Published 19/11/2017 at 21:59:32 by David Wackrill; edited 1 times, last on 20/11/2017 at 13:14:18 by David Wackrill.

BUCKS THWARTED AFTER EARLY LEAD IN OVER 60s CHAMPIONSHIP
 

This weekend saw the opening fixtures in Division 1B of the County Championships over 60s section at Harlow. Ten teams were in action with the winners earning promotion to the premiership, where all the matches have been held at MKTTC for the past dozen years.
 

The Bucks team consisted of MK’s Michael Wilkins, Gerald Ridgway. Sue Lewis and myself together with High Wycombe’s Nick Hansell.
 

SATURDAY
After the 2 opening matches Bucks led the table, having defeated Cambridge 6-4 and Dorset 9-1. Dave Tiplady had a hand in all of Cambridge’s wins but Super Sue & I won all 4 sets we were involved in ourselves and a win a-piece from Michael and Nick saw us home.
 

Dorset were entering the competition for the first time and the expectation that they would struggle at this level were initially dispelled with a good opening showing against Berks spearheaded by Norman Swift, who many long serving Premier players will remember from his 6 years playing for my MK Stormers team either side of the millennium. Unfortunately Norman injured himself in the first set of our match and was unable to continue. With their star turn out of the picture Dorset easily succumbed to a 9-1 defeat.
 

SUNDAY
Bucks faced much stronger opposition with a draw and a defeat taking us down the table to 3rd place.
 

The main feature of our draw with Essex 2nds was a sensational comeback from 5-2 down. Firstly I overcame a 0-4 start in the deciding leg of my set with Hamish Innes to take the match score to 3-5. Then Michael put in a workmanlike performance against Chris Jacob, who beat him last time out, to win over 4 games and make it 4-5. But we saved the best till last. No-one gave Gerald & Sue a cat in hell’s chance of overcoming Essex pair Glen Johnson and Sue Body in the final mixed doubles but win it they did, and in grand style too. 
 

However we were turned over by Hampshire, the top team in this Division, by a 7-3 margin in the final match of the weekend. 3 good wins nonetheless though. Sue won her women’s singles and teamed up with Michael to win their Mixed Doubles. Then Michael teamed up with me to win our Mens Doubles. Sadly all the Mens Singles sets were lost.
 

The competition now moves on to March when the final maches are completed.