Jesters vs. Escorts – Squash Match – 8th January 2024 @ 7pm, RAC Pall Mall, Courts 1 & 2
By Richard Winter.
This is always a popular fixture. A chance to blow out the cobwebs and run off the mince pies.
This year we had a new face, Oli Harwood who is a Jesters/Escorts candidate, to take on Jester star Ahmed El-Refee.
Keen as mustard, Ahmed, Oli, Maxi, Duncan and Matt were milling around outside the courts at 6.45pm all smartly sporting full white kit as required by the RAC.
So the decision was for Maxi Ducam-Davies and Dom Curtis (pictured) to kick off on Court 1 and I went on with Matt Lyons on Court 2.
Dom pulled off a 3-1 victory over Maxi, the tallest player in the Jesters team. Dom worked out quickly that tall players sometimes struggle with really good lobs and the RAC Pall Mall courts are superb for getting good height in the lob. Once Dom had played the lob he then produced a tidy little drop shot which was a combination that proved too good for Maxi. Dom won 9-5, 9-3, 1-9, 9-6.
I was told very clearly by Duncan Kynoch that Matt (right in photo) was a superb player but has been injured for years and was not playing so well, so “I would be fine” (he reassured me). It didn’t feel like that in the knock-up. Matt hits a squash ball beautifully. Hard, fluent and well-disguised. I was struggling even to return the ball in the knock-up. I felt encouraged by Duncan’s pre-match report on my opponent and thought he clearly wouldn’t be fit and able to chase everything down, so my plan was to try to run him around in the first game. It started well and the first few points were close with hand-outs each way. I was happy with my game but Matt was simply getting stronger and stronger as we started rallying.
He was racing around the court, with no obvious impairment, and in a rather intimidating fashion seemed to retrieve pretty much everything I threw at him, apart from the occasional boast. Slightly unnerved after losing the first 3-9 and having already displayed some of my finest squash, I was starting to wonder where on the court I could put the ball that Matt couldn’t return it from. My boasts were working and I should probably have learnt from that but I was no match and Matt ran in the 2nd and third games 9-4 9-3. Well played Matt. No signs of any injuries and I raised the ‘misinformation’ with Duncan over dinner!
So Duncan went on Court 1 to play the legendary Ollie Jefferies. I play Duncan a lot and he is a crafty veteran with a wicked serve and even better three-wall nick/boast. A deceptive player and currently playing regularly, so he is fit and strong. I told Ollie to watch out for Duncan’s sorcery and tipped him off about the serve and the boasts.
Ollie was all over it. Racing around and counter-dropping the boasts and on occasion even playing winners off Duncan’s serve. He was sharp and strong and too good on the evening for Duncan.
Ollie won 3/0: 9-4, 9-5, 9-5.
And so to the main event. Ahmed on his home turf vs. young Oli Harwood (Jesters and Escorts candidate) who has his name down to join the RAC having moved to London after College. What a match! Ahmed always looks so relaxed. Never seems to be in a hurry and floats around, retrieving everything and sending the trickiest shots back with interest. Oli was up for it though. He ran and retrieved and there were some exhausting rallies to watch. Oli currently plays at St George’s Hill. He will be a welcome addition to our RAC Division 1 squad. The gallery thoroughly enjoyed a see-saw match which ended with Ahmed taking the 5th. (5-9, 9-5, 9-3, 3-9, 9-5)
Very generously, both The Jesters club and The Escorts contributed to the dinner. We had a few on ‘Dry January on the evening. Some excellent squash and a superb dinner.
Two points to note:
- The sign for the “Jesters vs Escorts dinner” was removed by the club secretary in case it was misinterpreted by members!
- I’m afraid the code of silence in the Turkish Baths was broken and we have been reminded that this is a strict rule of the club and must be observed and adhered to at all times (Serious point).
The final Result was 2 matches apiece and a draw but with the Jesters taking credit for having most players in the match!