The County over sixties team travelled to Swindon on the weekend of 20th/21st March to partake in the Yehlex Veterans Inter County Championship.
With Pat Edwards and Celia Hillman, two regular team ladies not available for this weekend it meant that for each match Cornwall would be commencing one game down.
Matches consisted of one ladies doubles, one men’s doubles and two mixed games played best of three ends. Counties from Isle of Wight, Avon, Sussex, Devon and Dorset were also competing.
Super Skip, Brian Hannibal decided to field similar men’s and mixed pairings to that which had a proven success in the league, so Mike Nancekivell partnered Tony Roberts while Chris Marr and Phil Oland teamed as No. 1 mixed with Brian Hannibal and Vera Nancekivell at No. 2.
Three matches were scheduled for Saturday followed by two on Sunday. The first on Saturday was against the Isle of Wight which Cornwall won 3-1. Despite winning their next match against Avon also 3-1, it was a much closer encounter with Vera and Brian only just winning their mixed in a close three ends. Sussex were the last opponents on Saturday, somewhat an unknown quantity as they do not play in the same league during the season. However Cornwall won both the mixed games, so all depended on the result of the mens. This turned out to be one of the closest and most crucial games of the weekend, where Mike and Tony came back strongly from loosing the first end to take the game in the third. Match won 3-1. Great days play by all, Captain happy!
The first opposition on Sunday were rivals Devon. After taking the mens, Chris and Phil had a tremendous three ends to clinch victory in their game of mixed. Unfortunately it was not a similar result for Vera and Brian who lost to a strong Devon pairing. This match was drawn 2 each. Cornwall then went into their last match against Dorset needing only 1 point to become overall winners. Brian then changed the pairings with Phil and himself playing mens with Chris Marr and Mike at first mixed and Vera with Tony playing No2. This change was most successful as a 3-1 victory was achieved.
Cornwall became the over 60’s South West champions by dropping only one point all weekend. Absolutely a great team effort, even more so without two ladies.
