[<<] [>>] by Chris Roberts at High Wycombe
19 Apr 2016 (GC - Murphy Shield)

High Wycombe were very good hosts and they now boast a lovely two flat court facility with newly erected wooden pavilion which looks very smart indeed.

The visitors had a hero before play even started and lunchtime today, when Hugh Crook dropped everything to answer a desperate call-up to the team in the mid-morning after Mary Gaynor dropped-out ill.
The early afternoon start, ensured that play went on into the early evening and what a corking day it was, with glorious sunshine streaming from a cloudless blue sky throughout.
Raymond Wood won his singles in two games before Wycombe's up and coming Andy Baker levelled the match with a win in the same fashion over Crook, despite the latter's efforts at hoop 13.

A very long doubles encounter eventually went Phyllis Court's way in straight games with Frances Colman and Roger Goldring's tactical nouse perhaps providing the separation from the accurate long-clearances of Richard Peperell and another rising player Keith Pound.

Phyllis Court lead 2-1 at the halfway stage and strengthened their grip on the tie when Wood and Crook both took the first games of their round two singles.
Crook scored his own 13th hoop victory to competed his job against Geoffrey Duckworth, to extend the visitors lead to 3 -1 and it looked even better when Colman went one up against Pound.
Before Goldring could complete a great come-back against Peperell, winning five of the last six hoops, Wood secured the fixture result for Phyllis Court with a 2-1 win over Duckworth.

This rendered further play unnecessary and the call of the pub next door was too strong to resist.

Frances Colman bought the first large round to celebrate her handicap reduction down to a new low of 2.

In the next round, Phyllis Court will play the winners of the Guildford v Sussex County - Handicap changes after this match: Frances Colman: 3 to 2

Results

Phyllis Court names first:

Roger Goldring and Frances Colman beat Richard Peperell & Keith Pound 7-2, 7-3
Hugh Crook lost to Andy Barker 7-2, 7-6
Raymond Wood beat Geoffrey Duckworth 7-4, 7-2
Roger Goldring (2) beat Richard Peperell (4) 7-6 - match halved
Frances Coman (3) beat Keith Pound (4) 7-4 - match halved
Ramond Wood (4) beat Andy Barker (5) 7-6, 4-7, 7-6
Hugh Crook (5) beat Geoffrey Duckworth (6) 3-7, 6-7