How often is a win achieved without some minor setbacks? Or in the case of this 2006 Pol Roger Varsity Match the major setbacks of having to pass round the winners’ magnums, due to an unfortunate mix-up over the champagne for the Reception and then discovering that the team bus has a flat battery when you set out for home and victory celebrations!?
But these were taken in good part by the Cambridge 14 after they defeated the Oxford 10 and won the Varsity Match this year in some style and the usual polar conditions.
But it was clear from the first games in the Blues match that the main prize would not be a clean sweep for either side.
Although favoured at first pair for Oxford Peter Dunbar and Mark Stacey did not have it their own way in the early stages; some fine shots and accurate placing by Aly Patel for Cambridge led the small band of well-swathed supporters to expect a close match. But as the game and the rubber wore on, the spark left the Cambridge pair; the consistent cut retrieval of Stacey and the accurate volleying of Dunbar caused too many errors and Oxford won well in three games.
At third pair Robert Friedman and Paul Jeffreys for Cambridge encountered strong resistance from Duncan Bloor-Young and David Welford in the first game; but this crumbled in the second when they tightened their play and their determination and consistency was too much for the Oxford pair, who ceded the rubber also in three games.
Not for the first time this left the result of the second pair match to decide the result and spectators enjoyed a really hard and well fought contest between two evenly-matched pairs which included the two captains. For Oxford Dexter Davies excelled on the step and his captain Jonathon Howsley delivered well from the back, while Nick Gill and captain James O’Callaghan performed similarly well for Cambridge. The latter were more consistent however and worked together better as a pair, gritting their teeth and winning a tight second game 12-10 before running out clear winners 3-0 and claiming the day for the light blues.
Cambridge had brought a 4 pair Penguin side for the second team match and were disappointed when Oxford could only produce 2 pairs on the day. The athletic Bartholomew brothers for Cambridge were simply too strong for Alex Mackenzie and Jack Furniss and Julian Black and Robin Chatterjee played most determinedly to overcome the resourceful Oxford pairing of Jordan Schlipf and Hugo Tobias.
Both Cambridge pairs won 3-0 and the official concession of third pair gave a clean sweep for the Penguins against the Peppers. However,The two Oxford pairs had sportingly agreed to play again to give the other two Cambridge pairs a game and at third pair the Cambridge partnership of Chris Lewis and Mike Burkett won another hard-fought contest 3-0 while James Womersley and Jonny Sells refused to lose to the Schlipf and Tobias onslaught and the rubber was declared drawn at 2-1 to Oxford.
The whole party then decamped to the pub to thaw out and change and foregathered later at Bekynton, by kind invitation of Mark Williams, for the customary champagne and dinner buffet, which was again excellent and much enjoyed. In their speeches the captains thanked Eton, Pol Roger and Mark Williams and even went so far as to honour their opponents!
This is a noble occasion and the highlight of the playing season at the two universities. It is to be hoped that the Clubs and players will continue to rise to the occasion and use it for the promotion of the game at Oxbridge.
So far this century Cambridge has won 4 times and Oxford twice, the Penguins registering 5 wins out of six against the Peppers. The alumni of 11 different schools featured in this year’s encounter, three remarkably without any fives courts, Highgate predominating with 5 representatives.
The first Ladies match is still awaited!
Blues Match - Cambridge beat Oxford 2-1
A Patel (Trinity & Highgate) and J Potts (Emmanuel & Highgate)
lost to P R Dunbar (Balliol & Harrow) and M Stacey (Green College & Wolverhampton)
9-12, 6-12, 7-12
N Gill (Magdalene & City of London) and J O'Callaghan (Christ's & Highgate)
beat D Davis (Wolfson & Highgate) and J Howsley (University & Ipswich)
12-6, 12-10, 12-7
R Friedman (Emmanuel & City of London) and P Jeffreys (Trinity & Berkhamsted)
beat D Bloor-Young (Merton & Highgate) and D Welford (Pembroke & Shrewsbury)
12-8, 12-1, 12-6
R Chatterjee (Magdalene & City of London) and J Black (Christ's & Tiffin Boys)
beat J Schlipf (St Peter's & Harrow) and H Tobias (Brookes & Wellington)
14-13, 12-2, 12-6
C Lewis (Jesus & Highgate) and M Birkett (Emmanuel & Shrewsbury)
w/o
Varsity Match Report 2005-2006 by Rodney Knight
Created 1st March 2006 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk