East Dorset beat Surbiton 5-2

[<<] [>>] by Elizabeth Williams at East Dorset.
19 Jun 2005 (AC - Mary Rose)

Dave Trimmer & John Crowe 26, Sam Symonds & John Cosier 15
Peter Shepheard 22, Andy Dibben 26
Jonathan Wood 26, Gina Lewis 16

Dave Trimmer 26, Sam Symonds 7
John Crowe 16, John Cosier 26
Jonathan Wood 26, Andy Dibben 5
Peter Shepheard v Gina Lewis, Abandoned, Walk-over to E.D.

In hot, to oppressive conditions the matches got under way, with all players suffering early morning glitches. The away team had enjoyed the previous day on the luxuriantly deep piled Hurlingham turfs, hence struggled with the speed of the finely cropped Parkstone lawns. The home team had no such excuse. Trimmer & Crowe, following Woods' example prevailed at an average pace, but Shepheard and Dibben slogged it out for four hours like mad dogs, (or Englishmen) in the ninety-degree heat, missing out on lunch, until Dibben won through.

Now, about that lunch?. Surbiton produced a wonderful example of gamesmanship in the form of an exquisite picnic hamper, prepared by Gina Lewis, that would rival anything from Harrods. The home team observed with envy. Presumably it was the wine that impaired Sam's, normally accurate, shooting to allow Trimmer to coast home. Presumably, too the wine combined with the heat of the day brought about Gina's migraine and double vision, which unfortunately resulted in her having to withdraw from her game against Peter Shepheard. Woods played well throughout the day while Cosier came back strongly to beat Crowe.

Moral of the story: To win the day, mouldy bread and water for lunch. To enjoy the day, order one of Gina's sumptuous hampers, and who cares about the result anyway!