There will be a new name on the Oxford & District League pairs trophy after defending champions Kevin Baker & Ivor Clarke (The Cricketers) crashed out of this year’s competition – at the first hurdle.

It followed a 2-1 first-round defeat by Kevin Giles and Dave Sawyer. It was sweet revenge for the George duo, who lost to the champions in the final last year.

But their joy didn’t last long as they lost to Phil Adams and Barry Townsend (The Cricketers) in the next round.

Adams and Townsend needed a three stick shoot out to see off Francis Hillier and Steve Walton (The George) in the first leg and took the next leg 7-5.

They progressed to the last four by beating Dick Walsh and Fred Sawyer (Six Bells).

Barry and Martin Ruffles (Garsington Sports) made the semi-finals after a 2-1 win over Trevor Greenaway and Ken Maunder (Garsington Sports).

They won the opener 8-7, lost the next 6-5, before taking the decider 6-5.

They beat Clive Proudfoot and Elaine May (Gladiators) 2-1.

They lost the first leg 6-5, but took the next two to make the second round, where they beat Billy Trinder and Kevin Stuart (Headington RBL).

They then defeated Dennis Butler and Willy Waite (The George) 2-1, but had to rely on three sticks in the final leg after the first two legs were shared 8-4, 9-5.

Three Pigeons’ Dave Townsend and Mick Phipps (Three Pigeons) made the last four with a 2-1 victory against Pip Goulding and Den Seller.

In the quarter-finals, Townsend (5) and Phipps (6) set a first-leg 11.

They sealed their berth by taking the next 6-5.

They beat Ady Cross and Steve Horne (Six Bells) 2-1 in the first round, before beating Brian Richards and John Allnut (Gladiators) in the second round.

They lost the opener 8-7, but won the next two 7-6, 7-6. Allnutt hit a six in the process.

Neil Lyon and Eddie Edwards (Three Pigeons) reached the last four to beat John and Jason Wellers (The George).

After losing the first leg 8-4, they replied in the next leg with a set of nine, which was enough.

The Wellers set the final leg with only four, but Lyon hit the winning doll with sticks to spare.

In the first round, Lyon and Edwards recorded two eig-hts as they defeated Steve Bayliss and Steve James (Queens Head), before a second-round triumph against Richard Wright and Robert Taylor (Queens Head).

Barry Mudd and Clive Walsh will play Littlemore Rugby Club’s Tony and Lee Gillett in their first Lower Section final after a 2-1 win against Geoff Arundel and Phil Cook (Prince Of Wales).

The Gilletts beat Terry Beck and Bob Whiteman (Gladiators) in the quarter-finals.

RESULTS CHECK OXFORD PAIRS 1st round: G Townsend & P Wilkins (Cricketers) bt D Bowler & I Bowler (Queens Head), B Trinder & K Stuart (Headington RBL) bt D Butler & W Waite (The George), T Greenaway & K Maunder (Garsington Sports) bt A Beal & R Goodall (Six Bells), B Ruffles & M Ruffles (Garsington Sports) bt C Proudfoot & E May (Gladiators), N Lyon & E Edwards (Three Pigeons) bt S Bayliss & S James (Queens Head), R Wright & R Taylor (Queens Head) bt P Shepherd & R Berry (Queens Head), J Weller & J Weller (The George) bt M Cook & D Cox (Team Monarch), N Chapman & C Jenkins (Gladiators) bt K Powell & J Greenaway (White Hart), D Townsend & M Phipps (Three Pigeons) bt A Cross & S Horne (Six Bells), L Disley & D Baxter (The George) bt M Cross & P Coates (White Hart), B Richards & J Allnutt (Gladiators) bt S Ward & P Rampton (Six Bells), P Goulding & D Seller (Cricketers) bt S Greenough & T Recht (Garsington Sports), K Giles & D Sawyer (The George) bt I Clarke & K Baker (Cricketers), P Dempsey & C Beal (Three Pigeons) bt L Thompson & M Berry (White Hart), D Walsh & F Swayer (Six Bells) bt R Townsend & R Busby (Squire Bassett), P Adams & B Townsend (Cricketers) bt F Hillier & S Walton (The George).

2nd round: P Adams & B Townsend (Cricketers) bt K Giles & D Sawyer (The George), D Walsh & F Swayer (Six Bells) bt P Dempsey & C Beal (Three Pigeons), D Townsend & M Phipps (Three Pigeons) bt B Richards & J Allnutt (Gladiators), P Goulding & D Seller (Cricketers) bt L Disley & D Baxter (The George), T Greenaway & K Maunder (Garsington Sports) bt G Townsend & P Wilkins (Cricketers), B Ruffles & M Ruffles (Garsington Sports) bt Trinder & K Stuart (Headington RBL), J Weller & J Weller (The George) bt N Chapman & C Jenkins (Gladiators), N Lyon & E Edwards (Three Pigeons) bt R Wright & R Taylor (Queens Head).

