Justin Cole, Phil Davis, Brian Harvey and Mike Allen will make up the semi-finals of the Wessex Individual Billiards Championship after the qualifying stages which had involved four groups of five players. The biggest surprise of the day was the elimination of last year's Champion, Michael White, who was crucially defeated by just five points in his group match against Mike Allen. Mike went on to secure his semi-final place by defeating Keith Tozer in his last match by a single point! Justin Cole won all 4 of his games including a victory over Roy Foster who ousted Brian Harvey last year. Phil Davis topped his group, winning a deciding game against Vince Hardwell who was returning to the Championship after several years absence through back problems. Brian Harvey also won all four of his matches, but was made to struggle by Dick Watts who led for 25 minutes before Brian produced a break of 159 to secure his win.
The current season got away to a good start for our rivals the Black Puds from the Dove Valley League when on 22nd September at Mayfield near Ashbourne, they pulled off their best win ever against Sandford Orcas League Scrumpys. This was our 11th meeting and it proved to be just as light-hearted and friendly as the previous ten. We look forward to the next set-to at Wincanton in April 2002.
| D Feeley | 271 | C Walters | 164 | ||
| B Hayes | 239 | M Woolmington | 122 | ||
| M Feeley | 119 | R. Coffin | 114 | ||
| R Plant | 143 | J Masters | 163 | ||
| G Coe | 154 | D Mitchem | 124 | ||
| R Ratcliffe | 161 | C White | 156 |
Saturday 29th September saw Sandford hosting Bath & District at Bradford Abbas and Sherborne Clubs, with Sandford this time coming out winners by 6 games to 3.
| C. White 47 | 143 | K. Tozer | 300 | ||
| M. Woolmington | 222 | W. Todd | 168 | ||
| R. Foster | 325 | D. Lord | 227 | ||
| G. Warren | 236 | A. Bastin | 211 | ||
| J. Stringfellow | 194 | R. Lydiard | 226 | ||
| J. Masters 44 | 313 | D. Smith | 232 | ||
| D. Holt | 238 | K. Brain | 171 | ||
| M. Gillham | 190 | C. Coles 50 | 335 |
Sandford's spirits were again lifted on 20th October when they were guest players at venues in the West Wilts League area. The hosts did a little better than in the two previous meetings but still lost 7-3 to a mean Sandford team. West Wilts do deserve credit however for raising a team of 10 players in these days of conflicting interests.
| C. White 46 | 225 | D. White | 158 | ||
| J. Stringfellow | 191 | G. Hares | 200 | ||
| J. Masters 41 | 292 | H. Winstanley | 159 | ||
| D. Holt | 254 | R. Millard | 146 | ||
| M. Woolmington | 168 | M. Binns | 239 | ||
| C. Walters | 292 | A. Kettlety | 145 | ||
| J. Gillham | 194 | M. Dew | 207 | ||
| M. Gillham | 275 | (54) M. | |||
| G. Warren | Sen 327 | ||||
| G. Warren | Jun 298 |
Billiards and snooker players from the region were invited to attend a seminar at the Prince of Wales Club, Mere, Wilts given by Tutor/Examiner referee David Smith of Bristol. The small but interested audience (10 male and 1 female) were entertained and instructed of many aspects of refereeing, they were posed questions and situations in both games by David who was in turn asked many questions relating to improbable but possible situations which could or actually had arisen in the course of club matches. The session lasted over 3 hours and could have gone on much longer but for a call by for last orders and a finish by 11.00 pm. Altogether an enjoyable and instructive evening.