Cowpen S.C. took the England Cup Team Billiards Handicap for the fourth year out of five, beating Redcar Lit. 2-1 at Redcar Unionist Club. The Lit´s Andy Hassack (+5) however, gave them a jolt in the first game defeating Anthony Parsons (-155) by a margin of 201 points, Parsons failing by one point to overcome his handicap deficit in the 200 up game. Paul Bennett (-240) then tied the match for Cowpen, running in breaks of 89 and 110 in his 200-65 win over David Beckett (+10). Stuart Green (-145) and Nigel Druery (+10) had a dour struggle in the deciding game, before Green eventually clinched the match with a 200-111 win.