In the always highly anticipated annual Bristol Hard Bat competition, held on Saturday 3 January, Joshy Branch and Nick Branch (who are, notably, un-related) found themselves in an intense battle for the title.

Both players fought their way through tough early rounds, with only one emerging victorious. Using the traditional wooden hard bats provided to all competitors, the event ensured that every game remained fair and evenly matched throughout the day.

In the end, it was Joshy Branch (pictured above) who proved to be the stronger contender, successfully retaining the title he won last year when he defeated former five-time champion David Reeves.

Also, avenging his loss to Nick in the final two years ago, Joshy has now firmly secured his place at the top of the tree with this latest hard-fought victory. Can anyone topple him next year?

The Plate competition final also saw a battle between two former winners, Andy Cooper and Simon Monks, however, it was Simon who came out on top, claiming victory in a well-fought match.