Hello again, it’s me, Brooke the dog, with a rather second-hand report from Div II of The East Anglia Cup between the hosts Hatfield, Newmarket, Prested and Cambridge. Mrs Revier couldn’t be there while Mr Revier travelled on that awful motorcycle of his. I’m a German Shepherd with no little dignity. I was not to be found howling down the A1 at 7.30 in the morning but I’ve met with those that did and I’m told they enjoyed the day. On the Saturday Cambridge’s Div I team had lost on countback but Sunday was even closer. The day’s a non-stop series of first to six or the half hour matches with just enough time between to lock up solid.

The Cambridge team was Alasdair Bovaird, Kate Kirk, James Dowson and Mr Revier who normally starts every day with an all too strong cappuccino but not today. This might account for his miserable showing in the day’s opening match, an 8.40 start and a 6/2 loss. He was, though, to make up for it later. The rest of the team then delivered better performances with each, including him, winning two of their three matches putting them in with a chance, especially with two of those wins, not his of course, being 6/0. It’s no surprise his performances improved markedly after a team meeting over coffee next door.

No result was predictable which, I’m told, added to the fun. Hatfield were on court for the day’s last three matches. A win in any would give them the title and none was against Cambridge. They then managed to lose the first two. It was all down to the last match and we’re Cambridge, valiant runners-up and all that. We expected to lose. It’s what we do. We waited until the end more in hope than anticipation. In the day’s last match Hatfield’s Darren Isted faced Newmarket’s Jonathan Becher and before you say anything I know Jonathan’s a member at Cambridge too. Their styles couldn’t have been more different. Darren’s all action, running everywhere, which Jonathan is, erm, loathe to do. Where was our money ? I’m afraid the Cambridge contingent weren’t hopeful. And then the game started. Jonathan delivered a masterclass in understated tennis and came out a comfortable winner leaving a pleasantly surprised Cambridge with the Div II title.

Mr Revier’s come home like a dog with a new bone. He’s always liked playing at Hatfield and the day’s result has left him horribly high. So much so that I’m about to take him out for a walk in the cool of the evening to calm him down. On that walk he’ll tell of Hatfield’s welcome and the effort put in by Robin, their captain on the day, and how beautiful the court and, indeed, the whole setting is and I’ll smile benignly while he repeats himself which he does these days. He really does. Bless him.

Alasdair, James, TK and Kate’s avatar

The Cup at Home, part 1…

…and part 2

Brooke

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