Singapore Cricket Club and UCSC played its inaugural annual Friendly last Saturday and it was a resounding success!

Played between mainly the Men's A & B with a ladies' match, the results were secondary (the matches were mostly very close, by the way) with friendship and camaraderie far more evident and important.

The final result was that SCC won 9 - 6 overall to win a trophy (named "Beacons of Squash"), kindly sponsored by SCC's Squash segment.

The name of the trophy was in recognition of the youth talent evident in both teams which are amongst the leading lights of Singapore squash in promoting the sport in the nation and the development of young talent.

The match ups were overall, close. These were played to the best of 3 sets x 15 points (PAR scoring) with sudden death if the set gets to 14-all (no deuce).

Individual Results (by sets).... SCC players first:

MAO Shi Yuan lost to Jerryca TEO (1-2)
Vivian RHAMANAN lost to Samuel KANG (1-2)
Udai SINGH lost to Marcus PHUA (0-1, retired due to a glute injury)
Richard HILL beat Darren SUBRAMANIAM (2-0)
Nigel KOH beat PANG Ka Hoe (2-1)
Preshin MANMINDAR beat Phil MOCKRIDGE (2-0)
Bill HATCH beat Jason HO (2-0)
Timothy SOH beat PANG Ka Wai (2-0)
Joannah YUE lost to Joshua WONG (0-2)
Daryl ARNOLD lost to Benedict CHAN (0-2)
James HILL beat Benjamin SIM (2-0)
William OON beat Jonathan SOH (2-1)
Chris PONG beat Michael TAN (2-1)
James McCARTHY lost to Daryle TENG (1-2)
John BETTS beat Bobby PANG (2-0)

During the post-match dinner, so graciously hosted by SCC, UCSC presented a token of appreciation to the hosts.

Presentation of SCC-UCSC Inaugural Friendly to SCC's Squash Secretary, KOH Wai Keng:


Presentation of UCSC's Appreciation Plaque to SCC's Squash Convenor, Manmindar SINGH:



Group photo of players and supporters from SCC and UCSC:



Thank you, SCC for the wonderful organisation and hospitality ...... SCC and UCSC, Live & Breathe Squash!

UCSC played a friendly inter-club event against our friendly league competitors, Police Sports Association, last Saturday at Singapore Polytechnic.

The friendly but competitive lawmen were bested 1-8 by UCSC's mix of youth and experience in the Men's E and Men's F teams, but what was far more important was the spirit of friendship demonstrated by players of both teams as everyone basked in the wonderful camaraderie.

It is hoped that this will become an annual event following the squash league.

A very warm "Thank You" to our friends from PSA ...... We look forward to the next get-together for some smashing squash.

It was never going to be easy flying into New Pioneers territory at CCAB, Evans Road and hoping to do damage. The 'terrain' was unfavourable and New Pioneers' defences were on full alert.

B-17 (plane model, not his age) Flying Fortress 'B'omber, Daryle Teng (DT), went on first against Pioneers veteran, Tan Kok Kiang (TKK), to do battle for old-timers' sake. It was a slow, methodical process with rallies lasting up to 3 strokes on average. The scoring was fast, but not so the play. However, the first set had its moments of excitement when our own B-17 DT, despite lack of practice, matched TKK point for point till 6-6 and then it looked all over when TKK surged ahead to game point at 10-6. Then suddenly, the legendary fight-back exploded from DT with 4 successive points through some fine touches for which he is renowned, to force deuce. However, that effort must have used up the remaining fossil fuel in DT's B-17 and TKK snatched the crucial 2 points needed to seal set #1 by a (uh) 'breath-taking' (both players panting heavily by then) 12-10. The pattern of play continued unchanged through the next 2 sets (you serve, I drop, you give up. You serve, I drop, you return, I give up). TKK, about half a head taller than DT, just had that additional reach to put away shots and ran home (well, not really) 11-9, 11-8 in these 2 sets.  New Pioneers 1    UCSC 0

As mentioned in the Men's F report, the scene at Hume Park 2 was that of a carnival with 3 teams out of the 4 present, from UCSC.

With a great track record in the Men's C to protect, perennial team captain, Kelvin Kan, a master of facade, made yet another perfect team selection for the UCSC 'C'onquerors against unquestionably title-contenders, New Pioneers.