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Derek Knight Wins Southport B Level

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Derek Knight Flying High at Southport B Level (by Tony Thomas, 25/07/11)

Derek Knight with B Level trophy and competitors

Players came from as far apart as Scotland, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire and Warwickshire. The sun was bright, although the lawns were a little heavy and play took place to the accompanying roar of aircraft as the Southport Airshow tumbled and swooped overhead. The B Level Advanced is an open tournament for individuals with a handicap of between 2 and 8, and has been held at Southport for many years. The beautiful trophy is dedicated to the memory Ena and May Hawkins, who were leading members of the club in the 1970s. Southport members Barbara Haslam and Don Williamson came joint second, along with Brian Christmas of Shrewsbury. However, the honours and the trophy were carried off by Derek Knight of Beverley, winning five out of the six games played and reducing his handicap to 4.5. In spite of the noise and interruptions, players enjoyed the air-show, Derek saying it added to a very enjoyable competition and he is determined to return next year and defend his trophy. Results: Brian Christmas beat Fergus McInnes +1T; Dennis Graham beat Cliff Daniel +9T; Derek Knight beat Don Williamson +7T; Peter Moore beat Adrian Morris +17; Barbara Haslam beat Tony Thomas +7T; Brian Christmas beat Dennis Graham +6; Derek Knight beat Peter Moore +16; Barbara Haslam beat Fergus McInnes +1T; Don Williamson beat Cliff Daniel +7T; Tony Thomas beat Adrian Morris +16; Derek Knight beat Brian Christmas +3T; Don Williamson beat Barbara Haslam +3T; Dennis Graham beat Tony Thomas +9; Fergus McInnes beat Peter Moore +1T; Adrian Morris beat Cliff Daniel +19; Derek Knight beat Barbara Haslam +3T; Brian Christmas beat Don Williamson +12; Adrian Morris beat Dennis Graham +25; Peter Moore beat Tony Thomas +14T; Fergus McInnes beat Cliff Daniel +8T; Dennis Graham beat Derek Knight +2T; Barbara Haslam beat Brian Christmas +11T; Don Williamson beat Peter Moore +17; Fergus McInnes beat Adrian Morris +17; Tony Thomas beat Cliff Daniel +7T; Derek Knight beat Fergus McInnes +14; Don Williamson beat Dennis Graham +21; Brian Christmas beat Tony Thomas +1; Barbara Haslam beat Adrian Morris +6T; Peter Moore beat Cliff Daniel +17.

 

     

 

Pennine Cup Stays in North East

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North East Fed Keep Hold of Pennine Cup (by Paul Rigge, 24/07/11)

 

Competitors in Pennine Cup at Pendle

North East Federation won this years tie 5-3. After a gap of two years, this match, a legacy of the Confederation of Northern Clubs (under Mike Evans), was restored back onto the calendar. The North East team, lead by Charles Waterfield carried the day 5-3 and retained the trophy they won last time both federations met back in 2008, only this time they remembered to take it with them, it’s been kept safe for them at the Pendle club for the last thee years! After 3.5 hours, Lancashire were only 1-0 up at lunch in the morning doubles, necessitating in the other two games being pegged down to make way for the singles. In which we didn’t fair so well, losing the round 5-1. The final NW point coming from a restarted double game before the finishing line had been crossed by Millener in his Hcp game (seen holding the trophy). Pendle again were gracious hosts who set up the lawns and fed us throughout the day. The lawns are now always a pleasure to play on, especially in the warm sunny conditions we had for todays match. Teams: NW Fed, Paul Rigge (-.5), Mat Holmes(1.5), Rob Essler(2), Terry Vernazza(5), David Pollitt(7) & Dave Holland(9); NE Fed: Charles Waterfield(.5), Derek Watts(2), Phil Errington(2.5), Dennis Scar (6), David Millener (7) & Sheila Watts (10). Results: Doubles: Rigge & Holland v Waterfield & S Watts (unfinished); Holmes & Pollitt beat D Watts & Millener 26-15; Essler & Vernazza beat Errington & Scarr 26-21. Singles: Rigge beat Waterfield 26-0; Holmes lost to D Watts 10-26; Essler lost to Errington 14-26; Vernazza lost to Scarr 09-26; Pollitt lost to Millener 21-26; Holland lost to S Watts 13-26.

