If not quite unique then a very unusual team competition organised by the County Association is the Rose Johnson Challenge Bowl for teams of four, when the average grading for the four players is calculated and the lower rated team receives a start in points. Points are what decide the matches rather than sets won – so, literally, every point counts.
Twelve teams have entered this season, inevitably boosted by five entries from Knighton Park, but it is good to see quite a few others who did not participate last season. All 12 teams are involved in the first round draw: Knighton Park V v The Ladder Boys, Knighton Park III v Knighton Park II, Knighton Park I v Casualties, Abbots All Stars v Leic Electricity, Nomads Second v Abbots Jammy B’s, Nomads First v Knighton Park IV.
Organiser Vaughan Allington reports that 91 youngsters took part in session four of the Leicester Development League spread over nine divisions and looking as healthy as ever. There is one more session remaining in March.
KP Scorpions are going well at the top of Division One, with both Aman Rashid and Jack Rogers undefeated while Adnan Ebrahim has lost only one. If these three are all available they will certainly take some shifting.
In Division Two, KP Eagles have Jinious Sheth unbeaten, but so is Dan Andrews of Winstanley Wizards A, the two not having clashed yet. Ben Clarkson of Harborough B and KP Dolphins’ Maya Dehnen have both yet to taste defeat in Division Three.
With Unicorn now in such a domineering position in Division One of the Leicester & District League the main features are centred on who will finish second and who will be relegated, in the first instance involving two teams.
Ajax Wolvey are three points behind Knighton Park in the runners-up race and had a nice 7-3 success over Abbots Road, a team not always easy to beat when Dave Gannon is in full flow, as he showed in this match by taking all three, although be only just tip-toed over the line in the third set of the evening when he beat Aidan Walsh 13-11 in the fifth.
Ali Ahmed almost gave Abbots a dream start against Jon Williams first up before going down in the fifth. With Gannon playing every other one, a win for Abbot in that would have given them heart all the way through score-wise.
Meanwhile Knighton Park continue with their current form of 10-0 victories, the latest against one of the doomed Electricity II who have accepted their plight and are just enjoying the play.
The crucial match between the two vying to finish behind Unicorn comes in early March when Alax have no alternative other than to win to bring the two teams level.
Holwell are beginning to lose ground at bottom but one place and an 8-2 defeat at the hands of Arnesby will not help. For the winners, Darren Bramhall and Ian Brown won three and James Lancaster two, with Martin Brunning taking the one singles for Holwell.
Unbeaten Nomads continue to impress in Division Three, beating Syston Casuals 9-1 when Cliff Smith and Zaheer Mohamed emerged undefeated. For Syston, Paul Weston beat Andy Searle 3-2 (11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 12-14, 13-11) for their one.
Knighton Park VII and Goons fought out a thrilling 5-5 draw when Patrick Cox grabbed all three for the Park, Chris Parmar-Saville two. Barry Robinson won two for Goons.