1st team off to a flyer against Parsons Green
13 05 20091st team off to a flyer against Parsons Green
The team:
Captain: Rob Cook
1st Pair: Russel Woods & Scott Woods
2nd Pair: Antony Haynes & Ian Lloyd
3rd Pair: Rob Cook & Dave Worth
It didn’t look promising for the first match of the season. A chilly, blustery, dull grey Thursday evening with rain forecast. Would we even finish the match? Someone overheard one of the opposition say that he hoped we wouldn’t play on the grass as they wound up the nets on the hard court. Guys – we are on the grass please!
By kick off time half the Parsons team had not turned up. One pair coming by train had been delayed because of a car crashing into the level crossing barrier. We stifled our cheers at the news and then agreed sportingly we would much rather play than win by default. In the nick of time, the opposition had 2 complete pairs and the evening commenced.
Rob and Dave tried to keep warm watching Ian and Antony on fire for the first game, immediately breaking the serve of pair one. That didn’t last and suddenly they were 3-1 down. Rob and Dave offered a few observational tips – “your eyes are like bulging saucers” said Rob, “Calm down” said Dave. Sure enough, after this encouragement, Ant and Ian played some sensible tennis and hauled themselves back into contention, narrowly winning their set 7-5. Meanwhile at the siberian end of the grass courts Russell and Scott quietly bageled pair three 6-0.
Just as these sets finished the missing pair arrived. After a very, very brief knock up they had to start playing (shame). Ian and Ant found themselves in more of a tussle with the 3rd pair than they anticipated and were level pegging in the difficult windy conditions out on the tundra of court 3. Rob and Dave took on pair one and with Rob firing on all cylinders including some massive serving they cruised to a relatively easy 6-3 win. The only thing of note being the number of times Rob’s aces were called out. Meanwhile Russell and Scott quietly polished off the unwarmed up pair two. Out in the boondocks Ian and Ant were credit crunched by a Lloyds City Dealer and an obstinate lefty called Darrell losing 6-4.
The evening was going well and continued in the same vein as we played our respective pairs. Russell and Scott quietly polished off pair one 6-1, 6-3, Ian and Ant managed a bagle and 4 to win both their sets leaving Dave and Rob out on the windswept pampas of court 3 fighting for the final set in rapidly darkening conditions having won the first set 6-2.
My excuse was I couldn’t see, Rob’s excuse was I couldn’t see and somehow the set slipped away. The final shot from a sprawling Darrell, skidding on the grass, hit me squarely in the throat when it was supposed to be a punched volley to the open court. I couldn’t see – everyone watching could see I couldn’t see if they could see me in the dark. Anyhow we lost 6-3.
Hands were shaken all round for a match played in a sporting manner but best of all we wopped them good and proper 20-4. We are off to a flyer and it never did rain.
Dave W
Categories : Men's 1
