Cornwall 1st team have started their 2014/15 campaign with a bang after pulling off two epic early season victories and topping South West Division 4.
The first match of the season saw Cornwall take on Dorset in Bournemouth. James Whetter kicked off the singles with a convincing win whilst Shane took only slightly longer to dispose of his opponent in 3 ends. It looked like we would go 3/0 up in the singles when Emily James won the first end against a youngster from Dorset but was unable to sustain a solid lead in the second end. Cornwall found themselves equal at 2 all after Jo Philp couldn’t quite match the strength of her opponent.
In the doubles, Cornwall ladies struggled against some deceptive and consistent Dorset ladies but Jo and Bron Wotton managed to pick up a win in a tight 3 ender. After James and Guy Michell were also overpowered by Dorset’s number 1 pair things were looking bleak as Dorset hurtled to a 6/3 lead and a guaranteed league point. Cornwall had a lot of work to do and no room for error. However, in typical Cornish style the boys rose to the occasion and picked up all 3 remaining doubles matches. A particularly steely performance from recently crowned County Champions Ross Lashbrook, and Shane Marriott took the score to 6 all as we entered the battleground of the mixed doubles. The mixed doubles started well as Guy and Vicki Thomas quickly dispatched of the Dorset third pair with some clinical and well thought out play. Tensions rose as Bron and Ross narrowly missed out in a hard fought 3 ender and it was all down to Jo and Shane to secure the final deciding rubber. The Cornish pair stayed composed and just clinched a tight 21/19 win.
Two weeks later Cornwall 1s were able to replicate this victory following a long trip to Buckinghamshire, who are a new addition to their league. After some mixed performances, Cornwall once again entered the mixed doubles on an even score line of 6 all, but once again producing some solid mixed, obliterated Bucks in all 3 matches to end the match with a 9/6 win.
After a disappointing lack of refreshments provided by both the Dorset and Buckinghamshire teams, it has been up to the Cornish side to search high and low for the best carvery the A35 has to offer. Following their first victory, and a quick detour made by Sue’s car to deliver a suspicious looking package under the guise of ‘flapjacks’, hopes of finding a carvery to satiate the appetites of the Cornish team were looking bleak, with those in James’ car resorting to eating a) a fake Worthers’ Original and b) a Polo. However, after the initial disappointment of discovering that the popular ‘Coach and Horses’ had decommissioned the delicious carvery enjoyed by the Cornish team last year, their incredibly specific food-related demands were eventually satisfied. However, it was the following week that we were finally able to relive the wonderful carvery of Sally Pussey’s Inn, where innuendos were buried in succulent joints, golden roast potatoes and delicious Yorkshire Puddings. It remains to be seen whether any road-side eateries will come even close to Sally’s this season.
Watch this space for more updates on Cornwall’s campaign for promotion and post-match Carvery reviews.
Team: Shane Marriott, James Whetter, Guy Michell, Ross Lashbrook, Kahoo Tse, Emily James, Jo Philp, Bron Wotton, Vicki Thomas, Jan Santillo
Emily James, Match Reporter, November 2014
