Barry and John Gilding (New Club B) complete the line-up for the last four.

THE Priory will play their remaining Section 6 home games at the Jolly Postboys, Florence Park, following the Grenoble Road pub’s closure.

RESULTS ROUND-UP

GREENE KING OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE

OXFORD PAIRS

1st round: K Stuart & B Mossop (Rose Hill Club A) 2, B Lester & L Malyon (Rose Hill A) 0; L Gillett & T Gillett (Rose Hill A) 2, K Powell & T Stuart (Red Lion A Eynsham) 0; K Maunder & T Greenaway (Garsington Spts) 2, B Ruffels & M Ruffels (Garsington Spts) 1; M Berry & E Lacey (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, P Dempsey & P Sawyer (Three Pigeons) 1; D Grant & I Grant (Black Prince A) 2, G Coyle & G Pether (Bullnose Morris A) 0; A Surman & A Goodgame (Six Bells C Kid) 2, L Purcell & L Purcell (Rose Hill Club A) 0; G Smith & T Recht (Garsington Sports A) 2, M Herbert & J Greenaway (Red Lion A Eynsham) 1; P Goulding & D Sellar (Cricketers B) 2, W Waite & J McMahon (Bullnose Morris A) 1; B Townsend & G Townsend (Cricketers B) 2, R Hambridge & C Hambridge (Bullnose Morris A) 1.

2nd round: K Giles & P Townsend (Three Pigeons) 2, K Stuart & B Mossop (Rose Hill Club A) 1; T Bull & K Bull (Team Monarch) 2, L Gillett & T Gillett (Rose Hill A) 0; K Baker & P Adams (Cricketers B) 2, D Leopold & S Somerscales (Black Prince A) 0; M Berry & E Lacey (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, K Maunder & T Greenaway (Garsington Spts) 1; G Smith & T Recht (Garsington Sports A) 2, R Townsend & R Busby (Black Prince B) 1; A Surman & A Goodgame (Six Bells C Kid) 2, D Grant & I Grant (Black Prince A) 0; B Townsend & G Townsend (Cricketers B) 2, P Goulding & D Sellar (Cricketers B) 0; G Hambridge & G Coulthard (Bullnose Morris) 2, N Lyon & E Edwards (Three Pigeons) 1.

Quarter-finals: K Giles & P Townsend (Three Pigeons) 2, T Bull & K Bull (Team Monarch) 0; K Baker & P Adams (Cricketers B) 2, M Berry & E Lacey (Red Lion A Eynsham) 1; A Surman & A Goodgame (Six Bells C Kid) 2, D Grant & I Grant (Black Prince A) 1; B Townsend & G Townsend (Cricketers B) 2, G Hambridge & G Coulthard (Bullnose Morris) 1.

Semi-finalists (to be played on Mon, Sept 2): K Baker & P Adams (Cricketers B), K Giles & P Townsend (Three Pigeons), A Surman & A Goodgame (Six Bells C Kidlington), B Townsend & G Townsend (Cricketers B).

SIXERS

M Berry (Red Lion A Eynsham) 2, M Ruffels, K Maunder (Garsington Sports), P Townsend (Three Pigeons), A Goodgame (Six Bells C Kidlington), R Hambridge (Bullnose Morris B).

LOWER SECTION PAIRS

1st round: D Edmonds & R Picket (Kidlington Sports A) 2, R Mangan & H Jenkins (Chequers B) 0; P Wilkins & C Webb (Six Bells B Quarry) 2, A Prince & T Comley (New Club B) 0; S Ward & P Shrimpton (New Club B) 2, M Hirst & P Cook (Crooked Pot B) 0; A Webb & T Cox (Six Bells B Quarry) 2, C Payne & A Yardy (Fairview Inn A) 1; C Walsh & N Edmonds (Kidlington Sports A) 2, P Sims & J Mayhew (Bullnose Morris B) 1; E Greenough & C Greenough (Original Swan A) 2, G Millard & A Gardiner (Fairview Inn A) 0.

2nd round: A Webb & T Cox (Six Bells B Quarry) 2, D Edmonds & R Picket (Kidlington Sports A) 0; P Wilkins & C Webb (Six Bells B Quarry) 2, S Ward & P Shrimpton (New Club B) 0; E Greenough & C Greenough (Original Swan A) 2, G Arundell & E Tallon (Crooked Pot) 0; C Walsh & N Edmonds (Kidlington Sports A) 2, A George & D Macer (Bullnose Morris A) 0.

Quarter-finals: P Wilkins & C Webb (Six Bells B Quarry) 2, A Webb & T Cox (Six Bells B Quarry) 0; C Walsh & N Edmonds (Kidlington Sports A) 2, E Greenough & C Greenough (Original Swan A) 1; B Green & P Alder (Chequers C) 2, K Smith & M Richardson (North Oxford Con Club B) 1.

Semi-finalists (to be played, Mon, Sept 2): P Wilkins & C Webb (Six Bells B Quarry), C Walsh & N Edmonds (Kidlington Sports A), J Gilding & B Gilding (New Club B), B Green & P Alder (Chequers C).

ABINGDON & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Premier/A Section: Abingdon United B 2, Spread Eagle 4; Fox 2, Steventon Sports 4; Hart of Harwell 2, Tandem 4; Abingdon Con Club A 4, Abingdon United D 2.

B Section: Abingdon Legion 4, Berinsfield SC 2; Didcot Con Club 5, Abingdon Con Club 1; Vine Cumnor 6, Abingdon United C 0; Red Lion 0, Admiral Benbow 6.

C Section: College Oak 2, White Horse 4; Pack Horse 2, Hinds Head 4; Chequers Charney 4, Barley Mow 2; Fox Denchworth 2, The Vine 4.

D Section: Drayton Park Golf Club 2, Black Horse Hanney 4; Plough East Hendred 4, DC Bystander 2; Fleur De Lys 2, North Star 4; Abingdon Arms 2, Red Lion Drayton 4.

E Section: Brewery Tap 2, Eight Bells 4; Royal Oak 2, College Oak 4.

F Section: Black Horse 5, North Star 1; Boundary House 3, Goodlake Arms 3.

G Section: Cross Keys 0, Abingdon Legion 6; Bear North Morton 6, Old Anchor 0; Morning Star 2, Plough Sutton 4; Crown Marcham 2, Hart of Harwell 4; North Star 5, Plough Hanney 1.

H Section: Challow Legion 3, Black Swan 3; Steventon Sports 0, Brewery Tap 6.

J Section: Midget 6, Rose & Crown 0; Saxton Arms 6, Waggon & Horses 0; Cross Keys 2, George & Dragon 4.