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A look at the League Table this morning revealed that Parwich have taken top spot following our impressive 146 to 88 victory at home to Chatsworth yesterday. The match in fact had looked a bit dodgy just an hour or two before start time as the rain teemed down, but it dried up quite considerably to allow us all to commence, We fought well from start to finish, from Dawn and Penny taking the first doubles scalp, to Keith and Tony being victorious in the final singles games some three hours later on a freezing cold afternoon. Thanks to Edith and Dot for keeping everyone’s central heating going with steaming mugs of Rosie Lea (mine looked like crude oil – just how I like it!) What a nice bunch of people the opposition were as well.
Fortunes had been a little different on Tuesday night though at Matlock Park where we came up against a well-honed outfit who richly deserved their crushing win over our endeavoured battalion. Most certainly not for the want of trying, but have to hand it to the home team on this occasion. How good though to be able to sit inside a fish and chip shop on the way to the match and rediscover just a little of the pleasures we’ve had to live without for so long.
Next week’s matches see us on the road again to Wirksworth Tuesday and then Whitworth at home Thursday afternoon. Come on Parwich, keep it up!

Signed off as a very proud Mark J…

A reorganisation of fixtures in the Tuesday League meant that our planned home clash against Youlgrave was postponed; maybe fortuitous given that Derbyshire was battered by a spectacular storm firing cannonballs of ice down just as the match would have been in progress. Therefore….
….it was a rested Parwich team that travelled to Baslow on Thursday afternoon. It was in fact a pair of ducks that formed “the crowd” and seemed to befriend our players – particularly Penny, after whom they waddled from end to end hardly being able to contain their egg-citement. I formed the impression that we arrived as underdogs and the home side certainly looked formidable in the warm-up, all resplendent in their club colours of red and grey, but we started in fine fettle and, after a short interlude where the light from above was switched off and the heavens let us have it for a few minutes, we finished the first doubles round 10 points up! Inspirational captaincy by John Henbury rallied us to keep going, and our band of two supporters flew in to quack us home, Parwich taking all the singles games to romp to an impressive 140 to 91 away victory and with that go third in the table. (Put our fans’ drinks on my “bill”…)
Thus the Team will be available to sign autograph books either in The Sycamore or The Legion over the coming days… Now we need to keep that momentum going over the following week.

Mark J

Last Thursday (29 April) we travelled to Bradwell for the season’s first away match. On their “interesting” green which twists and turns and rises and falls every which way – and with the North wind howling down the Hope Valley – the Parwich Team battled bravely to a 120-109 defeat; a scoreline that in practice did little to flatter our efforts. The home side were a hospitable lot though, and welcoming mugs of hot, steaming tea were gratefully received to warm the hands after or respective contributions. Such a beautiful setting, I for one will look forward to our return there in the Tuesday League fixture later this summer. (Bet it’s even better on a balmy evening.)
However, if Bradwell was cold, this week’s home clash against Matlock Park began with hailstones the size of golf balls battering the two teams as they took the field – any repeat of this could result in Parson’s Croft being renamed The Winter Gardens! Soon after starting though the sun shone on the righteous and, in a match that was nip and tuck from start to finish, it took a recount to confirm that Parwich were to emerge as narrow 126-120 victors. Both entire teams should take a bow for an exciting afternoon throughout.
Great to see a couple of new faces at the practice session last Sunday afternoon and hope that this may continue this week. The next 7 days sees us take on Youlgreave on Tuesday evening and then on the road again to Baslow on Thursday; I’m sure we’ll all do our best to make the you the reader proud at the next report.

Mark J