Well they have been and gone but not before handing the CURTC a good beating on Saturday, January 5th. And it all started so well with Johnny Bailey prevailing on the Blue Court in three sets and it ended well with Bernie Carpenter winning also on the Blue Court.

Unfortunately we lost the intervening three matches and all five on the Green Court. Kate Kirk gets an honorable mention as she at least got to a match point in her favour as does John Trapp who won a set. I shall respect the other team members requests for anonymity in view of their most generous contributions.

In true British tradition, the Manager was sacked before he had a chance to resign and formal protests have been lodged about one of the Dutch players ‘trouser-ware’ although the Dutch have lodged a counter protest about Bernie’s socks. We have a gallery of pictures so you can make up your own minds as to the most grievous sartorial transgression. Fortunately, John saved the day with some splendid generosity in the form of more pints of Adnams than CURTC won games and superb hospitality for both teams chez Trapp in Swaffham Bulbeck. And as my wife noted, "It was nice that they were able to win having travelled so far".

From left: Marian von Koesveld, Rogier Botting, Erik Gunter, Richard Kasten, In purple: Feikje Nassy, William Daw, Andre Driessen, Cees de Bondt, From net: Emma Lord, Johnny Bailey, John Trapp, Right hand 4: Bernie Carpenter, ex-manager, Kate Kirk, Dave Isherwood

ps Interesting news from Holland. There is a serious effort underway to restore the sixteenth century Tennis Court in Haarlem (60km north of Den Haag). However, there is a tight deadline on raising the necessary funds so nothing is certain yet.

Author’s name withheld by request

Christie Marrian climbs the tambour against the Dutch

The Dutch about to serve to Cambridge

* with apologies to Paul Revere