 

England CA beat Ireland CA at Fylde

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England CA Team Win The 29th McWeeny Trophy (by Paul Rigge, 17/07/11)

From Left: Jane Morrison (I), Alan Pidcock (E), Brian Lewis (E), Robert Barklie (I), Ben Reves Smith (I), Bob Burnett (ECapt), Jack Clingan (I), Michael O”Shaughnessy (I), Lee Heartley (E), Peter Wilson (E), David Roe (E), Nathanial Healy (ICapt).

Fylde hosted the 29th McWeeny Trophy between the CA and the CAI.  The Vera McWeeney Trophy is travelling back down to Cheltenham, after being retained by this year”s CA squad at Fylde CC, this was the 29th time that England has played Ireland with both having previously held the title fourteen times, England now having the bragging rights 15-14.  The McWeeny trophy is named after Vera McWeeny, an irish journalist who championed womens involvement in sport.  She represented Ireland in Hockey, Squash, Tennis and Croquet.

With the overnight score of 13-10 in our favour, it should have been an easy morning”s work to secure the final point required for victory in the last round of doubles outstanding before the visitors left for the airport for their lunchtime flight.  However they seemed to dominate most of the play and it appeared at times that only Irish players had turned up since they were occupying all three courts, indeed there was much speculation that if the three doubles went the wrong way, to level the score, the “dead” singles game from Saturday would have to be played after lunch (Burnett vs Morrison).  This proved unnecessary with the final three scores all being secured in timed games, final result; 15-11 after some very nervy play with single yard roquets being missed and wrong balls being played.

The weather was cold, windy, wet and miserable, just the opposite in fact of Fylde CC”s hospitality, that was nothing short of superb; They acted as taxi”s from/to the airport. The club was bedecked with appropriate bunting and national flags.  Local press came down for interviews and pictures that made both the front page and all of page 3 on Saturday (do not ask who modelled for the p3 shot! – no don”t!).  They billeted all the visitors with club members including feeding and watering them for the weekend.  New solid friendships were made this weekend. The Irish were a delight and both teams played in excellent sprit.

Singles: Nathaniel Healy beat James Hawkins 15; Bob Burnett beat Robert Barklie 9; Lee Hartley beat Jane Morrison 16; Michael O”Shaughnessy beat David Roe 16; Ben Reeves Smith beat Brian Lewis 8; Peter Wilson beat Jack Clingan 5; Lee Hartley beat Nathaniel Healy 8; James Hawkins beat Robert Barklie 14; Michael O”Shaughnessy beat Brian Lewis 22; Peter Wilson beat Ben Reeves Smith 10t; Jack Clingan beat David Roe 11; Bob Burnett beat Nathaniel Healy 5; Lee Hartley beat Robert Barklie 8; Jane Morrison beat James Hawkins 2; Peter Wilson beat Michael O”Shaughnessy 26; David Roe beat Ben Reeves Smith 8; Jack Clingan beat Brian Lewis 13.
Doubles: Healy & Clingan beat Hartley & Roe 26; Hawkins & Wilson beat Barklie & Reeves Smith 22; Burnett & Lewis beat Morrison & O”Shaughnessy 19; Healy & Clingan beat Burnett & Lewis 17; Barklie & Reeves Smith beat Hartley & Roe 14; Hawkins & Wilson beat Morrison & O”Shaughnessy 12; Healy & Clingan beat Alan Pidcock* & Wilson 2t; Burnett & Lewis beat Barklie & Reeves Smith 1t; Hartley & Roe beat Morrison & O”Shaughnessy 1t; *Alan Picock was substituted for James Hawkins on Sunday Morning.

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