MILLMAN ENDS THE CHAMP’S REIGN

Reigning club champion Richard Millman is the new Cromer Squash club veterans‘ champion. In a well contested final on Thursday evening in front of a large and appreciative crowd Millman, who was Norfolk champion 8 times between 1984 and 1992 and is the current Norfolk Over 65 champion proved to be too strong for Baker who was appearing in an unprecedented 10th final since 2013 and looking to win the title for an eighth time.

Millman’s all round court craft proved decisive. Although Baker played exceptionally well throughout as he attempted  to win a fifth successive title he was always up against  the accuracy of Millman’s play as the No.1 seed employed a series of high teasing lobs, hard drives up and down the walls and well disguised drop shots.

A series of winning points put Millman firmly in control of the first game which he won 13-7 but the second game was completely different as Baker at one stage led 6-3 and 11-10 before Millman won the next three rallies to take the game 13-11 and when, in the third game he went from 2-5 to 8-5 there was only going to be one winner as he closed out the game and the match 13-9.

Baker was gracious in defeat saying: “It is always disappointing to lose in a final but Richard is a better player than me and I have no complaints. If I had managed to win the second game things might have been different but it was not to be. Millman, in turn, said “It was a good match to play in and John played very well throughout. I had to concentrate all the time as I know what a good competitive player John is”

Attention will now turn to the club’s Over 35 tournament in the New Year which has been held over until January to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the untimely death of Jeff Morris after whom the competition is named and in which Millman will be aiming to retain that particular title.

VETERANS' CHAMPIONSHIP

The club Veterans' championship (for Men aged 45 and over and Ladies aged 40 and over) was instigated in 1984. Apart from a seven year break between 1997 and 2003 the tournament has been held every year since. The Ladies tournament was held spasmodically and ceased in 1996 due to a shortage of eligible ladies

1984      Gordon Little      Henry Cooper                                 Mary Land                        Gabrielle Woodward

1985      Gordon Little      Bob Morgan                                   Mary Land                        Rita Bryant

1986      Gordon Little                                                                     Mary Land

1987      Nick Amis          Gordon Little                                  Mary Land

1988      Neil Batchelor     Nick Amis                                                       Not Contested

1989      Nick Amis          Neil Batchelor                                Gwen Braybrook              Rosemary Frior

1990      Nick Amis          Neil Batchelor                                Gwen Braybrook              Diane Booth

1991      Barry Dennis       Nick Amis                                      Judy Long                         Gwen Braybrook

1992      Nick Amis          Neil Batchelor                                Judy Long                         Gwen Braybrook

1993      Giles Margarson Neil Batchelor                                                 Not Contested

1994      Giles Margarson Nick Amis                                                       Not Contested

1995      Giles Margarson Chris Burton-Pye                                             Not Contested

1996      Giles Margarson Barry Starling                                 Sue Read                          Ann Keysell

1997-2003          Tournament not held

2004      Kim Payne          Jim Russon

2005      Alan Harper

2006      Alan Harper        Jim Russon

2007      David Jones        Paul Roebuck

2008      Paul Roebuck      Henri Paul

2009      Alan Harper        Gary Spruce

2010      Henri Paul           Alec Burrows

2011      Henri Paul           Alan Harper

2012      Alec Burrows      Henri Paul

2013      Matt Copeman    John Baker

2014      John Baker          John Chandler

2015      John Baker          Gary Spruce

2016      Stephen Watts     John Baker

2017      John Baker          Phil Godfrey

2018      Phil Godfrey       Martin Sanville

2019      John Baker          Séan Moore

2020      Tournament not held due to COVID

2021      John Baker          Alan Harper

2022      John Baker          Henri Paul

2023       John Baker         Henri Paul

2024       Richard Millman   John Baker