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THE celebrations of Thame Tennis Club last Sunday, finished just in time, before a huge storm dramatically lit up the skies of Thame.
Ironically, the club was celebrating the inaugeration of its long-awaited, and in the planning stage, controversial flood lighting.
Unfortunately, because the club is not allowed to turn on the lights after 7pm on a Sunday, the full effect could not be enjoyed on the night, but that didn’t stop members, prospective members, the Mayor or Thame, town councillors and SODC Leader, David Green (who cut the tape to the two, new all-weather courts)from enjoying a pig roast and buffet and the benefits of the club bar.
Club Chairman, Aiden Coles, thanked ex-Thame councillors, Mary Stiles and Mike Mesurier particularly for their support and encouragemebt in the early days of planning the new facilities and told the assembled crowd: “After so many years of waiting, we now have the membership and the enthusiasm to take the club foreward.”
The evening’s fun included two gripping exhibition doubles matches on the new courts featuring well-known international players Martin Lee and James Davidson and Oxfordshire?s Jonathan Maskens amongst others.
Martin and James have both played at Wimbledon, have both been ranked in the top 15 in the UK and Martin has partnered Tim Henman in the Davis Cup.

As well as offering a major increase in capacity for players of all standards, the Club can now offer tennis all year round and into the evening.

Funding for the project was secured from a number of sources including Thame Town Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Sport England and the LTA in addition to the Clubs own resources, the latter being the result of many years of fund-raising.

PHOTO: Martin Lee, James Davidson and Jonathan Maskens pose before the exhibition matches, with the lucky Thame Tennis Club members who played with them.

Powegen Cup 1st Round.
Chinnor 39pts Reading Abbey 0.

ALTHOUGH looking well organised in their three warm-up matches, this home fixture against newly promoted Reading Abbey in the 1st Round of the Powergen Cup was seen as a major indicator of the Chinnor pre-season preparation.
Chinnor took the field with their strongest available XV. who put together a most workmanlike first half performance. Richard Williams, Chinnor’s replacement for the departed Cathcart, kept them on the front foot with some judicious kicking to the corners to set-up some attacking options. This no-nonsense approach gave Chinnor an early reward when Paul Hennessy, Chinnor’s acting captain (recently returned from his Welsh sojourn), picked up from the base of the scrum to power his way over the line. The
conversion by Williams put Chinnor 7 points ahead after 5 minutes. Further pressure from the home side saw Eric Brown, another returnee, score in the corner and with Williams kicking a penalty Chinnor
were 15 pts to the good with 15 minutes played.

Two tries came from Chad Ward, both scored from clear overlaps after slick handling by the three’s, and one from Andy Millburn following a rolling maul,the latter converted by Williams, all placing Chinnor in a commanding lead at the half-time whistle.

John Brodley had chosen a young, inexperienced bench at this level (with the exception of Alan Cawston) with the intent of giving them all a taste of South West 1. rugby. This positive action would inevitably interupt the pattern of play, but although Chinnor only added a Rewi Tolich try which Williams converted, this was as much to do with the gutsy Abbey second half performance, who upped their commitment considerably, as with the oppressive
playing conditions.
In all a satisfactory outing for this new look Chinnor
XV.
Not bad for a ” village” outfit. !!