Setting up four short courts on two lawns is hard graft, but Carol and Brian had our corner of Tickers Folly Field in immaculate shape for BCC’s second SC tournament on Saturday, August 2nd. Carol secured the full complement of 16 players, despite irritating last minute withdrawals. One of the latecomers was Charles Briggs, her ever-smiling Caversham neighbour.
Elite contenders included Cliff Jones and Roehampton‘s David Openshaw, but only Debbie James from York and Charles were unbeaten at lunch. The quintet from Watford, strangers to SC until an introductory practice game the week before, were instant converts as they clocked up conquests.
Arranged in four ‘all play all’ blocks, three initial rounds were completed before David Long‘s excellent gourmet Coronation chicken. Afterwards, Charles and Debbie repelled the Watford wave – Jonathan Lambton Eddie Chung, Andre Machell and Simon Hathrell – to take first and second places.
Thanks to Simon, their Machiavellian miracle worker, Watford have now established their own SC program. The next day, he masterminded a crushing triumph over mettlesome Blewbury stalwarts in the annual friendly. Beaten in 2024 on the final day of their West country tour, Watford fielded a fiercer team with daunting results. ‘Same day next year’, shouted Captain Andre cheerily as they headed home. Ouch. Maybe Robin, Joe and Sophie could ring fence Sunday, August 2, 2026….