Match Report
Match Report (Courtesy of Dave Wackrill) Crown & Sceptre 1st 4 - 6 Adeyfield 1st
This edition between the League’s leading teams was as good as any in which I’ve played. All our recent battles have ended 6-4 or 5-5, or at least it seems that way, and this was another to add to that collection.
I though that the main protagonists – Gary Keers & John McCance for the home side and Mike Boardman & Mark York for the visitors were in fine form (not that John would agree!) leaving me and Dave Gomm as ‘bit’ players in this latest drama. At least we can possibly claim a new record for the oldest Division 1 opponents with an aggregate age of 150 years 27 days between us, and I did enough to win the crucial set between us, which tipped the win in Adeyfield’s favour.
The sets involving the main men were all terrific. Mike got off to a flyer against John, winning in straight games, but the other 3 were decided by a 2 point margin in the deciding game. They were as close as that, and what impressed me most was that the standard of play, already high, rose to even greater heights on those final vital points.
Adeyfield supremo Nigel Finn can smell a chocolate biscuit from a mile away and duly got to the match to add his usual wholehearted support, in time for the mid-break refreshments. This time, of course, he was also able to give some valuable advise to Mike, gleaned from recent personal experience, on how to beat Gary. This was the standout set of the night with both players having match points before Gary clinched it at 14-12.
As well as Mike played, the outstanding man of the match was Mark, yet again. I’m well used to watching Mike perform superbly at this level but this is the best I’ve seen Mark play for a dozen years or so, when he was beating the likes of Richard Murrell. Mark was so knackered though, at the end of set 8, that he declined to play the doubles. So I was the undeserving recipient of a doubles berth with Mike and together we couldn’t contain the big hitting Gary/John duo, although fortunately the match was already in the bag by then.