Sheffield were crowned 2023 UDUK National Champions on Sunday, defeating North Central neighbours Lincoln 6-4 in a close final. The two teams had shared the spoils in their region, with one win each during the campaign, each on their home turf. And as the two triples ties began, it looked like Loughborough’s Spot On Leisure was set for a similar course of action. Sheffield took the opening match, with an impressive 122 setting up a tops for victory which was duly taken. Lincoln soon however levelled proceedings at 1-1 with a 2-1 victory from the trio of Alfie Sheldrick, Jason Hawkins and George Tracey. The final took a dramatic turn in the doubles however, as Sheffield collected all three victories to take them to 4-1 and within touching distance of the National title. With the odds stacked against them, Lincoln needed to open their singles bouts on top condition. And Cam Andrews delivered, winning the opening match against Sheffield’s captain Luke Davies 2-1. A second win to bring the deficit to 3-4 soon followed, with one of the best players of the day Robbie Graham beginning his win over Sheffield’s Luke Humphreys with a 174 and wrapping it up on double 1. Before long, parity between the two teams was once again restored, with George Tracey completing a 2-1 win over Lewis Forrest to complete a comeback. As the match headed into the final crucial singles ties, it was poised in the same position it had been after the opening triples games. And whilst much water had passed under the bridge since then, Sheffield’s Jack ‘The Francis’ Newton returned to the oche undisturbed by events to record his university’s first win since that point, with a 2-1 victory over Alfie Sheldrick sealed on double 18. The North Central champions were now within one win victory from a famous regional-national double. And up stepped a cool Jack Quinn, Sheffield’s President, to face Lincoln’s Alex Payne, who comfortably clinched the win to get his team to the magic mark of 6 wins. It is testament to the quality of the North Central division that it not only retains the National crown for another year but produces both of this year’s finalists. Both Sheffield and Lincoln looked unassailable all day en route to the final. In the day’s opening game, Lincoln performed a 10-1 rout of South West champions Oxford, with the aforementioned Robbie Graham making the sheet for a 14 darter and 180. In the semi-final, they faced Midlands runners-up Trent, who had dismissed York 9-2 in their quarter. Unfortunately for the Varsity champions, it was to be a second successive semi-final defeat, as Lincoln edged through 6-5 overall. Meanwhile, in their quarter of the draw, Sheffield eased to a 9-2 win over North East runners-up Durham. They faced the hotly tipped and recently crowned Midlands champions Warwick, who knocked Bangor out of the competition 8-3 in the quarter-finals. Sheffield quickly established a 2-0 lead in the semi-final with two impressive triples performances, before Warwick clawed back, winning two of the three doubles ties to take the game to 3-2 Sheffield. A first singles win quickly followed for Warwick to take the game to 3-3, before Luke Humphreys defeated captain Anthony Joseph to re-establish the lead. The match was however soon level again at 4-4 going into the final three singles games. And despite a spirited performance from Warwick, victories from Lewis Forrest and Jack Quinn completed the victory. Even for the teams who failed to make it to the latter stages of the day, there was still the chance to receive their regional trophies in front of the Loughborough crowd and celebrate the end to a successful league season. The standard all round was impressive and bodes well both for the upcoming UDUK Summer Showdown in June and the next league season. For Sheffield however, after a topsy-turvy and at times tumultous final, now is the chance to bask in the glory of the National title and take home their new bit of metal to the ‘Steel City’. ______________________________________________________________________ Full Results: (Quarter-Finals) Lincoln 10-1 Oxford Trent 9-2 York Sheffield 9-2 Durham Warwick 8-3 Bangor (Semi-Finals) Lincoln 6-5 Trent Sheffield 6-5 Warwick (Final) Sheffield 6-4 Lincoln Tom Jepson/Jack Quinn/Lewis Forrest 2-1 Robbie Graham/Cam Andrews/Sam Davies Ingram Luke Davies/Luke Humphreys/Jack Newton 1-2 Alfie Sheldrick/Jason Hawkins/George Tracey Luke Humphreys/Jack Newton 2-1 George Tracey/Jack NewtonTom Jepson/Lewis Forrest 2-1 Robbie Graham/Josh Aves Luke Davies/Jack Quinn 2-1 Cam Andrews/Alex Payne Luke Davies 1-2 Cam Andrews Luke Humphreys 1-2 Robbie Graham Lewis Forrest 1-2 George Tracey Jack Newton 2-1 Alfie Sheldrick Jack Quinn 2-0 Alex Payne

Thomas Bartley - 24/09/2023

Sheffield show nerves of steel to win National Finals