The 21st Over 40’s Tournament was once again contested on a warm and sunny afternoon in near perfect playing conditions. The contestants were in good humour and the comparison of respective aches and pains produced much merriment.

Those making their first appearance included Chris Lloyd (Stoic), Phil Lyndon (Aldenhamian), Paul Kendall (Aldenhamian), James Oliver (Aldenhamian), and Forman Wilkes (Etonian). It was also pleasing to see the reappearance of Barclay Lawrence (Stoic), Keith Turnbull (Edwardian) and Phil Wilson (Westminster).

The competition format was the same as in previous years – each pair played 4 rounds of one game up to 15 points, and then the two pairs with the best results contested the final. For the second year the Cox Coefficient was used to add an ‘interesting twist’ to each game; the senior players were given a plus points rating from 1 to 5 over their younger opponents. This produced a series of nicely balanced matches and some gripping fives.

Many of the highlights of the day will be lost in personal memories, but some which were generally acknowledged were:- the colourful bandana of Forman Wilkes, the latest fashion in ‘gardening’ fives gloves worn by a very good humoured Nigel Cox, the admission by John Cooley to his partner that he had already played four games of fives that morning, the matching hair style of the two Chris’s and the superior dress sense of Phil Wilson. Also on show were no less than five Heath Tournament winners’ shirts in an array of gaudy colours!

In the top half of the draw the ‘form’ pair was Chris Lloyd/Chris Davies. They produced some clinical and fast paced fives to overcome, amongst others, the experienced pairings of Pete Scholey/Keith Turnbull 15-7 and John Caudle/Phil Wilson 15-10. It was only a shame that they did not meet Martin Powell/Forman Wilkes who, after a slow start, were showing signs of a real challenge.

The top half of the draw also saw the over 60’s final between Geoff Bates/Martin Lindsay and Derek Whitehead/Gordon Whitehead. This was a repeat of last years final but with the opposite result, a 15-12 win for the Whiteheads.

The bottom half of the draw turned into a three way struggle between Nigel Cox/Neil Margerison, Peter Boughton/Simon Woolfies and Courtney Friend/Graham Pulsford. At the start the two doctors, Cox/Margerison, swept aside Boughton/Woolfries with some accurate and consistent fives. Next Boughton/Woolfries stretched Friend/Pulsford to the limit is a very tense and lengthy game before the younger pair finally edged through, and then Friend/Pulsford overcame the two doctors in a game notable less for quality of fives than the ‘bonhomie’ on court!

The two unbeaten pairs, youngsters Chris Lloyd/Chris Davies and veterans Courtney Friend/Graham Pulsford, contested the final. Both pairs looked slightly nervous during the opening exchanges but as the game warmed up there was some top quality fives on display. The top court exchanges were very even and, probably by default, an unusually high number of rallies were decided in the back court either by clean winners or forced errors. After two lengthy and stamina sapping rallies, both won by the Chrisses, the older pair ‘dug in’ and gradually edged ahead to win through 15-10.

New tournament records:-

Derek Whitehead (72) became the oldest ‘playing’ veteran
Martin Lindsay, uniquely, has played in all 21 veterans tournaments
Derek Whitehead became the oldest ‘winning’ veteran
255 years - the highest combined age of four players on court

We look forward to 2006! For those with extended diaries the 2007 tournament may be held in the more relaxed atmosphere of the south of France. B&B and wines provided by Nigel Cox. Not of course ‘A Year in Provence’ but ‘A Tourney in Provence’!

J.G.M.P.

MJS-J Cup Report 2004-2005 by Graham Pulsford
Created 10th May 2005 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk

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