Both the Senior and Junior Eastern Counties Championships were staged at the Newmarket Snooker & Bowl, in March. The overall standard of play for both the events was considered to have been the highest ever seen and there were some high scoring matches under the 60 minute format.
The final of the Senior Individual Billiards Championship was very much a repeat of last year as David Nichols (Erpingham) retained his title by defeating Phillip Welham (West Acres) 441-256. Both players were in fine form throughout the competition, Welham making century breaks in every round from the quarter-finals (140, 148 and 106) and Nichols recording the top break of the day with 165 in the final. Both Nichols and Welham had progressed to the final at the expense of the junior players Jimmy Chambers (Ely) and Matthew Sutton (Kettering) respectively.
Chambers however, had the consolation of winning the Junior Championship for the first time with an excellent performance. Having recorded a good win over Matthew Sutton in the semi-finals, he had an equally convincing win over Dean Bavister (Rushden) in the final which included a fine break of 62.
Cambridge were champions of the Eastern Counties Billiards League for the 6th successive season, finishing one point in front of runners- up Lincoln "B". Phillip Welham (Mid-Norfolk) had the highest aggregate score in the 90 minute games with 722. He also recorded the highest break with 134. Playing for his team, Saxlington, in the Norwich Billiards League, Phillip Welham recently made a break of 225. Norfolk Team Billiards Championship
North Norfolk's Alby retained the team championship when they defeated Norwich's Gothic in the final. The trio of Aubrey Ampleford, Ian Dennis and David Nichols proved too strong for the six other entrants. Ampleford's 72 was the day's highest break.
Jim Temple's recent break of 131 was the highest ever seen in the 53 year history of the Stiffkey Billiards League. Temple plays for Blakeney "A".
Norborough's Robert Crisp defeated Andrew Thompson (Kings Lynn) 89-72 in the final of the under-19 event, while Tom Moriarty (Castle Acres) narrowly lost to Michael Crisp (Norborough) 42-36 in the under- 12's final. All games were of 30 minutes duration with the handicaps ranging from scratch to +50.