EDitorial ± 16-Sep-2008

TT0809, Week 2

Uncannily, not more than 24 hours after Andy stretched too far, an email arrived out of the bonny blue ethernet asking if we'd like an extra occasional player. Sender was none other than Rob, who accompanied Andy and me to Sketchley's fully eight months ago, relieving us of the burden of a three digit average. We ain't proud: come aboard.

Hadleigh Condors comprise Dick Van Dyke and the Jonas Brothers, a generation or three apart. That familiar scraping sound was me edging past big-hitting James and elaborate-serving Josh. Final singles saw the Secretary Smackdown as the div 1 TT sec (me) took on the div 2&3 TT sec (Ken). Match inevitability went to five full ends: I had it won at 10-6 up, he clawed back to deuce, then I was pathetically grateful for a net and one other point. Div 1 reigns. Go me with my enjoy-it-while-it-lasts 100 per cent.

What of Rob? Well, first We Need To Talk About Kevin. Egged on by Arvind's encouragement to "keep thinking that all your shots are landing perfect", against Josh he was on fire for the first end ... then the pilot light went out. No matter: the flames leapt back to life, and Kev found himself 9-6 up in the fifth end against Ken. Surely he'd bag his first point of the season? Five in a row saw canny Ken come out on top, alas. Dig in!

Mysteriously, just the solitary point for newboy Rob, coming unstuck against Ken and Josh. Despite the Lucozade Caffeine Boost and Red Bull chasers, those pimples weren't performing tonight. He will return.