EDitorial ± 29-Nov-2006

TT0607, Week 3

Second match in three days -- some weeks are like that -- and the Defiants included not one, not two but the full complement (have you lost weight?) of three players, each ready, raring and roaring to go. Grrrr, we are tigers, et cetera. Ahem.

Shame that the opposition were top-notch. Fortunately we landed a preposterous number of nets and edges, a possible by-product of a home table coupled with sweaty conditions, and enough to secure one of our total of two points. Poor kid I was playing could only gape and cuss as I hit an edge to win the first end, got several more to take the second, then snatch the third with a lob which plopped on his side of the net. Technically he did more than gape, throwing his bat onto the floor and berating his tally of zero fluke shots. Only a game.

Having lost in straight ends against the same kid, AC was looking good for a point from his next match on the fifth and final end, going 6-0 up. His opponent, Gritty McTenacious, rallied back to 8-8, had a matchpoint, blew it, before AC woke up and banged away the winner, a shot he clearly enjoyed.

And what of Mr KC? There was what the police might call an incident when Kev served, hit the net, and had the point called against him by AC, the impartial umpire. Kev insisted that (a) it had glanced the opponent's side and (b) he'd abide by the ref's decision. Their chap helped by graciously offering to not accept the point. As I say, an incident. Let's all move on. Which Kev certainly did by taking an end in his final game and playing really rather well.

Not a disgrace to lose 8-2 to such a good side, but not when you need when you're down, down, deeper and down.