PolRoger tie v MCC
Match report from the Chairman
I turned up in my capacity as Non-Playing Skipper expecting a typically fun match day but having to watch MMTCC get a whooping at the hands of the perennial trophy winners MCC. On looking at the cricket club’s team sheet there was a sudden realisation that a major upset was within our grasp, helped by the fact that no cricketers were available to fill the second doubles slot or at least they had on the Friday after conceding on Wednesday. Luck and tough were the words that sprung to mind as our doubles duo were now otherwise engaged – shopping perhaps although I doubt it!
First up was club Number One Tom Bomford who is always a handful for even the best on the MMTCC floor. And he didn’t disappoint roaring to a 6/0 first set win against Horatio Cary who was playing off the same handicap. Tom went 4/2 up at which point there was a wobble initiated by a lazy rackets style boast into the middle of the court which was duly dealt with. But no matter, Tom survived to win the second set 6/4 and take us to 2/0 in the match. Could the miracle be achieved?
Not immediately as MCC’s Neil Roxburgh was volleying with intent all Tom Lewis’s normally tricky rail road serves and as a result, mostly on the back foot Tom couldn’t break the mould and went down 2/6, 2/6.
Cometh the hour cometh the 68 year old man … Philip Shaw-Hamilton belied his years and skipped around the court like a spring lamb, in general playing cut shots to the corner with devastating accuracy. Only once did he err on the side of gently pushing the ball but returned to better ways and took both sets 6/2, 6/2. So the miracle had been achieved and MMTCC go proudly into the semi-final against the winners of Queens and Petworth, unfortunately away from home. Given our Bournemouth FC type resources there will be little chance for us but ….
It was just as well that Philip (happy 68th on Wednesday!) was in such fine form as MCC’s first pair led by seasoned campaigner Peter Jarvis were too consistent for Martin Rogers and Rich Wills winning the dead rubber 6/3, 6/2.