Spoons Day 2006 saw a departure from the usual programme of a last minute attempt to scrape together a few players in the name of healthy in-house competition. Having secured the Barber Cup for the 6th time in seven years, and with one hand on the league trophy for the 5th time in a row it was time for a knees-up.

Emails, text messages and even letters were sent in an attempt to rustle up a record turn out for the traditional Olavian end of season tournament and with some success: in a sign of unprecedented confidence, a table was booked at a local hostelry for no fewer than 25 people.

The replies came from far and wide. Players were returning from exotic locations: Beckenham, North London, Dorset, Switzerland – it was beginning to get out of hand. It soon became clear that the usual method of creating the draw (a combination of the Club Secretary’s knowledge of player form, and the Captain’s ad-hoc scribbling, coupled with a flexible handicapping system) would become unworkable, so a sophisticated, computer-based system was devised late one Friday night.

Twenty-four players arrived on a sunny Saturday afternoon and were assigned handicaps. The draw was split in two, grouping the top and bottom halves together and the decision taken to limit each game to 20 minutes to ensure that plenty of rounds were played.

Since there were more players than spaces available on the four courts, players were given a break with byes and were able to take advantage of tea and home-made cookies and cakes provided by Mrs Hawkins and Dr. Sanderson.

After 7 rounds, the two halves of the draw were ranked on the average points scored and the top four players formed a final. In a characteristically close finish to this stage, the top four players in both halves of the draw finished with 1 point of each other, with James Toop, Peter White, Paran Sarmah and David Smith making it through.

The final was played best of 3 and the relief on the faces of those that didn’t make it was clear. James and David played excellently to win 2-0 in a match that saw a number of close rallies and winners coming from all four players.

At the end of the final, Jim Biggs kindly made an excellent speech filling in some of the younger Olavians on the history of the competition, and presented James and David with their prizes which, in keeping with tradition, were promptly handed back!

After the afternoon’s excitement, 25 players and partners retired to Indigo in Locksbottom for some hard earned nourishment and to trade tales of what could have been had they scored one extra point here or there, and to promise that we’ll all play more next year. With ages ranging from year 12 at the school to year 12 of retirement (I doubt this is actually true, but it certainly makes the point) the club is certainly in a very healthy state, which is a lot more than can be said for some of the players!

E.J.S.

Old Olavian Spoons Day Report 2006 by Edward Sanderson
Created: 28th March 2007 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk

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