CA v SCA 2004
4-5 September 2004, Crake Valley
At what must be one of the most picturesque venues anywhere in England, battle was joined. On a grey misty Saturday morning, early start, the three doubles games got underway. By 11.30 with blue sky breaking through and the lawns drying out, Scotland's 1st pair Surgenor & Williams were one up on Burnett & Wardle and England's Nick & Whitehouse one up on Murdoch & McInnes at 3rd pair. At 2nd pair Rannie & Foster (S) and Haslam & Miller (E) had a rare old ding-dong, with the Scots hitting in from almost anywhere and snatching victory at the death in both games to win 2-0. The English 3rd pair then levelled also winning 2-0. As teatime approached the English 1st pair fought back to level and then went on to win by 2 games to 1.
With Sunday morning red hot and most of the twelve a little tender from the after effects of Saturday night's organised meal at a local hostelry, play began. Rannie made short work of Burnett to win 2-0 before lunch. Miller beat Foster 2-0 after having a ball pegged out in each game. In the battle of the oldies Williams beat Haslam 2-1 with many pauses for water. Nick overcame Surgenor with a TP to win 2-1 and take the match score to 4-3. Wardle & Murdoch and Whitehouse & McInnes with both games at 1-1 and double banking on the same lawn and their team mates, spectators and club members all watching intently fought out an exciting climax; the home side went on to win both games as the Scots wilted, the CA beating the SCA by 6 games to 3.
Dave Nick
Results
(CA names first)
Day 1
Bob Burnett & Peter Wardle beat John Surgenor & Rod Williams +12,-19,+12
John Haslam & Mark Miller lost to Bruce Rannie & Tony Foster -6,-1
Dave Nick & Graham Whitehouse beat Brian Murdoch & Fergus McInnes +10,+5
Day 2
Nick (-1) beat Surgenor (0) -15,+26TP,+15
Burnett (-0.5) lost to Rannie (0.5) -17,-2
Haslam (0) lost to Williams (1) -2,+20,-7
Wardle(1.5) beat Murdoch (2) +20,-2,+15
Miller (2.5) beat Foster (3) +10,+4
Whitehouse (6) beat McInnes (3.5) -5,+25,+17
Match Result
CA 6, SCA 3
Photographs
Rod Williams in play against John Haslam.
Dave Nick on the lawn, his opponent John Surgenor and team-mate John Haslam watching.
Brian Murdoch in play with the picturesque Crake Valley scenery beyond; Tony Foster and Bruce Rannie sitting out.
Graham Whitehouse approaching the end of his last game against Fergus McInnes.
