STOP PRESS: We have just been notified that we have a bye in the second round, so we’ll be playing away to an Isle of Wight team in Round 3 sometime in December or January.

Our first-round match was against Crowborough SC. In the first round, Janice, Ian and Tony won 13-5 (having been 0-5 down) while David A, Stephan and Ray won 13-9. So 2 up, looking good.

However, in the second round Janice and Ray lost 2-13, Ian and Tony lost 10-13 and David and Stephan won 13- 6. So we just won 3-2: whew! Very well done, squad.

On the same day, four of our club members represented Sussex Petanque’s two triples teams:  David and Stephan Alfred and David Randall; and Tony Mann with Jeff Mitchell and Herbie Edwards from Crowborough.

The two best teams of (nearly) all the EPA regions were split into two groups of 12 teams each. Each team played four games in a ‘snake’ with only the top two teams from each group going into the semi-finals and final.

Although David, Stephan and David unfortunately only won one game in their group, Tony’s team won three games to come third in their group, thus only just missing out on reaching the semi-final stage – a fine achievement. Well done to everyone.

The day ended in two intriguing finals, with Jeff Mitchell and Herbie Edwards (Crowborough) winning the Main competition, and our very own Pat Connolly and Ian Maynard winning the Plate competition in a nail-biting finish. Congratulations to both teams.

Five teams subscribed to this, our last one-day competition of the season. We should remember that triples is the classic format of the game.

The competition system was a round robin (where each team plays all the others). The odd number of teams meant there was a bye in each of five rounds of play.

The teams were: Ann/Rohan/Steve;  David A/ Stephan/David R;  Di/Mark/Gaby; Pat/Bob/David M;  Ray/Ian/Anthony.

Neither team having lost any of their previous games, the contest between Ray, Ian and our new and youngest member, Anthony Blythe, and this year’s Sussex Pétanque’s second- seeded team of David A, Stephan and David R would decide the winners.

After Ray & Co got off to a storming lead of 10-0, David A & Co fought back to 11-9. However, in the last end Anthony, who was the shooter, scored the two winning points, a great semi-sautée shot of over 9m followed by nudging a front boule towards the jack: 13-9.

So, congratulations to Ray, Ian and Anthony who clearly has a very bright future in the game. He is a credit to the club and we wish him every success.

David A, Stephan and David R came second, and Ann, Rohan and Steve came third. Well done them and all who took part in the competition.

They are SHADD, David and Stephan Alfred and David Randall (Main 2), 2P&aY, Terry Gibbons, Alan Issler and Tony Mann (Main 4), The M&Ms, Marcus and Margie Hayward, Martin Gordon and Trevor Allen (Challenge 1), J.O.B., Di and Mark Cherrie and Gaby Channing (Challenge 3).

The format was a snake, each team playing four games by lot. (Has not our little plastic bingo machine been one of the club’s wisest investments?)

By the end of the afternoon, although both winning all four games, David and Stephan won the competition, by virtue of a superior points difference (+44) to that of Alan Issler and Tony (+29). Jill C and Ian came third. Well done to them and to all the contestants.

In the picture below, the père et fils duo are holding the Alan Smith Memorial Trophy. They chose as their charity the Somerset Day Centre, where Ray Ager and Bob White work.

Winners: Stephan (L) and David Alfred

The pictures below show the winners of the pointing and shooting sections. The overall winner, The Most Skilful Player, was Rohan. Especially for one who joined the club so recently, this is a fine achievement: “the boy done good”. In second place was Chris, who also made a very high score. Felicitations to both of them, to Ian who won the highly specialised discipline of throwing the jack (the proper French word being but (pronounced somewhere between ‘boot’ and the island of Bute), bouchon, petit or cochonnet please, not coche) and to all the other winners.

Best Pointers: (L) Pat Connolly, Rohan Bedford, Nick Rowlands

Best Shooters: (L) Ray Ager, Chris Holden, Rohan Bedford

As last year, 11 of our friends from Herts came down to meet 15 of  us (plus Lisa and Peter who played for Herts Select) on a bright if breezy day. There was time for the five teams on each side (all ours were mixed) to play three rounds.

2nd L Martin Ware, President Herts Select PC

The result was that we won 14 games out of 15. This may well be due to a general improvement in the club’s standard as well as home advantage.

Club Doubles, July 31

Thirteen teams turned out for this event, five more than last year. The eight best teams (seeded) for the Main competition were decided by the morning’s play in three groups. The other five teams went into the Plate competition.

The Main competition was a rolling knock-out. The top-placed teams were Andrew and David Randall (3 wins, +22), Ray and Gareth (3 wins, +21), David and Stephan Alfred (3 wins, +16) and Ian and Jill C (2 wins, +17).

As last year, the final saw the Randalls battling with the Alfreds, but this time, winning 13-7, the victors were Andrew and David. Gareth and Ray came third.

Congratulations to Andrew and David, and well done to all who participated including the Plate winners, Julien and Norman.

2011 Club Doubles winners: David Randall (L) and Andrew Randall

Spring Doubles League

Somewhat belatedly, the results of this competition were announced at the Club Doubles. Ten teams were involved. (Let there be more next year.)

The final placings were:

1st: Terry Gibbons and Tony Mann with 27 points by winning all 9 games with a points difference of + 67.

2nd: David and Stephan Alfred with 25 points, winning 8 games, +61.

3rd: Ian Maynard and Jill Chrismas with 23 points, winning 7 games, +43.

Congratulations to Terry and Tony whose names are already inscribed on a brand new cup for the competition very kindly donated by Terry’s management at Gatwick airport.

2011 Spring Doubles League winners: Tony Mann (L) and Terry Gibbons

It’s the time of the year again for the Club Doubles, one of our most highly contested titles. Last year’s winners, David and Stephan Alfred will be defending their title. They have bought new boules this year and have been on top form recently. But there are lots of up-and-coming new members who will try and take their title. Will YOU succeed?

Last year’s final was a closely fought match between two father and son teams (the other team was David and Andrew Randall) both made up of a good pointer and a good shooter. Can two good pointers win? Place your bets!

Last year we had 8 teams entered – let’s try and beat this. We now have over 70 members in the club – it would be great to have a good turnout. If you haven’t already played in a club competition, don’t worry – this is an ideal opportunity.

A thrilling, hard-fought contest resulting in a 4-4 draw, the men just winning with a points difference of +18.

More details in the July newsletter.