Hello to everyone! Unless you’ve been away on holiday to the ends of the Earth, you will know by now that the draw for the EPA Interleague finals at Great Yarmouth next weekend has been made, so both Waterloo teams now know who their opposition will be when they hit the baize on the morning of Saturday 5th April. Historically, when the draw is made, it falls to me to run through my predictions, group by group, based on my (admittedly, superficial) knowledge of the teams, their track records at Yarmouth, and their current squads. So, here goes …
Table 1
Table 1 is the table reserved for the defending champion and so usually quite an easy table to predict. The defending champion is usually a team of considerable talent and achievement, and the odds of such a team being drawn against an even stronger team are, well, long to say the least. This year is no exception, as the mighty Leicester begin their campaign for a third consecutive Interleague title. In the group trying to stop them will be Warwickshire’s talented Reds I and Somerset’s Taunton LVA. The best these teams can really hope for is an honourable second place. Taunton is a decent side, and did for Waterloo in the last 32 of this event last year, but the draw has been cruel to them this time round so they are my tip for the wooden spoon here. Reds I should be able to see them off easily enough. But neither team will touch Leicester. This event clashes, of course, with snooker’s China Open but even without the services of regular superstar squad members Mark Selby and Tom Ford, both away on snooker duty, Leicester won it last year. That says something about how good this team really is.
The Doctor’s Pick: Leicester
Table 2
This is a more difficult group to call, as all three teams are solid if unspectacular. Local boys Great Yarmouth are Norfolk champions but whether they are relishing a visit to the local caravan park is uncertain. Warwickshire’s Nuneaton Lions have some experienced players, while Wolverhampton Wednesday B from the West Midlands come every year carrying with them the proud name of one of the greatest teams ever to grace the Interleague finals. I’ll plump for them, I think, ahead of Nuneaton and then the local lads.
The Doctor’s Pick: Wolverhampton Wednesday B
Table 3
This group brings together two heavyweights in the form of Kent’s Rochester and Durham’s Chester-le-Street. Last year, these two teams met in the semi-finals, and although Rochester won, the boys from Durham had more than earned their stripes, making it all the way to the semis on their Yarmouth debut. Having Mark Farnsworth in the team was a plus, of course. But then again, Rochester has its share of top guns and professionals, which is why it is one of the most consistent teams in the event. So it’s Rochester for me, and an early exit for Chester-le-Street, although I can’t see either team struggling against the poor third team in the group, Manchester’s Chorlton.
The Doctor’s Pick:Rochester
Table 4
Again, there’s no obvious winner in the group that features Crewe from Cheshire, Evesham from Worcestershire, and Romney Marsh from Kent. While the Kent outfit has the most experience, Crewe did well last year and I suspect will do so again, so I am plumping for them.
The Doctor’s Pick: Crewe
Table 5
This group contains our own Waterloo, ably captained by Jerry Tickell himself with the usual suspects lining up for a piece of the action. Waterloo has steadily established itself as a decent campaigner worthy of respect and just waiting for that big breakthrough, so will that be this year? Standing in the way are Milton Keynes A from Buckinghamshire and Norwich B from Norfolk. To be honest, I cannot in all honesty say I think Waterloo will win this group. Milton Keynes A is a tough outfit, albeit an under-achiever. There are some tasty professionals wearing MK colours, and I think strength in depth is on their side. Waterloo should certainly see off Norwich B though, who will be the wooden-spooners in this group. Sorry Jerry!
The Doctor’s Pick:Milton Keynes A
Table 6
Finally, a group with a runaway winner! Lancashire’s Preston South are head and shoulders above the others in this group, boasting as they do the likes of Gareth Hibbott and Lee Clough. East Yorkshire’s Driffield come here every year, sometimes under the pseudonym North Wolds, and do OK, so I fancy them to take second place ahead of Shropshire’s Shrewsbury B. But Preston South is a team worth watching.
