SENIOR DARWIN (65 & OVER) 18/19 JUNE 2013. We again had one of our best sides. Again we drew Eton in round 1, having beaten them the last 2 years, and so we were eager for the hat-trick. One of our men was a shade late arriving (Capt takes some blame, having been told that someone had seen him.) Eton generously allowed the order to be changed. Capt GR had been ill, and could only support on a buggy. The first half was a delight to watch – after 11 holes, we were 5up, 3up & 4up. But then Eton fought back strongly, and near the end it didn’t look at all certain that we would win the match. This was still the case after we had won the 1st game, and were 2up, 2 to play in game 2, and 3up, 3 to play in game 3 – it could have still gone wrong! But Harrow fibre prevailed, and the very satisfying hat-trick was achieved.
Round 1 v Eton Tues a.m. 18/06. Harrow won 3-0.
- Stephen Posford & Hugh Stevenson bt Jeremy Deedes (Capt) & D Robson 3/2
- Stephen Bois & Jeffrey Bonas bt L McNeile & D Van der Woude 2/1
- Andrew Aylwin & Stephen Proctor bt M Dixon & P Caldecote 2/1
Eton Capt, Jeremy Deedes, admitted afterwards that his late father, Lord Deedes, (golfing partner of the late Dennis Thatcher – Mark T in Bradbys) was at Harrow, but claimed that his family were really Etonians, and Harrow was an aberration. I found in the Blue Book that both his grandfather & great-grandfather Deedes were also Harrovians. I’ll playfully put it to sporting Jeremy D next time. Stephen Proctor extended his long unbeaten record v Eton, including the Hewitt, and Aylwin continued his own record v Eton.
Round 2 v Charterhouse Tues p.m. Harrow lost 1/2 – 2 1/2.
- Posford & Stevenson halved with Martin Christmas & C Spencer-Phillips
- Bois & Bonas lost to DDS Come??? & GM Langford 2/1
- Aylwin & Proctor lost to RM Gamble & GM Guthrie 2/1
Charterhouse were the holders, and winners the last 3 years. We were a little up in all matches, and made Charterhouse work for a close win. They went on to beat, just, Tonbridge, and then lost narrowly to Repton in the final.
VERY SENIOR DARWIN (75 & OVER) 19 JUNE 2013. GR acted as temporary Capt following the sad death of Noel Collison. GR was to have played with Stephen Proctor in an attempt at the main Scratch Cup. But having been ill, GR needed a buggy, and shared a buggy with Ivan Stewart, who had won the Age/Handicap competition the last 6 years, mainly with the late Ronnie Watson. The main Scratch event saw an unusually good score by Wellington, who went round in 76 gross, yielding 40 points against the increased par of 80 – easily the best result anyone can recall. This excellent score also won the Age/Handicap event (also 40 pts), Our boys, Stephen Proctor & David Moseley got 28 pts. In the Age/Handicap section GR & Ivan Stewart got 14 shots, almost the maximum 15, from being 77 + 92 years old, and could manage only 32 pts.
BERNARD DARWIN TROPHY (55 & OVER) 4/5 JULY 2013. We played The Leys first, and prevailed quite easily. This year marked the appearance of Jamie Warman, old enough for the first time, and joining Nick Tindall, who was in his 2nd year. Next year Jeremy Fricker will be eligible, and if we can get them all out, and maybe Ashley Brewer, we should have an extremely strong side, with SP & JS.
Round 1 v The Leys Thurs a.m. 4/07. Harrow won 2 1/2 – 1/2.
- Stephen Posford & Jamie Warman bt RP Cadman & TD Page 3/2
- Andrew Aylwin & Nick Tindall bt JS Edwards & PM Hockin 4/3
- Jeremy Bonas (Capt) & John Sheffield halved with CJS Metcalf & TH Walton
Round 2 v Radley Thurs p.m. Harrow lost 1/2 – 2 1/2.
- Posford & Warman lost to WES Bailey & NG Jones (v small margin)
- Aylwin & Tindall halved with HN Mackeown & RC Seward
- George Rothman & Sheffield lost to CJ Ball & D Ritchie 3/2
Radley were the holders, and so this was not a bad defeat – we made them work a bit. In the last game we were 5 down, 8 to play. Radley were beaten in the semi by a resurgent Tonbridge, who won the Darwin all 5 years from 2006 to 2010, and Tonbridge went on to beat Malvern in the final.
DATES FOR NEXT YEAR. SD: Tu 17/Wed 18 Jun; VSD: Wed 18 Jun p.m; D: Thur3/Fri 4 Jul. Please would all potential 3 x Darwin players try very hard to keep those dates available. We could and should be able to field a very strong Darwin side, and also a strong side in the other two Darwins, if we could get all to play.
Thanks to all for turnng out or standing by. All the best,
George Rothman (Capt SD; Acting Capt VSD)
