13th
January 2017
Last year, Beckenham’s 150th Anniversary, was a
joyous affair with singles matches and a glorious
exhibition match with some old stalwarts turning out
some for the first time (and last!) in years, perhaps
decades. Such was the occasion that the result didn’t
really matter but the memory reminds that Beckenham
turned out winners…just.
So with revenge in the blood expectations were high.
Mandy Akin took on her regular opponent
Cathy Ruffel in a thrilling high quality match which at
2/2 could have gone either way. Unfortunately for the GB
Vets Mandy lost the 5th 10/15. (Yes, we have at last
succumbed to playing PARS, for this match to 15!)
Karen Hume, recently crowned the
World’s O55 champion, took on the youthful Simon Joyce.
In a tight, closely fought match, Karen eventually lost
14/16 in the fourth.
So at 0/2 down Peter Young took on
Geoff McMullen, who confessed not to have played for
months and who never takes his tracksuit bottom off. So
the omens were good but Peter, so often in the driving
seat, kept giving the ball back to a tired but very
grateful Geoff! So another lost game, this time 18/20 in
the third.
Surely Andy Bonner would come to the
GB Vets rescue? But it was not to be as Robin Grant won
a close match 3/1.
It was left to Nigel Belle at No.5
to save a whitewash. With both he and fellow GB Vet,
Ian Smith, suffering shoulder injuries
the match could have ended with both retiring soon after
the first point! But no Nigel survived better than Ian
and ran out an unlikely winner 3/0 after, what must be
said, a most enjoyable, crowd-pleasing match helped by
some masterful marking by the GB Vets non-playing
Captain, Robert Smith.
So Beckenham 4, GB Vets 1.
The post match meals provided by Beckenham are
legendary and are definitely one of the best of all GB
Vets matches. Mixed hors d’oeuvres, Chicken Cacciotore,
Apple & Blackberry Crumble with ample varieties of
liquid prove the point!
A few ‘thank you’ words from Ian and Robert finished
off a great evening and the GB Vets vowing to seek
revenge next year.
Individual results:
|
Beckenham |
|
GB Vets |
|
1 |
Cathy Ruffel |
beat |
Mandy Akin |
3-2 |
2 |
Simon Joyce |
beat |
Karen Hume |
3-1 |
3 |
Geoff McMullen |
beat |
Peter Young |
3-0 |
4 |
Robin Grant |
beat |
Andy Bonner |
3-1 |
5 |
Ian Smith |
lost to |
Nigel Belle |
0-3 |
|