The Doctor’s Pick:Preston South
Table 7
On paper this is an easy one, because Surrey’s Godalming is one of the most consistent teams in the competition – never actually champions, but always hard to beat. Hertfordshire’s St Albans Saints are a class below, if history is any guide, and as for West Yorkshire’s Pilky’s, well, they’ve never been to Yarmouth before, so they should be the bottom team. But then, if you look a little more closely, you might recognise some of the names lining up for the Keighley-based team, and in particular, a certain Chris Melling. Yup – Melling is back, for the first time since the demise of Triangle, to lead the way for Pilky’s, and that makes them dangerous. Dangerous enough to beat Godalming? It’s a hard call. Probably not, although clearly it depends on who else is playing well in the team. I would not be at all surprised if Pilky’s show they are more than a one-man outfit and come through this group.
The Doctor’s Pick: Godalming
Table 8
Ever heard of PJ’s Stourbridge? No? Why not?! Do the names Rob Chilton, Neil Raybone, Hitan Patel, and a certain Mick Hill mean anything to you? Last October I tipped the West Midlands team to win the whole Knockout Cup, party because the addition of ex-Triangle player Hill strengthened an already superb team, and although they didn’t go all the way, don’t expect them to fall early come April. They will romp through this group with room to spare, leaving Cheshire’s Northwich and East Yorkshire’s Howden to scramble for second place.
The Doctor’s Pick:PJ’s Stourbridge
Table 9
This group is another where I think one team will dominate, and that team will be Northamptonshire’s veterans from Kettering. There’s just too much depth there for them to be troubled by the likes of Glossop from Derbyshire or Miscues from South Yorkshire. I notice that there is no ‘new Sheffield’ this year (over the past few years, players from the once mighty Sheffield team have reappeared at Yarmouth in various guises) so Miscues may represent a fragment of that shattered diamond, but probably still not enough to trouble Kettering.
The Doctor’s Pick:Kettering
Table 10
This is a tough one to call, because it contains three teams that, on their day, could cause trouble for anyone, and have bags of experience on the big stage. I’m going to opt for Cambridgeshire’s historical under-achievers Ely, complete with in-form Phil Harrison, to see off Northamptonshire’s Northampton Village PLA and Berkshire’s Bracknell and Ascot A, who I suspect may finish in that order.
The Doctor’s Pick:Ely
Table 11
There are two new teams on this table – Accrington from Lancashire and Biggleswade from the West Midlands – and that leaves Staffordshire’s Afford in the unusual position of being group favourites. Afford is best known for being a feeder league to the mighty Trent Trophies, but it has some capable players of its own. Having said that, Accrington might spoil the party, because they appear to have a few ex-All’oasin their line-up. If that’s the case, whatever name they’re going under, they are going to be pretty tough to beat. This is a hard call, between these two sides.
The Doctor’s Pick:Accrington
Table 12
My tip here, in this close group of three experienced teams, is Warwickshire’s Nuneaton to finish ahead of Essex’s Barking Elite and Sussex’s Littlehampton Select, but any one of these three teams could win it on the day.
The Doctor’s Pick:Nuneaton
Table 13
No disrespect intended, but it’s a pretty weak group if Bedfordshire’s Luton Elite start as runaway favourites. They’ve hardly earned that elite tag over the years. This year they have a great chance to do so by progressing through to the later rounds at the expense of Leicestershire’s City of Leicester and Hampshire’s Gosport B, neither of which are earth-movers.
The Doctor’s Pick: Luton Elite
Table 14
Trent Trophies B should dominate this group – hey, Trent Trophies Z would dominate many a group! The Staffordshire outfit will have enough fire-power to see off two hit and miss teams in Oxfordshire’s Witney and West Yorkshire’s Macmillan, in a relatively weak group.
The Doctor’s Pick: Trent Trophies B
Table 15
This is another tough one to call, as Dinnington from South Yorkshire, Deal A from Kent and Leicester City are all capable of beating each other. I’m throwing the die here and it’s coming up Dinnington …
The Doctor’s Pick:Dinnington
Table 16
No such crisis of confidence here, as I comfortably predict Worcestershire’s talented St John’s to romp home in this group, ahead of Cumbria’s Whitehaven and the Leicester Lions, in that order.
The Doctor’s Pick:St John’s
Table 17
London’s top team Frank Smith made it to the semi-finals in October and plans to go further this time round. This is the revamped Imperial team, full of stars like Dean Wisher, Andy Breen, Neil Toms, Rob McKay, Sean Halligan … well, you know the rest. So they should have no problems at all winning this group, which is unfortunate for Derbyshire’s Corn Exchange, which is a decent side and a nice bunch of lads. I feel a tad sorry for Manchester’s Stockport.
