Since around 1991, I've been playing table tennis alongside Andy in the BT Defiants. Poor old Grenvyle played his final winner, Kev came and went and came and went, but me and Andy kept going. Until, that is, Andy started to lose too many games that he should have won. At which point we agreed, amicably (I believe), to go our separate ways. I'd keep the Defiants going and Andy would start a new team, the Thunderbirds, in the next division down.

Come the end of last season, it seemed that Defiants might be relegated and Thunderbirds might be promoted, i.e. we'd swap divisions. They did come up and somehow we retained our position. And tonight we played each other for the first time. Joining me were one-hundred-percent Natalie (with bf Jack in tow) and rusty Yang. On the other side of the net were Andy, of course, plus ringer Conrad (previously) and spinny Richard. In brief:

• disappointing 1/3 for Natalie, confidence knocked by losing to Conrad (no disgrace) then losing in five to Andy before a consolation point against Richard
• OK 2/3 for Ed, catching Andy cold in three straight games aided by some timely nets before also being walloped by Conrad
• poor 0/3 for Yang, playing his three games back to back, grabbing a couple of games but no points, his season yet to kick off

Yang gone and already down 6-3, Natalie and Ed took Andy and Conrad all the way before the customary final end defeat. Not the result we were after.