In reaching the final and competing for the title of National Champions the campaigns for the Open and u180 teams could rightly be said to have ended on a positive note even if both lost. However it ended on a high as, hopefully you would know by now, that both teams won their respective sections:
Open: vs. Surrey - Mx win 8.5 - 7.5
u180: vs. Yorks - Mx win 9 - 7
Fantastic achievement by all concerned; the Finals victories are the culmination of the effort everyone has put in this cycle.
There are so many things to that can be said about the victories including:
1. The Open team lift their first title since 1989 - 29th time Mx lift the Lowenthal Trophy
2. The Open team finally defeat Surrey under my tenure as captain and what a way to do it wresting the title from the then(!!) title-holders
3. After 5years the u180 team regain the Ron Banham trophy.
4. The u180 team avenge their defeat to Yorkshire in the final u175 competition in 2008-09
5. The u180 squad secure an unprecedented treble and can rightly be called The Invincibles!
6. The current squads emulate the double success of the 1985 teams.
I could go on but the above are the main highlights of the double success!!
Match reports from a Mx perspective to come in due course but one will be available on the ECF website as will the respective games played by all. Special mention at this stage goes to those players who made their County debuts, John Carleton; Pall Thorarinsson; Simon Warman and Jonathan White; Geoff and Simon Spivack who showed their opponents no mercy with crushing attacks; Andrew and Steve who demonstrated great technique and welcome return of David; Neville and John Reid.
The campaigns of both teams for another cycle finally comes to an end and with it also brings to an end the competition for The Martin Blaine Best Performance Cup - a trophy and cash award for best performing Open team player. The award for this cycle goes to - Nevil Chan who scores 49 MBT points. Well done Nevil. Trophy (??) to be awarded at MCCA AGM on 9th July 2012.
Beer and Blitz Evening - The achievement of both teams is worth celebrating especially so that those of you who were unable to play in the final or could not stay for presentation will have an opportunity to see the trophies (Ron Banham trophy and certificates hopefully received by planned date). I hope that 18th July 2012 at The Pilot will suit everyone - will verify in due course.
Irrespective of whether celebratory event goes ahead and if you attend, do enjoy your summer break taking in the London Olympics among other things; once rested you'll be raring to go to try and make it a clean sweep of titles in the 2012-13 campaign! I'll be sending details of fixtures for the new cycle in due course however the Open fixtures are available.
Thank you all once again for a fantastic cycle. Let's hope next is just as good!
Go on the Middlesex!!
Anthony Fulton
Important Notices
- Annual General Meeting for 2012 is on Monday 9th July 2012, 7.00pm at The Exmouth Arms
- Fixtures Meeting is Monday 10th September, The Exmouth Arms, 6.45pm
Need chess sets for your club? I can recommend Regency Chess for equipment.
- Middlesex school Heathside won the EPSCA National Small Schools Championships and the National U11 team Championships this week!! Congratulations to Angela Eyton on her success. She's pictured here with her fellow coach Tony Niccoli from Barnet Junior Chess.
- Unofficial FINAL STANDINGS for the Middlesex League Divisions 1,2 and 3 are here.
