NEWS
News round-up
OXFORD VS CAMBRIDGE
Two Old Citizens have earned Varsity honours, joining an illustrious club which counts as a member former multiple national champion Brian Matthews.
Sam Packer, pictured front row left, was selected to play for Oxford in the annual clash against Cambridge. Last year's CLS captain played at third pair for the dark blues, in a losing cause.
Meanwhile, OC Joseph Ataman had more luck for Cambridge, winning at third pair of the Penguins vs Peppers match.
C.Meiring (Birkdale School & Magdalene) & J.Ataman (City of London & St.John’s) beat R.Jain (King Edward’s, Birmingham & Merton) & A.Mullan (Clifton College & Balliol) 3-0 12-1, 14-13, 12-7)
THE OLD DEVILS
The annual JCC dinner witnessed a rare meeting of four of the OCEFC's key figures. This is a picture of some of those responsible for its boom years in the 1970s and by extension its survival into the present day, despite the loss of home courts more than a quarter of a century ago. Gordon Stringer, second from left, was the secretary who built up a fixture list of nearly 100 matches. Kevin Brooks, far left, Peter Stiles, second right and Geoff Bates far right, were not only the backbone of the side in those days but also spent many evenings coaching and supporting the generation which won a record number of national titles in the 1980s and still enjoys the game today.
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LEAGUE
Nick Gill looks to have led the club's first league team to a top-half finish in the national second league. At the time of writing the side was third in the eleven-strong division, although there were two sides at fourth and fifth still capable of catching us.
Meanwhile, in the third division, Alex Nice's crew has avoided the wooden spoon in the seven-strong league.
FIVES COURT CONSTRUCTION
John Reynolds has formed a company to build fives courts. His first contract for a set of three was at St Bartholomew School in Newbury. http://www.jprcourts.com
STATISTICS OF THE MISLEADING SORT
In a bizarre statistical quirk, club captain John Reynolds has risen to fifth in the national rankings, as of March 2013. This says much more about the nature of rankings than it does about John's current abilities.
FIVES TRIPS ABROAD
The club is planning two trips abroad over the summer and autumn.
The first is to Geneva on the Friday to Monday of May 31 until June 3. Half a dozen of us are planning on joining the club there as they play their annual tournament.
The second is to Zuoz in the Swiss Alps: The Zuoz Fives Club Zurich has invited us to join it as it celebrates its fiftieth anniversary at the club's alma mater, the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz. Gordon Stringer was among an OCEFC side which was invited to play on the club's courts when they were built in Zurich in the 1960s. He, David Cooper, Geoff Bates and their wives have already made plans to be there. Anybody who would like to join them should contact Gordon Stringer.
ADAMS CUP 2013
The OCEFC's very own cup, established in the 1920s, will be held this year on Sunday 19 May at Highgate, from 11am. We'll convene in the Bull pub on Highgate North Hill afterwards. All fives players - especially if you've not played for a while but fancy pulling on the gloves again or just would like to say hello - would be very welcome. Please contact John Reynolds.