It’s the Cone Cup with the Tasmanians theoretically coming to the mainland to play us … an event as epic as the new season of Game of Thrones. Over the years this has been a problematic event for them … what with the calendar reading and finding the airport. When they eventually show up they invariably thrash us since they know we have the home court disadvantage and a well-stocked bar. Maybe it’s been a bit too easy and complacency has slipped in. This year they only bothered to send a team of two players … Paul Dunne and Tony Barrett. Both have been successful here many times before but it’s a bit arrogant to send just two players to play twenty doubles matches against us over a weekend. Fortunately they saw the unfairness of it and agreed to decrease their chances of winning by making some BTC members ‘”Honorary Tasmanians”. By the way this phrase is an oxymoron of leviathan proportions which should never appear on a resume. Nevertheless Hamish Oates, Jo Edwards, Ben and Rob Jolly are now Honorary Tasmanians and good luck to them.
.
Saturday April 12
P Dunne/T Barrett lost to R Robinson/P Dunn B 9/6
J Edwards lost to P Dunn B 9/3
R Jolly/B Jolly defeated R Robinson/S Williams H 9/5
P Dunne defeated P Dunn H 9/3
T Barrett/J Edwards lost to S Williams/R Unmack B 9/7
R Jolly lost to S Strange B 9/6
B Jolly/P Dunne defeated S Williams/G Reid H 9/8
T Barrett lost to R Unmack B 9/4
J Edwards/R Jolly defeated S Strange/G Reid H 9/7
B Jolly lost to R Bryan B 9/6
Ballarat is up 6-4 at the half way point. It’s promising in normal circumstances but with Ballarat players you always have the well-stocked bar to worry about. Fortunately the Honorary Tasmanians also like the look of a well-stocked bar. The social committee spear-headed by Stuart Strange puts on a magnificent dinner for the well-attended function … finishes just before the next day’s matches and we are ready for day two.
Sunday April 13:
H Oates/T Barrett defeated J McClure/A Hall H 9/8
H Oates defeated B Christie H 8/6
P Dunne/R Jolly defeated J McClure/A Hall H 8/6
B Jolly lost to R Unmack B 6/1
T Barrett/J Edwards defeated J McClure/Rod Unmack H 6/3
P Dunne defeated S Strange H 6/0
R Jolly/B Jolly lost to R Unmack/S Strange B 8/6
T Barrett lost to C Cree B 7/4
P Dunne/J Edwards lost to S Strange/P Dunn B 7/5
R Jolly defeated P Dunn H 7/6
Well, well, well it’s all equal at ten matches all after Hobart wins 6-4 on the next day … best we’ve done in years. Better still the count back on games shows Ballarat the winner. The Tasmanian generosity in granting honorary Tasmanian-ship to mainlanders backfires and the Cone Cup is ours again. Just like Game of Thrones cunning strategy is all important … next year we will be encouraging them to send up just one player.
Add Comment