Wessex have had another good season in 2018-2019 although we were sad to see the Wood Cup head towards Bristol after a very exciting tight final- well played them. Our regular Tuesday nights have been well supported with a good intake of new and keen talented sportsman which include Aaron Pope (bowled out Sachin Tendulkar, Mark Waugh, Andy Flower and Greg Blewitt….. that is > 31,000 test runs between them….. but I am fairly certain he has never got Bev Boag or Frank Akerman out!) and Rob Moore (3 Olympics with GB hockey)….. whilst other newcomers Dougal Trentham and Dan Thompson are clearly more than handy enough sportsmen in their own rights! Hampshire Cricket physio Dan Young obviously spotted some potential new business for his clinic (middle aged men trying to be sportsmen struggling around the court) and has taken well to the game too.
It was great to see Andy Passey back on court following in the footsteps of Wayne amongst others as he put his new hip though it’s paces with impressive agility. The Winchester College boys joined us most weeks and showed that there is enough talent to suggest that they can keep their place at the ‘fives schools top table’ with some very promising colts in particular.
Our end of season tournament (Letchworth Bowl) was competed by 28 players this year and was retained by Giles Munn who was playing with our first lady winner Wendy Carling. Giles joins a group of only 4 others who have managed to retain the trophy since it was first played for in 1977, the others being Frank Akerman (1985/ 86), Tony Letchworth (1989/ 90), Tony Wolestenholme (1995/ 96) and a then up and coming player called Will Ellison (2007/ 8)….. whatever happened to him? Thanks again to Winchester College for letting us use their courts, to George Bowyer for continuing to do our accounts some 20 years after stopping playing and to the Wykeham Arms for continuing to provide delicious sausages to well deserving tired fives players!