NEWLY-PROMOTED Carterton got their top-flight season off to a winning start in the Oxford & District League.

Paul Sharman skippered his rink to an emphatic victory which went a long way to clinching a 4-2 success.

The other new Division 1 side did not fare so well, Witney Town losing 6-0 at home to West Witney.

Oxford City & County’s A team, in Division 2 for the first time, showed they aim to return to the top division as soon as possible by defeating a strong Adderbury side 4-2 away from home.

OXFORD & DISTRICT LEAGUE RESULTS

Division 1

Witney Mills 59 (2) Banbury Central A 71 (4) (Witney skips first): P Robbins 4, N Galletly 24; C Weller 22, M Andrew 12; A Wiggins 18, K McNeil 21; L Days 15, W Campion 14.

Watlington 55 (2) Carterton 64 (4) (Watlington skips first): S Watts 19, S Timms 7; S Gilkes 8, Rob Clanfield 18; G Hooker 6, P Sharman 29; C Gilkes 22, T Jupp 10.

Witney Town 54 (0) West Witney 73 (6) (Witney skips first): B Bloomfield 12, S Cooper 13; P Warner 12, P Skidmore 20; A Scholan 12, D Leighfield 14; P Demczak 18, K Alder 26.

Division 2

Headington B 61 (1) Chipping Norton 68 (5) (Headington skips first): D Crook 17, K Field 19; R Edwards 12, T Sealey 17; C Whitehead 18, P Hickman 17; P Arundel 14, J Benfield 15.

Adderbury 58 (2) City & County A 71 (4) (Adderbury skips first): T Ely 14, C Lewis 21; P Gladden 5, C Pollard 22; D Sharpe 20, O Shariff 17; C Skidmore 19, A Ley 11.

Kidlington 59 (2) South Oxford A 64 (4) (Kidlington skips first): P McGrath 27, J Hall 11; C Cox 12, K Mobley 18; M Peterson 13, D Tidball 12; A Rowe 7, V De Paauw 23.

Division 3

Banbury Central B 54 (1) Bloxham 73 (5) (Banbury skips first): T McKenna 13, A Miles 21; M Leather 21, T Gardner 9; E Creed 10, J Lucas 22; J Gow 10, D Morse 21.

Bicester 100 (5½) Shiplake 48 (½) (Bicester skips first): K Taylor 34, T Reid 6; M Graves 32, D Webb 10; R Herbert 19, G Kennedy 17; P Hooley 15, J Bland 15.

Hanborough 57 (1½) Thame 77 (4½) (Hanborough skips first): G Haynes 17, B Giles 14; K Williams 18, C Shannan 18; M Oliver 7, G Andrews 23; G Thompson 15, K Calcutt 22; Division 4 South Oxford B 77 (5) Blackbird Leys 61 (1) (S Oxford skips first): J Cope 25, S O’Keefe 9; K Clarke 10, R Painton 20; D Lyne 21, G Roper 14; D Bye 21, J Baldwin 18.

City & County B 80 (5) Oxford University Press 60 (1) (City skips first): M Plested 12, P Tweddle 16; T Gripe 24, G Jordan 15; G Gray 26, D Barlow 17; K Buckingham 18, R Cann 12.

Burford 78 (4½) Woodstock 50 (1½) (Burford skips first): S Gould 14, S Hopkins 15; D Lafford 21, D Francis 14; B Parker 13, P Shipton 13; J Hurley 30, T Stevens 8.

  • Oxfordshire started their 2019 campaign with a 130-116 loss at Northamptonshire in the first of two trial games.

Both sides triumphed on three rinks, but the losses outweighed the victories.

Northants 130, Oxon 116

Oxon rink scores

Rink 1: M Jeffs, K Holloway, W Campion & M Sykes won 25-17.

Rink 2: S Witcombe, J Gaskins, K Alder & R Gaskins won 20-19.

Rink 3: A Kernish, A McIntyre, R Clanfield & C Gilkes lost 22-24.

Rink 4: A Carter, L Young, P Comley & A J Docherty won 23-20.

Rink 5: M Nash, O Bennett, S Cooper & D Leighfield lost 8-27.

Rink 6: B Squires, S Aldren, P Skidmore & P Sharman lost 18-23.

  • JIM Bland and Darren Sharpe will represent Oxfordshire in the 2-wood singles at the National Championships in Leamington Spa in August.

Bland saw off Henry Beal 16-9 in the semi-final of the county event, held at Oxford City & County BC.

Sharpe booked his place in the final with a 14-9 success over Paul Skidmore.

  • Oxfordshire’s women kicked of their season with mixed fortunes.

They opened their Middle England League campaign with a 137-93 defeat at Leicestershire, winning just two rinks, but bounced back well with an 88-85 victory at Worcestershire.

Leicestershire 137, Oxon 93

(Oxfordshire skip first)

Rink 1: W Cross 16, S Sharpe 26.

Rink 2: J Berry 25, K Rothero 16.

Rink 3: B Havard 14, P Sutton 25.

Rink 4: C Campion 16, L Green 12.

Rink 5: S Blackmore 8, C Dixon 31.

Rink 6: C Penson 14, D Huest 27.

Worcestershire 85, Oxon 88

Rink 1: J Berry 7, S Davies 26.

Rink 2: W Cross 13, A Cartwright 19.

Rink 3: C Bloomfield 18, J Parfaitt 5.

Rink 4: C Gaskins 13, D Jackson 9.

Rink 5: C Penson 7, J Drewer 19.

Rink 6: C Campion 30, V Hall 7.