Berkshire League Summer Squash: Beaconsfield Warriors away against Burghfield 2

Firstly, a news flash and update on happenings since the last Beaconsfield Warriors match. Owing to the persuasive and influential prose of Kevin Mears, the Berkshire League Committee has seen fit to waive the match forfeiture and penalty points against the Beaconsfield Warriors as mentioned earlier. Huzzah.

With that feather in their cap, the team found themselves top of the table and travelled to Burghfield for their second away match of the summer season....

Match 1:  Guy Plunkett v Gareth May

A late addition to the roster, Guy was in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday afternoon when he got a message from the team captain and was informed of his call-up. Of course, he immediately changed work and flight plans to make sure he could travel back in time to play in the match. A solid performance against his opponent proved he had shaken off any jet-lag, resulting in a 3-0 win. First match to Beaconsfield.

Match 2: Harry Chapples v Andy Wing

Harry’s second appearance for the team this summer and he was well up for it. Starting confidently, Harry managed a 2-0 lead in games with some tough rallies and good length play, including a first game tiebreak win at 10-9. However, disputes between his opponent and the marker (who was on the Burghfield team!) took a mental toll on Harry, which resulted in the third game going the other way. The short break after game three allowed for some words of wisdom from Mike Atkinson to be passed along, which of course resulted in a stronger showing in the fourth game as Harry took it for the match win, 3-1. Two matches to Beaconsfield.

Match 3: Mike Atkinson v Chris Reeves

Third match of the evening and Mike started admirably, working his way to a 7-2 scoreline in the first game. However, a couple mistakes from Mike and some clever play from Chris saw the game swing back the other way to arrive in tiebreak territory at 9-9. With Chris serving for the game, Mike watched in vain as his own mid-rally forehand boast clipped the top of the tin....game one to the opposition. A tough place to come back from mentally for the next two games, and Chris took full advantage. Games two and three also went to the opposition, resulting in a 0-3 loss for Mike. One match to Burghfield, two to Beaconsfield.

Match 4: Heather Joy v Richard May

As Joe was still marking Mike Atkinson’s game, Heather was on court next. Yet another match for Heather with little excitement as she played very technical squash and easily won in short order at 3-0. No surprises as per normal, with Heather yet to drop a single game while playing in the Berkshire summer league this year. Chalk up the overall match win for the Warriors at this point.

Match 5: Joe Budzynski v Rob Sumner

Joe began the match with some textbook drive and drop play, winning the first game easily at 9-1 and pushing out to a 7-2 lead in the second, but then seemed to lose focus and only won at 9-7. Joe started to get frustrated in the third game, with Rob landing some fortuitous nicks and reading Joe’s intentions to get a game back in favour of Burghfield. Joe then got back on the wagon and, while having to work harder than expected, sorted things out in the fourth and final game resulting in a 3-1 win.

Final Match Score

Beaconsfield Warriors: 12 Games, 4 Matches won

Burghfield 2: 5 Games, 1 Match won

Overall winner: Beaconsfield Warriors

Scores, fixtures, and table can be found on the club notice board and at:

http://www.berkshiresquash.org/leagues/summer/

The Hat Club Launch: Saturday July 6th: 7.45pm

The Hat Club: The Launch: Sat July 6th: Brian Lopez

OK folks, great news:

I've been wanting to start a regular music night at our club for a while now.

I've just been waiting for an opportunity to kick start things with something special.

And that moment has arrived.

On Saturday July 6th we launch 'The Hat Club'.

- We start at 8pm

- £10 entry

- We will feature acoustic music, pure and simple

We'll be starting with exotic fare:

Brian Lopez from Tuscon, Arizona.

I was at Aarhus in Denmark last summer playing at their annual festival and was fortunate to perform with the iconic Giant Giant Sand, one of America's greatest indie bands. As well as having a successful solo career, the excellent Brian Lopez is also a member of that band.

He has a solo album 'Ultra' which is cracking.

Think Dylan meets Feliciano meets Ry Cooder... if you must, but Brian's voice is incomparable. Having witnessed his recent acoustic show with KT Tunstall I'm confident that an intimate setting suits him just fine. Up close, inside the guard, you get to see the mechanics of a performance and there's definitely something special going on here. Brian is both powerful and sensitive in the same sweet breath; dexterous and deftly adroit on his nylon stringed guitar. 

He's grounded yet ascendant, seemingly heaven sent, surely glory bound.

He's in the UK to play some gigs with KT Tunstall as her support and as a member of her band.

Have a look at his video for 'I Pray For Rain' and then see him performing an acoustic version with KT Tunstall of her current single 'Feel it All'.

Better still, come and see him in the flesh.
Saturday July 6th, 8pm.

We are working on the details of the evening, but for now, please get the date in your diaries.

Shameless Self Promotion: Miracle Mile: 'In Cassidy's Care' Reviews: HiFi News

Blimey!

