Match Report
A disappointing night all round for PRO, losing all three 5 setters and having to concede the doubles because we again ran out of time. Sadly, it was also my first duck of the season.
There was major disruption to the order of play with Ronnie arriving late and myself also engaged in another match at the Abbey in the Central League. Jai was still sick and Ollie was available so I was drafted in.
George opened proceedings with a straight sets defeat by Mike, who seems to be recapturing his form of yesteryear, proven by his POM performance in also beating myself in 3 and Ronnie in 5.
My game against Johhny resulted in another 5 setter, but poor starts in the 3rd and 5th ends cost me dearly. Had I won it may have given me the lift to play better in my matches against Mike and Neil, but I lost and we'll never know.
My match with Neil was relatively tight, I actually won more points than Neil, but it's games that count. Nets and edges can often decide the outcome of a match and so it proved in the deciding 4th end. I led 9-8 and Neil got a combined net and edge to take it to 9-9. The next point was an absolute disaster as the ball hit my fingers to take Neil to match point. I thought then it wasn't my night and it certainly wasn't with Neil taking the final point.
Another bad night for George, his only consolation being a solitary game won against Neil.
Ronnie did well to comeback from 2-0 down against Johnny, but lost in 5.
The fact that 6 of the games went beyond 3 ends indicates a closer match than the scoreline suggests. A fairer result may have been 8-2 to Castaways.
Actual order of play in brackets.
Written by: John Crawford