The Doctor’s Pick:Frank Smith
Table 18
The veterans from Wigan, one of the tournament’s true campaigners, are in action on this table. Wigan has a solid record in the event and should be strong enough to win this group, ahead of Kent’s Folkestone and Nottinghamshire’s Nottingham.
The Doctor’s Pick:Wigan
Table 19
Most of us know a fair few of the Croydon players, so it can’t have been pleasant seeing the draw, and realising who they are up against! Nottinghamshire’s Sun Valley is one of the elite six or seven teams active at the moment and Croydon, who could have been favourites in many other groups, will be left to lick their wounds after Sun Valley pull out the magic they are capable of. Both teams should beat Cumbria’s Kendal easily enough.
The Doctor’s Pick:Sun Valley
Table 20
When I saw the draw, I admit, I wasn’t entirely displeased. Both Clitheroe from Lancashire and Ilkeston from Derbyshire have been to Yarmouth before, but they are neither of them hardy veterans, chalking up less than a handful of visits in recent years, with Ilkeston’s last-sixteen appearance three years’ back the crowning achievement of either team. Of course, their captains would have been saying the same thing about us when they saw the draw – Waterloo 2, who are they and what can they bring to the party? I won’t underestimate opponents but at the same time I won’t play down the strength we have with the likes of Joe Prince and Jamie Fay, and that man Micky Clayton on dazzling form right now … I won’t go on to name everyone, suffice to say as a team I think we are strong enough to come through this group if we focus and win those key games.
The Doctor’s Pick:Waterloo 2
Table 21
The big story in this group is the heavyweight contest between Birmingham Small Heath and Tolworth from Surrey. Tolworth made it to the semis in October so confidence should be high, but the West Midlands champions always play well whatever they call themselves. Expect a real battle royale! Oxfordshire’s Bicester Select are no slouches by any stretch of the imagination, but you have to feel for them being drawn in this group.
The Doctor’s Pick:Tolworth
Table 22
The obvious pick here is Hertfordshire’s EHPL but this is not the same as the East Herts team that used to rattle a few sabres in the past, and to be frank, EHPL may have outlived that other team but it has yet to match it on the table. So, while they will be favourites, they will also be vulnerable, and the other two teams in the group, Gravesham from Kent and Horden from Durham will be itching to knock them down. Horden is an odd side, which does well when it turns up, which is infrequently, while Gravesham is steady and not to be under-rated.
The Doctor’s Pick:Horden
Table 23
Leedsfrom West Yorkshire used to be an OK side, never one to challenge the big guns, always in the shadow of local rivals Triangle, until Triangle broke up, and Leeds benefited by signing up Darren Appleton, Andy Richardson, Kev Barton, and now Rob Wilson. So now, watch them go! They should be genuinely among the pre-tournament favourites for this event, and getting out of a group that contains those dogged campaigners Dawley B from Shropshire and Medway from Kent should be easy enough for them.
The Doctor’s Pick:Leeds
Table 24
My money here is on Berkshire’s Renegade A, a team I have for some time now been saying is ready to establish itself in the big time, but tends to under-perform. I am staying with them, though, to win this group ahead of the West Midlands team Lye and Stourbridge and Suffolk’s Ipswich B, both of which have some capable players in their squads.
The Doctor’s Pick:Renegade A
Table 25
Whatever happened to Coventry? These days there is no Coventry, there’s just … Reds! And here, on this table, are the Reds Elite, Warwickshire’s finest who’ll be expecting a decent run in the competition. They’ve not got an easy group to start with. Both Hampshire’s Gosport A and Suffolk’s Lowestoft Town Select have been around the block a few times. Personally, I’d be hoping for a Gosport win, top guys that they are, but Reds Elite are just, well, a class above.
The Doctor’s Pick:Reds Elite
Table 26
When I first saw this draw, I was tempted to call a major upset – I was going to opt for Cambridge Elite to pull a rabbit out of the hat and catch Shropshire’s ever loud and lively Dawley A while they’re still waking up … But at the risk of drowning in more clichés, suffice to say that I’ve had a change of heart, come to my senses, and I’m going to be a bit predictable and go with Dawley, Craig Reynolds and all. Make no mistake, though, Cambridge Elite is a top side and Cambridge has a proud record in national finals. They should finish off poor Hammersmith, representing Berkshire for the first time, with room to spare.
