2009/10 Night Pennant Final – Match Report
The climax to the Number Night Pennant got it’s duly competitive final, with mere points separating the teams throughout the individual matches as well as the overall scoreline. The six-packs (James Barlow, Regina Dodge, Julian Ashby (II) & injured Eleanor Ferguson) & 9mms (Hal & Gus Kimber, Ed Loades, and Charlie Hurstel) had confirmed the round-robin results by making the final from their respective 2nd and 1st-placed finishes, albeit that the Six-packs squeezed through more narrowly than they would have liked in their semi-final.
Hal Kimber opened the Finals drama by playing positively and serving well to deal Julian Ashby (II) a devastating 0-5 deficit. Seemingly unphased and finding his own range on serve and the feel of his borrowed racquet, Julian fought back to level at 5-all before Hal cruelly re-asserted himself to draw first blood for 9mms.
Act 1, scene II in the tragedy saw Gus & Regina duel in another thriller. The 2nd time new dad was a true pistol, firing to all parts of the court with authority – although those in the dedans wondered if he could keep up the pace on his sleep deprivation and lack of match practice. And it wasn’t to be for Kimber Jr. Regina kept in touch on the scoreboard with some well-timed winners, such that when the match arrived at 5-all, 40-all, her implacable play always seemed the likely winner. 1 match apiece.
The pressure now on (as it should be) the no. 1s to give their team a lead going into the doubles, for all the money in the world it looked as if the steady Barlow tortoise-approach was going to see off Loades’ patchy hare-brilliance. At least until the hare looked down the barrel and won 5 consecutive 40-all games. Proper heroic stuff to see 9mms to a 2-1 lead.
Les freres Kimber then combined magnificently to pile on the pressure. Again Hal served well, and was quick to retain the service end, with Gus being a perfect foil with his bludgeoning strokeplay. Regina and Julian did well to keep the score from a massive blowout but tellingly the 9mms had a commanding, and surely insurmountable(?!) 3-1 matches lead.
Enter Grasshopper Barlow. Displaying deft doubles nous he elected to receive to ensure his preferred serving match-up, and though his steady play had been outdone in the singles, it proved sterner stuff in the doubs. He and Julian were rarely troubled in notching their teams second win, and suddenly an improbably close finish loomed! Going into the kast match the Six-Packs led on games but were behind on matches.
Sure enough the impossible became a reality, with Barlow retrieving everything from the Six-Packs end, and with timely contributions by Regina, the change in momentum was complete. Testament to the parity of the pennant and the brilliance of our game’s handicap system, the finalists shared matches but the Six Packs were worthy winners on games won! Congratulations to them, well played all, commiserations to the 9mms and losing semi-finalists!
