Cobbetts Open Doubles 2002

Saturday, April 6th 2002

This has always been a normal Sunday competition in the past but this year we thought we’d try something different and run it on a Saturday afternoon/evening. Initially the entry had been limited to 24 teams but at the last minute we managed to squeeze in another 4. Unfortunately we still had to turn away another 3 teams. Play started at 2 pm on a lovely sunny day but with a strong wind blowing which prevented us erecting our newly acquired gazebo! Teams played in 4 team leagues as usual but with all games limited to a maximum of 45 minutes. There was a 10 minute break between rounds to allow players to buy burgers and hotdogs from Pete Young’s BBQ and a slightly longer break while the Grand National was on! The competion then split into Main, Plate, Wooden Spoon and Oh Dear Never Mind knock-out competitions, again with timed games in each round except the final. Play was completed by about 7:30 pm and everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Definitely an experiment that seemed to work and one we will be trying again. Some of the newly laid terrain was rather challenging as there had been no rain to help bed it down but hopefully it will be better by next time when we should be able to fit in 32 teams.

Main Winners                    Lambetts           Dave Stubbs & Kath Knight

Runners-up                        Limesdowne      Paul & Sheila Hayward

Semi-Finalists                   Solent KAL        Karen Lombard & Leesa Rhodes

                                             Farmhouse 2     Bob & June Buxton

Main Consolage Winners  Crondall 1          Allan & Carol Paice

                     Runners-up   Shedfield 2        Brian & Jan Upton

Plate Winners                    Double D           Gianni & Hilary Dalmasso 

Runners-up                        Farmhouse 1    Trevor & Pam Treend

Plate Consolage Winners  The A Team      Vernon Walker & Harrison Ash

Runners-up                        Shedfield 3        Pam & Chris Derrick 

Wooden Spoon Winners   The Clangers     Alan & Cecilia Leng     

                    Runners-up    Worthing           Veronica Taylor & Anthony Strudwick

Wooden Spoon Consolage Winners  The Demis        Debbie Elcombe & Mike Knight

Runners-up                         Cobbetts 3       Steve Love & Chris Lewis

Oh Dear Never Mind Winners   Two D’s            Jean & Paul Delavault       

Runners-up                        Cobbetts 2        Jenny Chaloner & Colin Gittings