National Interclub 2024

This years competition had an International flavour not only with teams representing the home nations but also a team from the USA.

As ever the box matches were played at both Moreton and Leamington on Saturday with first and second from each group going through and two of the lucky third placed teams.

This was the state of play by Sunday morning. Leamington through in both singles and doubles with Darren already making Wells & Lay favourites for the doubles. Team USA – a very welcome addition – struggled. Knocked out of the singles they sneaked into the doubles quarter final. Bickley United (2 from Hardwick plus Bernie Spratt filling in) romped through to the quarters in singles but not doubles. Jesmond Dene failed to qualify for either for the first time in 25 years, but still managed to finish 10th of 12 teams by spreading their failure throughout the team. Manchester qualified in both. Pablo Smith looking impressive in the singles, but questions remain about his temperament and whether he can produce the goods when it matters. Moreton Morrell somehow limped through the singles but failed in the doubles. England lost their talismanic skipper JR through a blow to the eye. Late replacement Richard Cherry was unable to rescue the singles situation despite beating the Chairman but Harris & Cherry did progress in the doubles. Wales declared themselves incredulous as they qualified for both competitions. New boys Canford were similarly dumbfounded that the competition structure gave them an equally positive outcome. Scotland last year’s winners were eliminated in the doubles they won in 2023 but Lord of War Dan Worboys was sweeping all before him in the singles as he desperately attempted to justify his self-awarded epithet – The Scottish Virgona. Ireland qualified in the doubles. Prested qualified in both.

.

And so to Sunday. In the first doubles a tiny village in northern England beat the most powerful nation on earth as Manchester triumphed over the USA. Next up, familiar foes John Miller (playing for LTCC) and Simon Hobson. The MMTCC chairman snuck it. Despite their incredulity at qualification Wales dismissed Prested in a game most notable for Bruce Hogarth Jones almost headbutting the main wall after a fall. Wales run came to an end as Danny Dawson lost to TSV (the Scottish Virgona) 5/6. Head Pro tip for the doubles (LTCC) saw off Ireland, although had the latter won a point to make it 3/4 it might have been different. Jon Speirs playing for Bickley United lost to Clive Jeffery 4/6 in a close encounter. I thought he would be joined by his Canford colleagues in the semis, but an ever surprising Richard Cherry partnered Martin Harris to a 6/5 victory. For South African Harris it was his second year playing for England and we don’t yet know if we’ll try the same joke again. In the final quarter final Pablo Smith led 5/3 against Josh Pike but then got caught at the receivers end lobbing easy balls onto his left-handed opponents forehand. Prested Hall Pike progressed 6/5.

So to the semi-finals where Manchester trounced Wales who finished 8th. Simon Hobson guided Moreton Morrell to 9th place after losing to TSV 5/6. As Manchester had to Wales so LTCC did to England setting up a Leamington v Manchester final. Josh Pike who had diced with disaster against Pablito did not give Clive Jeffery much of a chance, running out 6/2 victor and setting up a final v TSV. The doubles final was a close affair but in the end Leamington won a match which settled not only the doubles but also ensured LTCC were the overall winners too. 15-owe 15 seemed a lot for Dan “TSV Lord of War” Worboys to give away to his young opponent but he performed admirably. In the end though, 17-year old Pike proved he was no stupid boy taking the match, the singles title and second place overall for Prested. Manchester were third and last year’s winners Scotland came just outside the medals