Quarter-finals: B Ruffles & M Ruffles (Garsington Sports) bt T Greenaway & K Maunder (Garsington Sports), N Lyon & E Edwards (Three Pigeons) bt J Weller & J Weller (The George), P Adams & B Townsend (Cricketers) bt D Walsh & F Swayer (Six Bells), D Townsend & M Phipps (Three Pigeons) bt P Goulding & D Seller (Cricketers).

Semi-finalists: B Ruffles & M Ruffles (Garsington Sports), N Lyon & E Edwards (Three Pigeons), P Adams & B Townsend (Cricketers), D Townsend & M Phipps (Three Pigeons). Ties to be played on Monday, September 5.

LOWER SECTION PAIRS Preliminary round: B Williams & N Lucas (Littlemore Rugby) bt J Castle & T Flett (Prince Of Wales), K Keep & G Williams (Cricketers) bt S Kristy & P Burden (Cricketers).

1st round: T Gillett & L Gillett (Littlemore Rugby) bt N Edmonds & R Pickett (Kidlington Sports), C Lee & D Fry (Chandos Arms) bt D Spencer & S Morgan (North Oxford Con Club), T Beck & B Whiteman (Gladiators) bt K Flynn & J Flynn (Gladiators), D Holloway & M Oliver (North Oxford Con) bt B William & N Lucas (Littlemore Rugby Club), G Arundel & P Cook (Prince Of Wales) bt K James & P Smith (North Oxford Con Club), G Bastable & C Payne (Fairview Inn) bt G Millard & A Gardiner (Fairview Inn), B Mudd & C Walsh (Kidlington Sports Club) bt B Mossopp & B Lester (Littlemore Rugby Club), K Keep & G Williams (Cricketers) bt D Mullee & L Maylon (Littlemore Rugby Club).

Quarter-finals: G Arundel & P Cook (Prince Of Wales) bt G Bastable & C Payne (Fairview Inn), B Mudd & C Walsh (Kidlington Sports Club) bt K Keep & G Williams (Cricketers), D Holloway & M Oliver (North Oxford Con) bt C Lee & D Fry (Chandos Arms), T Gillett & L Gillett (Littlemore Rugby) bt T Beck & B Whiteman (Gladiators).

Semi- final: B Mudd & C Walsh (Kidlington Sports Club) bt G Arundel & P Cook (Prince Of Wales), T Gillett & L Gillett (Littlemore Rugby) bt D Holloway & M Oliver (North Oxford Con).

Final: B Mudd & C Walsh (Kidlington Sports Club) v T Gillett & L Gillett (Littlemore Rugby).

l Match to be played on finals night, October 14.

SIXERS J Weller (The George), C Jenkins, J Allnut (both Gladiators), F Sawyer (Six Bells), M Cross (White Hart) and M Phipps (Three Pigeons).

ABINGDON LEAGUE Prem & A Section: Spread Eagle 5, Steventon Sports 1; Abingdon United A 5, Fox Steventon 1; Abingdon Legion 2, Spread Eagle 4; Waggon & Horses Southmoor 2, Tandem 4; Berinsfield SC A 6, Abingdon United B 0.

B Section: Abingdon Con Club 4, Abingdon United C 2; Barley Mow 6, Harwell Legion 0; Admiral Benbow 3, Berinsfield SC B 3, Abingdon United D 0 Red Lion A 6; White Horse 1, College Oak 5.

C Section: Flowing Well A 1, North Star B 5; Plough East Hendred 4, Wootton Legion 2; Pack Horse 3, Plough Long Wittenham 3; Steventon Sports 4, Brewery Tap 2; Harwell Legion 0, Vine Cumnor 6.

D Section: Chequers Charney Bassett 4, Crown Marcham 2; Fox Denchworth 5, White Horse A 1; The Hatchett 6, Spread Eagle 0; North Star A 3, Midget A 3; Black Horse A 2, Volunteer 4.

E Section: Wheatsheaf Didcot 3, Eight Bells 3; Bowyers Arms 2, Abingdon Arms 4; Red Lion 4, Plough Sutton 2; Eight Bells B 4, Stanford FC 2; GWRSC 2, Crown Didcot 4.

F Section: Brewery Tap 4, Fleur De Lys 2; Old Anchor 1, North Star C 5; Cross Keys C 4, Boundary House A 2; Didcot Con CLub 5, Black Horse B 1.

G Section: Midget B 2, Good Lake Arms A 4; Fairmile SS 2, Cross Keys Wallingford 4; North Star D 6, Didcot Labour Club 0; Bear North Morton 4, Plough Hanney 2.

H Section: Boundary House 0, Black Swan 6; Steventon Sports 3, Wheatsheaf Drayton 3; Railway Inn 3, Marlborough Club 3.

Sixers: L Clapton, M Sheridan, D Hudson, R Waine.