Match Report
With Gareth having to be elsewhere Nat West looked quite strong and any team with Chris P
in it normally means a 3-0 start and so it proved with Chris only dropping one leg against
Terry in the opening game.
The second game of the evening saw Andrew take on Mike and there were two remarkable
legs. At one leg a piece Mike was leading 10 – 2 in the second but only won 11-9! In the
decisive fifth roles were reversed with Andrew leading 5-1 at the change round only for Mike
to come back and win it on deuce, the first of four five leggers that all went the way of
Castaways.
Then came the usual titanic struggle between Les, occasional hit, and Neil, can’t hit. A game
for the purists perhaps with neither player wishing to “go for it” but both content to try to
force the other into errors. Neil won the first on deuce and then the second, three straight
perhaps. Of course not, Les took the next two setting up a decisive fifth. Les took the early
lead and changed round at 5-1 up but then a mini collapse saw Neil go 7-5 up before an edge
got Les going again. Nip and tuck took us to what felt like an inevitable deuce and Neil won
the next two points to take the set. Two five leggers won.
Andrew then faced Terry who tool the first leg fairly convincingly though there were signs it
might not be straightforward and sure enough Andrew came back to take the next two legs
fairly easily. The fourth was tight and possibly decided by the luck on the table and it went to
Andrew 12-10.
Chris P took his second to bring Les and Mike to the table, another for the purists perhaps. 1-0
to Les, 2-1 to Mike, 2-2 to set up the fifth leg again. Mike was again 5-1 down but again came
back to take the lead and the third five legger of the night.
Andrew and Neil always have a tussle and so it proved again. First blood to Andrew, then
Neil took the second. Back again came Andrew to make it 2-1 but back again came Neil to set
up another five legger. Neil took the early lead in this one and never looked in danger taking
the fourth five legger of the evening.
Les then faced Terry who just didn’t look comfortable and lost the first two legs leaving Les
with just one leg to get to bring the match level. This one went to the wire and with a couple
of strokes of luck Les took it 12-10, A bad day at the races for Terry after a great start against Chris.
Chris then duly guaranteed the draw with a routine three straight win over Mike.
The doubles would then settle whether is was going to be a draw or a win for Nat West.
The chosen pairings were unusual as both pairs included their pimple player ensuring
anything but an open game. The combination of Mike and Neil somehow seemed to work,
and they won the first leg fairly comfortably and should have won the second in the same
manner, but Chris and Les came back from well down to force a deuce though to no avail as
the “visiting” pair took it to 10. Not to be outdone Chris and Les then knuckled down to win
the third to 9. Were we looking at a fifth five legger and a chance for Nat West to win one?
Nope Mike and Neil dominated the fourth leg and took it to 5 to snatch a draw.
One heck of a match, and perhaps a draw was the fairest result in the end.
Written by: Neil Le Milliere
