The Harrovian team for the Bernard Darwin this year had an interesting statistic – five of the six representing the side played cricket at Lords v Eton – the Captain of the BD side being the sad omission and ruining what I suspect would have been a unique full house! What that meant of course was that there was a natural competitive spirit within and an aversion to losing to Eton, both of which stood Harrow in good stead.
Round 1 was versus Malvern. Huw Jenkins, a new recruit, played top with Jamie Warman and playing steady decent golf won easily. Fricker and Pigott (an England cap no less and also a new recruit) lost, but Tindall and Sheffield (belying his 75 years) won on the last in a high class match to see Harrow through.
Highgate in the afternoon proved less of a problem, with Warman and Jenkins salvaging a half as comfortable victories behind ensured an overall win.
Eton were up next but any hackles raised were undone by the pure smooth charm of our opponents. Luckily old habits die hard and we remembered in time to recover the primordial instinct regarding Etonians. A 2.5/.5 result ensued in our favour.
The final was against Uppingham who had never won the competition, but who were fielding some hardy stalwarts from their Hewitt side.
Jenkins and Warman won the top game comfortably 6/5, the second match involving Fricker and Pigott was always going to the wire and it became clear would be the decider, since Tindall and Sheffield playing in the last game were up against par golf and struggling to hole a putt whist their opponents rolled everything in.
So often the way in foursomes!
By dint of courageous recovery play Fricker and Pigott found themselves one up with four to go. We were starting to get excited but a bogey par bogey run when the opposition parred or birdied meant a shake of hands on the 17th and an Uppingham victory.
Tough to take as no one remembers who comes second but overall we have to be happy to have reached the final again and be knocking on the door looking for it to be opened next year.
Those playing –
Jamie Warman
Huw Jenkins
Jeremy Fricker
Tony Pigott
Nick Tindall
John Sheffield
Woking were their usual exceptional hosts and the course was outstanding in beauty and condition
Piggot, Fricker, Sheffield, Tindall, Warman, Jenkins
The Draw
