IT is not without some difficulty that one can reconcile oneself to the impotent form displayed last week by that clever performer, Edward Diggle, when the usual high standard of his scoring is remembered. In the first of the series of three games with the rising youngster, Bateman, he fairly disgraced himself. Bateman won this by no fewer than 1,942 points. The winner certainly played uncommonly well, but certainly not in such a style as to make it entirely account for the decisive victory he gained. No! it was brought about tor the most part by the painful ineptitude of Diggle, who perhaps had not shaken off the depressed feeling which must have fallen upon him subsequent to his startling defeat at the hands of Stevenson. Let this latter circumstance then in a great measure be held responsible for the singular fact that Diggle, in the first meeting, was merely able to total an aggregate of 1,058 points, the while Bateman scored his required 2,400. Diggle in some degree redeemed his reputation in the eyes of the billiard community in the second and third games, but he found Bateman again in a most contentious — and heavy scoring —mood. Maintaining a splendidly consistent rate of progress the last-named cueist had lost but 17 points of his original concession (600) when the marker called "game!" at the end of the second "3,000 up!" Diggle's improvement herein was the stepping-stone to a display on his part in their third and final meeting which can vie with any he has given thus far this season. Playing in the style one is wont to associate with his name he quite eclipsed Bateman, who was left over 300 points in the rear when half the game had been disposed of. Diggle wound up this final game with quite a pyrotechnical display of three-figure breaks, such ones as 268, 246, 143, 134, 123, 114, 108, 102, and too (twice), besides many verging thereto. He gained a well-deserved success by 726 points.
Average returns:
| Innings | Points | Average | |
| Diggle | 237 | 6,475 | 27.31 |
| Bateman | 239 | 6,474 | 27.08 |
Table of results in this competition up to, and inclusive of, Saturday, November 24th:—
| Games Played | Won | Lost | |
| C. Dawson (owes 500) | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| W. Spiller (600 start) | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| H. W. Stevenson (scratch) | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| E. Diggle (scratch) | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| F. Bateman (600 start) | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| C. Harverson (600 start) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| T. Reece (900 start) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| W. Cook (1,000 start) | 3 | 0 | 3 |