Competing in Division 2, the Men’s 50 + Veterans started the season with what looked to be a pretty hectic fixture list, a Group of 8, seven matches including Away fixtures to Devon, North Wales, Northumberland and Norfolk and Home fixtures to Surrey, Suffolk and Bedfordshire.
This quickly reduced to six matches with North Wales withdrawing due to lack of players and with a further three matches conceded due to player unavailability and / or travel difficulties (Bedfordshire and Northumberland conceding to us and we conceded to Devon), only three matches actually took place.
Of these, wins were recorded against Norfolk and Suffolk, 4-1 and 3-2 respectively but unfortunately Surrey just pipped us 3-2, a nail biting tie break in the 2nd Men’s Doubles ending in their favour.
At the time of writing this report, and final group matches still to be finished next week end, it is not known whether 4 wins (two played and two conceded) will generate a promotion to Division 1 next year, the fact that over 50% of our scheduled matches were not played indicative of the pressure on players leisure time and availability / willingness to travel the length and breadth of the Country and where I will be suggesting to the LTA that the format be reconsidered with Groups of 4 played over a long week end, enhancing both team and individual player commitment alongside a more sociable environment.
My thanks go to the Team Members - Peter Whitehead, Richard Joyner, Tim Phillips, Steve Wallace and Rob Cree - and for their continued support during the year.