Thanks to Johnny Black for this great review.

It's in the August edition of HiFi News.

We are their monthly 'Album Choice', kudos indeed, as the mag is a music industry bible...

In Cassidy's Care: Reviews: Elsewhere

Here's a lovely review of 'In Cassidy's Care' by Graham Reid, one of New Zealand's finest.

Graham is a respected Kiwi journalist who once wrote for the Auckland Herald and now runs a fine arts site 'Elsewhere'.

Read his review here.

Berkshire League Summer Squash: Beaconsfield Warriors v Wellington College

Skipper Joe Budzynski writes:

After a thumping win against Nuffield in their last match, there was much disappointment and gnashing of teeth among the Beaconsfield Warriors when they learned their efforts were for naught. The rulemaster of Berkshire League squash had emerged from his cavern on the top of Mount Dunlop, and reading from the ancient, crumbling dried parchment rules of Berkshire league squash, proclaimed “Hear-ye, hear-ye, judgment is announced forthwith....Beaconsfield hast competed most dishonourably, a first team player being unavailable for his contest in the realm of Herongate due to emergency. Beaconsfield’s second team shall therefore be punished grieviously...their match against Nuffield is forfeit with penalties applied of 20 points.”

(Appeals in progress, but the club is not hopeful.)

“No matter,” shouted the Beaconsfield Warriors, “to Wellington College in Crowthorne we will go to restore honour to the club!”

Match 1: David Tecke v Nicola Hayden

As the first ever team appearance for David Tecke in his Beaconsfield squash career, he was keen to impress. Getting used to a new court and the pressure of an away team match produced some nervousness in the first game, which showed in the result going to Nicola by a score of 9-7. However, David calmed down in the second game and wrung out a win, scoring 9-7. One game all, and fitness levels would play the deciding factor. Continuous running by David wore down the opposition, and he comfortably won the final two games of the match. First match to Beaconsfield, and a good start for David’s team squash career!

Match 2: Joe Budzynski v Dennis Killey

Not a significant amount to write home about for this match. Joe’s power and length, combined with some timely boasts, resulted in the first two games going quickly in his favour, 9-2 and 9-1. However, he then took his eye off the prize and let Dennis into an early 5-2 lead for the third game. Wiley play from Dennis and some silly mistakes from Joe resulted in a surprise third game win for Dennis. Joe then got back in the driver’s seat and dominated the fourth game, winning 9-0. Second match to Beaconsfield.

Match 3: John Bullard v Richard Quartermaine

John took the court with knowledge that his match could result in an overall team victory if he achieved a 3-0 result. The first two games went his way with some brilliant play, John using his trademark quickness and frontcourt play to frustrate his opponent. However, in the third game some quality play by Richard resulted in a 9-5 win for the opposition. John quickly recovered though, and confidently managed the fourth and final game of his match, winning by a score of 9-3. Match three to Beaconsfield, but overall team victory not quite guaranteed...

Match 4: Daniel Joy v Mike Spence

Nursing a sore knee that had been obtained during a match earlier in the week, Daniel did well to hide his injury from Mike and just about everyone else watching. This was a battle of ‘who can hit hardest’, and long rallies were part and parcel of the contest. Both players doing brilliant retrieving and a very hot squash ball acting more like a bouncy ball made for an entertaining view from the gallery. Unfortunately for Daniel, the first two games were close but went to Mike by scores of 9-7 and 9-7. For the third game, Daniel seemed to have found his sweet spot, hitting some wonderful drops on the front left and moving Mike around to force mistakes. But, Mike then began reading the new game plan by Daniel and adjusted. The game went to 8-8, then 8-9, then 9-9....with both players making agonizing mistakes to switch places in the service box, accompanied by loud gasps of shock from the gallery along the way. An ill-advised forehand boast from Daniel clipped the top of the tin, handing serve back to Mike. With one fell service, drifting away from Daniel’s backhand and into the back court, the ball nicked out for an impossible retrieval from the back wall.....third and final game to Mike at 10-9, match four to Wellington. A frustrating loss for Daniel, pushing the team result to 9-6 and ensuring the final match would be the decider, requiring Heather to win at least one game.

Match 5: Heather Joy v Andy Mason

After the entertaining yet frustrating match between Daniel and Mike, Heather took charge of the court in her games against Andy. Businesslike in her shot selection and controlling the game efficiently, Heather cruised to a very confident win. Scores of 9-2, 9-0, and 9-2 showed the quality of her play and delivered the overall team match victory to Beaconsfield.

Final Match Score

Beaconsfield Warriors: 12 Games, 4 Matches won

Wellington 5: 6 Games, 1 Match won

Overall winner: Beaconsfield Warriors

Fixtures and table can be found at:

http://www.berkshiresquash.org/leagues/summer/