Petanque king Dean Little has started the 1998 season in fine style after winning the coveted Founder's Cup in Oldbury-on-Severn.

Little from Theydon Bois, along with team mate from the Victorians Club Dean Middleton battled through against far more experienced senior regional teams to take the honours.

They beat east Midlands 13-9 and Devon 13-2 to become the youngest ever winners of the trophy.

To gain a place in the Founder's Cup, players need to have come first or second in championships held in 14 regions of the British Petanque Association.

The two Deans won the Eastern Region Doubles, the Grand Prix Doubles and were runners-up in the Triples with Graham McDougal.

They completed an exhilarating weekend of success on Sunday by finishing in the top three teams for the International Qualifying Series, going into the last 48 teams for the next round of the series in Leicester in April.

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