We won we won!! Chambers won 12-7! Which is a good thing because the new recruits from last year's 9th league team didn't cover themselves in glory, and one of them is writing this report. Is the relief palpable?
Chambers' new 7th team tackled Modderfontein's only team on Tuesday. Nice green hillsides (and an explosives factory) out there in the far east, but it isn't unfair to say that Modderfontein's squash facilities have seen better days. Floorboards resembling a 5th day SCG test pitch, lighting to make Eskom proud, and vertical smears (of dirt?) down the front walls made for some challenging away conditions. Not to mention the dimly lit cloakrooms and the fact that our opponents were all wearing pink.
Brennan and Phil, playing 4 and 3 respectively, both lost 3-2. Welcome to the 7th league!
I didn't see much of Brennan's game, but the scoreline suggests he should have won. His opponent, Piet the Dutchman (he is actually Dutch), was wasn't much of a runner, and seemed dead and buried at the end of the third. What happened Brennan? Apart from making too much time in the tin.
My opponent Mike was a picture of concentration and showed some good skill. I wasn't and didn't. Couldn't find a good length, made too many mistakes, and displayed as much touch and craft as a ten pound hammer. But I learned some useful lessons in forcing lets. Seriously, has anyone seen anything in the rules saying that being 'more experienced' (as in, old and lazy) grants you the right to stand in the way? All the bladdy time? I haven't!
Thankfully Mark and Bruce saved our blushes. Mark, playing 2, smashed Graham 3-0, and Bruce eventually won 3-1 against Arne 'Big Easy' Kemp, who was big and did indeed tire easily. Again, not having seen much of Mark's game, I don't really know if Graham was any good, but any 3-0 win at 2 must mean the winner played pretty well, right? Graham certainly looked the worse off of the two after the game, and retained a rather pinkish complexion throughout dinner.
The Big Easy was a clean and accurate striker of the ball, but Bruce played some excellent squash to lengthen the early rallies and deplete his opponent's energy levels. More than one rally ended well before it should have due to the Big Easy being doubled over in a corner gasping for air. As the match wore on and things relaxed a little, and Bruce got used to his new racquet, Bruce's boasts and touches started to work for him, setting up a fairly comfortable win in the end.
The choice of restaurant was influenced by promises of a raucous hen's party taking place there. So off we went to celebrate our first win. Luckily the steak was excellent.
Court:1 Winner:Chamber Exiles CH06
Bruce,Bydawell- vs. ARNE,KEMP-
15-12 13-15 15-10 15-10
Court:2 Winner:Chamber Exiles CH06
Mark,van Niekerk- vs. I,Substitute-
15-10 15-6 15-10
Court:3 Winner:Modderfontein MD01
Michael,Hartman- vs. Phil,Alves-
15-12 11-15 15-9 10-15 15-13
Court:4 Winner:Modderfontein MD01
PIETER,VAN DONGEN- vs. Brennan,Babb-
15-13 5-15 6-15 15-12 15-12
Match score: 16 - 2