The Doctor’s Pick:Dawley A
Table 27
On this table, two of the country’s second-tier teams – always strong without achieving glorious championship wins – slug it out, and my feeling, as it often is, is with Suffolk’s tough Ipswich A to see off the challenge of the Surrey Warriors. Worcestershire’s Redditch are in for a long, unrewarding day.
The Doctor’s Pick:Ipswich A
Table 28
I know nothing about West Midlands’s Darlaston as they are playing here for the first time but the team sheet includes some names familiar to pool players from other teams in the area, so they shouldn’t be overawed by the occasion. Sussex’s Crawley are also experienced, albeit unspectacular, and Dorset’s Wessex A have a fair few top players in their line-up, so this is not an easy group to call. Much will depend on how good Darlaston is, I think.
The Doctor’s Pick:Wessex A
Table 29
Essex’s Colchester A have been to the final before, seeing off Trent Trophies A and Leicester along the way, so they should win this group, ahead, I think, of Buckinghamshire’s High Wycombe and Staffordshire’s Alsager.
The Doctor’s Pick: Colchester A
Table 30
The odd thing about Chesterfield is that although the city is in Derbyshire, the team plays out of Nottinghamshire. And while you are digesting that geographical titbit, here’s some more news: they ain’t bad. But though they will start as favourites in this group, they shouldn’t expect it to be plain sailing when they face West Yorkshire’s East Leeds who had an impressive debut back in October. The third team in this group is Renegade B from Berkshire which is also more than capable of pulling out a win, so it’ll be a decent one to watch.
The Doctor’s Pick:Chesterfield
Table 31
For me, this is the group of death. Somerset’s Weston, runner-up in the Knockout Cup in October, takes on Sussex’s Brighton A in a real heavyweight clash. There is literally nothing separating these teams. You’ve got Russell Burgess on one side, but then again you’ve got Moray Dolan on the other … it goes on like that as you work your way down the team sheets. This will be one hell of a match! You have to feel sorry for East Yorkshire’s Holderness, a team that comes here twice a year every year and always does well enough, a dangerous middle-ranked floater, rarely bottom of a group. They’ll certainly experience that this time round. Brighton or Weston? Weston or Brighton?
The Doctor’s Pick:Brighton A
Table 32
And finally … Table 32 plays host to Andover from Hampshire and Cambridge KSR (which stands, by the way, for King Street Run) from Cambridgeshire. Let’s hope these two teams enjoy themselves and play their best when they take each other on because neither will be seeing much of the table in their other game, which will be against a certain Trent Trophies A. Gareth Potts, Adam Davis, Carl Morris, Lee Kendall, Daz Henshall, Darren Lightfoot … This is the dream team of Interleague pool, and after winning so comprehensively in October, they will be fired up to add the Interleague title to their Knockout Cup. Would YOU bet against them?
The Doctor’s Pick:Trent Trophies A
SO, CAN I PICK A WINNER?
Probably not, is the answer! But I’ll have a go. Below, in order, is my top ten picks of teams to watch …Not counting Waterloo 2, of course!
Trent Trophies A – Just a powerhouse through and through, who can stop them?
Leicester – Minus Selby, but the defending champions have already shown us that they have far more strength in depth than any other team going, almost
PJ’s Stourbridge – If Mr Hill has settled in, it could be time for PJ’s to come good
Frank Smith – My faith in our friends from London is well-earned
Leeds – Ready to establish themselves as the New Triangle, in more ways than one
Dawley A – No team has a better spirit, Dawley represent that kind of good, unfashionable, local-league, team-based approach to the game and are all the better for it
Rochester – Are they ready to graduate from bridesmaid to bride?
Preston South – A dark horse, beyond any shadow of a doubt
Brighton A – If they get past Weston, here’s a team quite used to playing in the latter stages, but they probably don’t have enough fire-power to win it
Sun Valley – Nottinghamshire’s finest probably won’t be lifting the trophy on Sunday
