Ponsonby Cup

Four pairs contested this year’s Ponsonby Cup. In the first ‘semi-final’ John Miller and Graham Defries took on the seasoned pairing of Mark Maclure and Alan Moug, fresh from their victory in the Gaelic Cup at Radley. Miller set the tone for his pair’s performance by serving two double faults at the start of the contest, followed by another fault! Unsurprisingly they lost the first set 1/6 but despite a slight rally, succumbed to worthy winners 3/6 in the following set.

In the other semi former winners young Vaughan Hamilton and not so young Martin Trees looked like sure fire winners against rookie pairing of Henry Piney and Andrew Hamilton. Piney was in particularly punishing form, half volleying many a serve into the dedans. After a slow start they got on top of their opponents who never really got into their stride, the dedans much amused by the Chairman’s high lob serves which one of his opponents generously smashed into the bottom of the net. Accusations of post service smugness were aimed at the Chairman who happily failed to dispel them but was brought down to earth on returning home to the comment that his opponents must have been suffering from the Coronavirus.

In the Final the Scottish pair were in tremendous form once again – their propensity for engendering mistakes from nowhere sadly did not materialise for Piney and Hamilton who were never allowed to find any rhythm losing the first set 0/6. However, in the second set they looked as though they might overhaul their opponents at 3 / 4 but the Scots failed to buckle and waltzed through to an excellent and well deserved win. Hamilton and Piney will never wish to mention ‘The Scottish Play’ again!

It was an excellent weekend of tennis and bonhomie as we all put aside the unfolding horrors of the Coronavirus.