Success is Rife for Chichester veteran Robertson

The John Venables Trophy proved a difficult scoring day but not for David Hungate, who came back in with 37 points, as did Pavlos Kinigopoulos.

Anthony Denton and Phil Couchman did well with 36, but former captain Jim Robertson strode home with a wonderful 39 points and the trophy despite forgetting his cart battery. His wife hadto deliver it, then it broke down halfway round (the cart, not his wife).

The Rife Cup was between the vets and the gentlemen members. It’s always keenly fought.

The match was drawn 3-3 and with the best vet’s performance that of Anthony Denton and Bruce Santer.

The first and only inter-club match of the year was against old rivals Selsey for the honour of winning the Gerald May Trophy, a new bit of silverware in memory of Gerald, a much-loved member of Selsey.

It was fitting that Selsey should win the first leg at home 4-1. Brian Burn and Ken Downton won the Chi vets a full point.

Chichester won the return leg 4-2 with Brian winning with Alan Jackson, and the David Guest and Marin Powell-Jones and Mike Snuggs and John Discombe pairings also winning.

It was not enough to win the trophy with John Discombe, Chi’s vice-captain handing the trophy to Selsey captain Richard Jarvis after Selsey won by one point.

The annual vets’ match against Chichester’s ladies for the Hunston Salver ended in a 4-2 loss for the men, who promptly went into hiding.