Dear Mr. Hargrave
When predicting results, please do give full weight to the inescapable facts of the National League - Chichester win (mostly). Now I know that you are trying to cheer up Red Robbo, but surely the time comes when even the most optiimistic of Yorkshiremen know when the game is up.
This was a celebration of squash played out in very different styles. Following the traditional abuse dished out by m.c. Maximus Black, the players took to the courts to give of their best, and despite some pretty emphatic scores lower down the order, there was some good squash, and some good competition.
Alison Waters played much better than last time I saw her, and pushed Linda in the 2nd game, but World Class players are just that, and having regained her concentration Linda cruised through to what was a fairly comfortable 3-0 win.
Chichester Captain Tim Vail has been on a new crash course of training (oops, sorry) and is showing the considerable effects of a period of abstinence from alcohol. Just 4 days off the ale and Vole is over a stone lighter, or maybe it was Sandy visiting his wallet, we have yet to find out. Anyway, Jesse the South African Zimbabwean Englishman put on a good show against the Vole, and was noticeably quicker around the court than his opponent, but class tells (Mr. Robinson) and the only surprise was that he got as close as he did - still, another "nul points" to UniS and 3 more to us.
Jelly was getting going against Grandad Meads (these two being the founders of the squash version of the Darby and Joan Club) on the main court, in his inimitable style, and the game plan was obviously to completely bugger Meadsy's legs and then hit a few nicks. So, that is what he did. The older'un kept running well, and sneaked the first to give UniS their first point of the night, and apart from a bit of spirited resistance in the 3rd (fighting the inevitable of course) it was in the end a stroll for Jelly, and 3 more points to the Chi.
During their first game, Ben Garner had slapped Jocky Frankland for a quick 3-0, the forehand in splendid form as usual. So the match was comfortably won by Chichester, leaving Azzi to give us a demonstration of classic thumping winners to round off the evening. Azzi has been roundly stuffing all and sundry in recent weeks, so it was with a fair degree of confidence that we settled down to enjoy the final humiliation for Robbo.
Typically, Azzi thought that Christmas should come early this year, and slapped 23 tins out of Stacey's 31 points to lose a match he really should have won. The first two were close despite the error count, and realising it was time to get to work, Azzi fairly whipped Stacey to get back to 2-1 down. But the errors returned, and it was soon all over, giving Chi an 18-4 margin of victory to start off what is a short season this year.
So we look forward to our first visit to Tewkesbury next month, and a much stronger line up than was the case for Sue Wright's team last season. But I still reckon we'll win!
Hope all is well in Derbyshire
lots of love from us all here in Chi
