The Purkiss Robinson Doubles Trophy

The final event of the Club tournament involved everyone. Senior and junior members combined for the fun doubles. 32 players lined up in 4 groups of 4 pairs, ensuring everyone got at least 3 matches. The draw threw up some very interesting pairings and with singles handicaps also being used this event had all the ingredients for drama and surprises. With only the group winner going through to contest the final stage there was also little room for a slip up!

The pairings in Group 1 all looked pretty even, it was therefore perhaps a surprise to find that 5 out of 6 matches were decided 2 straight, the only group where that happened. There could have been no greater contrast in pairing than 1st division star Waseem Qureshi with Click newcomer Damien Laverty. Yet in their opening match they were decisive winners over the strong pair of of Robin Armstrong and Phil Twite and without that much of a handicap advantage. Ray Lawrence and Jacqui Smith looked another unlikely pairing but they proved too strong for Steve Back and Fred Henwood, but were no match for Robin and Phil. Robin and Phil also proved too much for Steve and Fred, who were also beaten twice at deuce by Waseem and Damien. So it was all down to the last match in the group. Waseem and Damien against Ray & Jacqui. And what a hum dinger this proved to be. Waseem & Damien taking the first 21:17, the second was exactly the same score but this time to Ray & Jacqui. With nothing in the handicaps this is what you might have expected. But somehow Waseem and Damien got off to a flyer in the third and didn't look back, taking the match 21:11 and first place in the group to qualify for the semi final.

Group 2 was quite a tight affair although in the end decisively won with an unbeaten record. The first match was a very close one with Graham Turner and Matthew Davis overcoming Alastair Piper and Stevie Pell at 21:19 in the third. Quite a surprise having lost the first 21:6! The next match was nearly as close with Hannah & Adam Pitt making most of their handicap advantage to defeat Michael Rostoft & Haydn Upson at 21:12 in the third after the first two games had been very close. Michael & Haydn bounced straight back with a 2 straight win over Alastair & Stevie who surprisingly also lost out to Hannah & Adam at 21:15 in the third. Graham & Matthew made the handicaps work to their advantage against Michael & Haydn but in the decisive match against Hannah & Adam seemed to have nothing more to offer. The youngsters coming through decisively 21:17 & 21:13 to take the group and a place in the semi final.

Group 3 was the closest of all with 3 pairs each winning 2 matches. Pretty tough on Richard Upson and James Austin who found themselves on the wrong side of the winning line each time twice losing out deep into the third and by just a couple of points in their other match. Their first conquerors were Diane Pitt and Matthew Skeoch who then went on to secure a tremendous win over Mike Pitt and Bradley Hudgell at 21:18 in the third. But taking 3 ends to secure their two victories was to go against them when it came to the final cut especially when they were well beaten by Mike Johnston & Frank Neill. In fact Mike and Frank looked the strongest pairing and it was therefore perhaps surprising that they hardly recovered their handicaps against Bradley & Mike. So with Mike & Frank already with two wins and Diane & Matthew already sitting on 2 wins could Richard & James stop Bradley & Mike from getting 2 also. No, is the answer you already know! Bradley & Mike coming through 21:15 in the third. And with the game they picked up in the defeat to Diane & Matthew that was enough to carry them to the top of the table on games won 5, compared to Diane & Matthew's and Frank & Mike's 4.

Group 4 also needed the slide rule, but this time it was only two pairs fighting it out for top spot but again just 1 game decided it. This time though it was the least number of games lost with both pairs winning 5. Perhaps the biggest surprise in this group was that the doubles specialists and donors of the trophy, Norman Purkiss and John Robinson picked up just 1 win and so weren't even in the frame for the top spot. Their win though, was a really good one, 21:18 in the third against Adrian Pitt and Rebecca Skeoch. The only game these two were to loose. Adrian & Rebecca disposed of Jonathon Birt and Chris Irving 2 straight and Neil Gooday and Sam Pitt at 21:18 in the third in what was to prove to be the group decider. Jon & Chris did record a victory to take out Norman & John so avoiding the wooden spoon. Neil & Sam also beat John & Norman both games going the distance 22:20, 21:19. Their two 2:0 victories were to prove decisive for Neil & Sam together with the game picked up against Adrian & Rebecca to give them 5 games won only 2 lost. Adrian & Rebecca's defeat to John & Norman and dropping a game seeing off Neil & Sam left them with 5 games won 3 games lost. The narrowest of margins but victory and a place in the semi final for Sam & Neil.

In the first semi final Waseem & Damien just weren't able to repeat their group performance, convincingly beaten by Adam & Hannah 21:8, 21:12. It almost seemed as if the handicaps should have been the other way round. The second semi final was a quite different affair. Neil & Sam took the first end 25:23, the scoreline tells its own story. But Bradley & Mike raced back in the next 21:12. That seemed to take its toll on Mike! The performance couldn't be repeated and Neil and Sam ran away with the third 21:13 to book their place.

Report by: Graham Turner