The Kent Men’s Captains Report
The Captain put out the call to the great and the good from the Garden of England ready to mount a charge to regain the title as National Champions. This year we had assembled one of the strongest squads we have ever had, surely this could be a winning team?
The Squad Nicknames
Andy Burgoyne ‘Captain Burgs’, ‘Big Red Man’, ‘The Old One’
Rob Searle ‘The Pearl’, ‘Searly’, ‘Wobert’
Jim May ‘Gandalf’, ‘Jimbledon’
Matt Short ‘Shorty’, ‘The Italian’
Lewis Burton ‘Luigi’, ‘Burts’
Francis Sargeant ‘Frank’, ‘Francios’, ‘Dino’
Sean Thornley ‘Thorners’, ‘Seanley’
Tom Wright ‘T-Wright’, ‘Wrighty’
Alastair Filmer ‘Films’, ‘Filmier’, ‘Ninja Hands’, ‘The Mon Hunter’
James Davies ‘Jimmy D’, ‘Floppy Hair’, ‘JD’
Day 1 vs Derbyshire
Monday morning had Kent starting against the champions of 2015, but unlike last year the sun was in the sky, the wind calm and the mood in the camp buoyant. The Team warmed up with the music playing and like most days, it felt like a good day to be from ‘The Garden’. We lined up with Searle/May, Short/Thornley and Filmer/Sargeant, a good positive start was needed and with only one minute left of the warm up Captain Burgs bellowed across the courts to announce that Kent had won the warm up! And so to battle…Kent were firing round 1 with one key match featuring ‘Francios and Filmier’ who were playing Derby’s top pair from last year who only lost one match in their 2015 campaign. I don’t think Alastair has ever played a finer match for Kent than this one making the impossible look easy and the easy look, well, easy! Francis also on form and with ‘T-Wright’ shouting from the back ‘Too Easy’ in a squeaky voice, a 6-3, 6-3 win took Kent in to the lead. Our other Kent heroes also brought home the bacon in round one and we went to Lunch with Derby looking shell shocked. Round 2 was a much tougher affair apart from for ‘The Pearl’ and ‘Gandalf’ who were just way too strong winning a very quick 6-3, 6-2 putting us 4-0 up. Two long battles ensued on the other courts with Short and Thornley losing in three sets and Filmer and Sargeant winning in three, 5-1 Kent. Round 3 saw Captain Burgs rotation policy come in to action with ‘T-Wright’ coming in for Alastair Filmer using our one allowed substitution of the day. Three long three set matches saw Kent pick up two more wins for Short/Thornley and May/Searle and Sargent/Wright going down 6-3 in the third.
Kent win 7-2
Day 2 vs Essex
Tuesday morning was hot, very hot, the sort of conditions that suit someone who likes not wearing a shirt, which was just perfect for the entrance of Kent legend Lewis Burton. We knew it would be a tough battle as the squad was rotated a little with Burton/Searle, May/Thornley and Filmer/Sargeant being Kent’s line up for the day. Yet again Kent won the warm up and although the rules forced Lewis to put a shirt on, he was literally on fire! I don’t remember Lewis making a single error in set one and very few in set 2, 6-0, 6-3 and Kent were 1-0 up. Meanwhile the Filmer/Sargeant combo that were so good yesterday were not firing at all and not long after it was 1-1. ‘Gandalf’ and ‘Thorners’ had a really tight battle that they won in two tie breaks and after round 1 Kent had the edge. By round 2 it was way over 30 degrees and Captain Burgs was hiding under an umbrella at the sides. The support on both sides was vocal and a battle royale commenced. Definitely the toughest round of the week with Filmer/Sargeant losing in straight sets to start, Burton/Searle and May/Thornley in a third set. With the heart rate up, temperature up, and the price of Euros also up, it was very tense. Burton and Searle squeezed out a much needed win as Jim and Sean went in to a third set tie break. Unreal tennis on both sides, we had our chances, but in the end, it fell Essex’s way and we were poised at 3-3. Captain Burgs brought on Tom for Alastair again in a bid to improve our fortunes. As the temperature dropped towards the end of the day so did Kent’s charge and incredibly we lost all three to end the day disappointed and tired. Captain Burgs had a job to do to get back on track. A swim in the sea, birthday celebrations for Robert Searle and extra fries at dinner had us well on the way to recovery by the end of the day.
