WORCESTERSHIRE Blackball Pool Association made a tough but positive start to their first-ever campaign.

The Malvern-based club compete in the southern region of the national competition, taking on Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire with talented players from across the county.

The A side captained by Jack Kyte narrowly lost 19 -17 to Oxfordshire, but there were impressive performances from Jon Lewis and Ashley Hill who both won three out of their four frames.

There were also some positive displays in the captain Danny Bell’s B team’s 26-10 defeat, with Luke Crocker and player of the match Gary Baetjar both picking up two wins.

Association secretary Crocker said: “We would like to give recognition to team manager Kosta Kyte who has almost single handedly transformed the local pool scene in Malvern in the past five years.

“The Malvern Pool League has gone from strength to strength with the addition of several new sides and a dramatic increase in the quality of pool being played.

“The game of blackball is now the leading rule played worldwide. The very few remaining pool organisations which continue to support and promote outdated versions of pool now face the prospect of becoming marginalised.

“It is down to these changes and Kosta’s hard work that we are now representing both Malvern and Worcestershire on a national scale.”

The teams face Hampshire on Sunday. The association, who are looking to add ladies and youth sides for the 2018 season, run pool competitions every Wednesday at 7.30pm at the Newtown Club.