Eight teams have been split into two groups of four for the Leicester and District League’s summer competition for the Elbow Tankard, a team handicap event known affectionately as the Summer League. Two teams will progress from each section into the semi-finals.

Group B saw the closest result so far with Vicars taking an early lead against Park and Ride when Chetan Tailor beat Adam Green 21-14, 21-19 – each rubber being of two games. Oscar White defeated Bhulesh Rathod 23-21, 21-19 to bring the scores level and this was the state of affairs at the conclusion of the seventh rubber due to the next five being scored at 1-1.

Patrick Cox beat Tailor 2-0 for Park and Ride to take a 9-7 lead, Green and Rathod then sharing theirs, before White used his 10 start against Ross Adams to win 22-20, 21-13 to give Park a 12-8 success. White won five of his six games while Tailor won three from six for the Vicars.

It was a completely different state of affairs in Group A when Nomads found difficulty raising a team with Pat Hines, who plays only a couple of league matches a season to retain a grading, coming in at the last minute and played very well without success.

In fact only Cliff Smith could win one for Nomads as Knighton The Town, despite some close calls, won 19-1 when Alec Downes and Martin Pember emerged undefeated while Chris Parmar-Saville won five from six.

The other Group B Match saw KP Nutters defeat Desford Dynamos 14-6 when John Bowness won all six for the Nutters, Mike Smith and Steve Bessant three apiece with the doubles shared. For Desford Luke Blair won three from six.