Kent lose 6-3
Day 3 vs Surrey
A windy day saw us on the courts next the ice cream van which always makes the Captains job a little easier. Today’s line up was yet another rotation, Burton/Searle, Sargent/Thornley, Short/Filmer. Historically Surrey are a bit of a bogey team for Kent so the Captains team talk was a little sterner than usual and done well away from children and sensitive types. At 10.41 Captain Burgs again pronounced a clean sweep in winning the warm up and hostilities were about to begin. What a tough round, Burton and Searle beaten in straight sets which quickly sent a bit of a shock wave to the team, but the men of Kent were strong, and when it mattered, stronger still. It was at times a little fraught and angry, but it was to be the making of us as Francis and Sean won 6-4 in the final set. Then the normally calm, well dressed ‘Italian’ Short was angry, but an Angry Short can be a dangerous thing, 6-2 final set to Kent and we were ahead. Round 2 was a breezy affair, but was straight forward with wins for Thorners and Francios in straight sets and quick win for Burton/Searle too. Meanwhile Filmer and Short took a loss to make the score after that second round 4-2. Round 3 saw an old face from Kent, Captain Burgs himself, ‘the big red man’ who has stalked these courts for over a quarter of a century came in for Alastair Filmer who was keen to go and hunt some Pokémon. Captain Burgs may have lied to Robbie Searle when he told him that the ice cream hut was about to close, but it paid off with a very quick 6-1 6-2 victory and Burton’s shirt was back in its customary off position on the side. The Short/Burgoyne partnership had been effective in the past and was effective again with a 6-3 7-6 win for Kent. So to the match that was to be one of the most important of the week. Although the overall match was already won, Surrey’s first pair were unbeaten and it would take something special to change that. Sean and Francis were nothing short of sensational and when we look back on the week, this was the start of something really special. After a momentus tussle it came down to Francis to hit a bounce smash on match point. Any normal human would be a little tight, but not ‘Dino’, he hit it so hard in nearly broke the ball and Kent take a massive win.
Kent win 7-2
Day 4 vs South Wales
The overall situation had us in second place with un-beaten Hertfordshire on top, but if we could get more rubbers today than Hertfordshire then we would play for the title tomorrow in a first to five shoot out. South Wales were having a bad week even though they had a good team so we had decided to play todays match in a low key fashion to keep them downbeat. So quietly, and in a calculated way we went about our business. Although we did of course win the warm up, I did not announce it, there were no shouts of ‘Only in the Garden’ today. Burton/Short, Sargeant/Thornley, May/Searle. Playing great, but playing quiet, is this really Kent? Not a set dropped all day and even enough time for the Captain to have another game in place of Burton who’s feet needed the physios attention.
Kent win 9-0
Day 5 vs Hertfordshire
It was simple, if we could beat the old foe by any score we would be champions and if not they would. Today was not a day for quiet, it was a day for loud, proud Kentarians to rise, for voices to be heard, a day when heroes would be made. The sun shone and the atmosphere was building as Kent fielded the same team as yesterday, a great team, but would it be good enough for an un beaten Hertfordshire with an un beaten player in Neil Bamford who won all 15 matches last year too? No Surprise that Captain Burgs again pronounced the winning of the warm up, but an additional monologue at full volume followed, introducing each Kent Hero to the crowd one by one, and the stage was set. By Now Sean and Francis were simply unplayable and even though their opponents played a great match, Kent won in straight sets. Meanwhile Burton and Short didn’t get going against Herts top pair and we were even. So to May/Searle who have won this title a few times for Kent and know what it’s all about, and it’s not always about playing well, which was just as well because they were really struggling! The volume was high, and when it mattered most ‘Gandalph’ arrived and ‘The Pearl’ shone to win a 6-3 third set and we had the lead. Round two started with Burton and Short playing what a younger person would call ‘sick tennis’ and won in less than 40 minutes and we were 3-1. Francis and Sean were playing unreal and were a set up, but the focus was really on May and Searle who had not played well in their first match and were pitted against the un defeated first pair, and it was close. The level of play was the highest of the week and at exactly ten past 2 I looked to the East and Jim ‘Gandalf’ May moved faster than he had all week, and in a blur waved his staff which fired a ball down the line for a clean winner. The crowd went crazy and it lifted the Kent pair both to a new level. From then on May and Searle Battered their opponents in a match that will be remembered and talked about for many years to come. It was around 2.30 when I did wonder if the stars had aligned as it was match point Kent on both Courts. The rest is a bit if a blur, but I can tell you that I can remember the whole team running on to the courts and we were champions again!
Kent win 5-1
The team showed an amazing spirit all week and were committed to bringing the title back to Kent. My thanks go to each and every one of them for giving it all out on the court and off it. We were, and are a proper team, and one that I can say I am so proud to have captained. Everyone played their part and even though James didn’t play, and Tom didn’t play as much as he would have liked, they were a big part of the team and practiced away to be ready when required. I’m sure they will be part of the men’s team for many years to come, and when heroes of yesteryear are long gone they will no doubt regale the stories at dinner of Captain Burgs, Jimbledon May, Filmier, Wobby Searle and the year when the Garden wrestled back the title winning 4 of 5 days, but 5 out of 5 warm ups!
Andy Burgoyne
Proud Captain