THE NEW Slimbridge Summer Skittle League commenced with seven teams competing this time.

Defending champions Geriatrics commenced the new season with a 20-pin victory over the Shake Hands.

The former won five of the first six legs, drawing the fifth leg, but only held a 15-pin advantage.

The seventh leg saw Kelvin Summers hit a 17-spare for the winners to help reduce the defect to just two pins, however with Phil Langdown hitting 58 for Shake Hands, his total including a 12-spare in the opening leg, they eventually held a seven-pin advantage.

Winning the first leg of the second half looked to have put Shake Hands in a good position, however it was not to be as the Geriatrics won the next seven legs with Nigel Winfield hitting 63 as they clawed back the defect and eventually run out victors by twenty pins.

The opening game saw Slimbridge RBL face The Dons and it was the latter who took the spoils with a narrow two-pin victory.

The former started off the stronger, Sam Tarr hitting a 15-spare in her total of 66 as they opened up a 22-pin advantage winning four and drawing one of the first half legs.

A 13-spare from Ben Bovett in his total of 55 kept The Dons in the game.

The second half saw The Dons take the first two legs however with Slimbridge RBL leveling the third leg and winning the fourth they only trailed by four pins and looked set for the victory.

However the eventual winners stepped up a gear winning the next three legs to enter the final leg 19-pins ahead and just three pins down on the game.

Hitting a total of 28, Slimbridge RBL looked good for the win, especially after the Dons hit 17 after their first three players.

Needing a 14-spare to win it was down to Darren Noble, and he delivered, hitting a 16-spare to take not only the half but the game by the narrowest of margins.

The final fixture of the first week saw Snorts FC record a comfortable 88-pin victory over Cambridge Crew. The former won the first leg then lost the second as Jordan Ellis hit a 12-spare for the Cambridge crew.

However the third leg saw Neil Tocknell hit a 14-spare and Gareth Markey a 15-spare as Snorts FC opened up a 25-pin advantage.

Despite Jordan Ellis scoring 54 for the Cambridge Crew, more spares followed for Snorts FC as Charlie Mould (12-spare); Steve Arkwell (12-spare), and a second 15-spare for Gareth Markey in his total of 74 saw the winners open up a 56-pin advantage.

The second half saw the Cambridge Crew take the first leg however that was as good as it got as despite Rob Wytchard hitting 54 it was all Snorts FC as they won the following seven legs to extend their winning margin by 32-pins.

The Bowmen had a bye playing their opening fixture next week against Snorts FC.