Nottinghamshire take national pool crown

Also the county’s U18s finished runners-up in the U18 competition.

Boss Harvey Elmhirst said: “As head of Nottinghamshire blackball I am very proud.

“Winning seven nationals titles in four years and five nationals runners-up is some going.

Mansfield-based Nottinghamshire took six teams to the finals - men’s A, men’s B, men’s c, seniors, U23, and U18.

The men’s A team went unbeaten, winning 10 matches out of 10,.

In the first match of the group stages Notts A team played last years’ champions Middlesex and went was 8-1 down only to come back and win 14-12.

They won the rest of the group stages matches to top the group and make the quarter-finals where they played last year’s runners-up Essex.

Notts were 8-6 down but came back to win 14-10.

The semi-finals saw them again play Middlesex and make a flying start to lead 11-5 lead.

Middlesex got it back to 13-12 but Notts’ Ryan Baker pulled two big doubles on his last two reds to win the match and take Notts into the final to play 2014 champions West Yorkshire.

It proved a great final as West Yorkshire took a 5-4 lead. Notts kept with them at 9-9, then Notts took an 11-9 lead with Jules Goodyear winning.

It then went to 11-10 before Mansfield’s Andy Bingham made it 12-10 with with great pots before Worksop’s Kev Seaman potted a great black to make it 13-10.

Notts then needed just one frame and Chris Winter potted the black to make sure Harvey Elmhirst ‘s team secured the Championship.

Scott Higgins, from Mansfield, was Notts A team’s star man, winning 26 games out 30 over the five days, but all the team played well all weekend.

The team comprised Harvey Elmhirst (captain), Dave Atherley, Chris Winter, Scott Higgins, Andy Bingham, Harry Irwin, Connor Jones, Jules Goodyear , Connor Jones, Kev Seaman, Ryan Bakerand Neil Jones.

Nottinghamshire B team team got to their final, winning eight matches out of 10.

Jimmy Hallam’s team played well all weekend with a great win over Merseyside in the quarter-finals with Andy Wilson and Bob Snell being the star men in that match.

In the semis they beat top team Oxfordshire 14-7 with Sutton’s Ash Walker playing well.

West Yorkshire were their final opponents, who took an 11-5 lead, but Notts came back to 12-10.

However, West Yorkshire took the last two games to win 14-10, though Notts B did county blackball proud.

The team was Jimmy Hallam (captain), Bob Snell, Andy Wilson, Ash Walker, Luke Wrigglesworth, Jamie Clarke, Ash Anderson, Andy Wain, Greg Davis, Tim Hurst and Nick Jones.

Nottinghamshire U18s had a great national finals, winning their group with five victories.

In a big match against Merseyside, Notts took a 9-3 lead.

Merseyside came back to 10-9 when Notts’ James Young made sure of the win with a great black.

Then Notts took on Warwickshire and enjoyed an 11-4 win with Greg Davis and Danny Zikik the star players to top the group.

Notts played Oxfordshire in the semis, winning 11-8 win with Mansfield’s 14-year-old Jacob Elmhirst winning two out of three.

Notts played favourites West Yorkshire in the final and kept with them before taking a 6-5 lead through Suria Rai.

West Yorkshire hit back to go 10-7 up and only needed one more frame.

But Notts won the next three games with Jordan Cunningham making it 10-all, taking it to a play-off. However, West Yorkshire won the play-off.

Notts U18s consisted of Tracy Davis (manager), Danny Zikic (captain), Greg Davis, Jacob Elmhirst, Jordan Cunnigham, Suraj Rai, and James Young.