STOKE by Nayland took the Cranworth Trophy at Rushmere for the first time since they had a three-year run in the mid 1990s. They beat Cretingham in a close and friendly encounter by 24½ to 20½.

STOKE by Nayland took the Cranworth Trophy at Rushmere for the first time since they had a three-year run in the mid 1990s.

They beat Cretingham in a close and friendly encounter by 24½ to 20½. It was the first time Cretingham had made it to an inter-club final, to their obvious delight.

Stoke held a narrow lead after the morning foursomes.

Jojo Hamer-Phillip, looking extremely purposeful, led the Cretingham team out in the singles. She has been gaining valuable experience this year with the Junior County side and had one of those great days when all departments of her game worked well simultaneously. Stoke captain Ann Thomas played valiantly but really didn't have a chance.

In fact, none of the matches was close and, in the peculiar scoring of the Cranworth - three points for the match and one for each nine - the pendulum swung back and forth all afternoon and it was difficult to pick a winner.

Mary Bentley was in fine form for Stoke, whilst Christine Cooper scooped all five points for Cretingham in her match. On the other hand, Stoke's Sybil Paton and Mandy Byham and Cretingham's Carol Brown only dropped half-a-point in their games so it is probably odious to single out anyone.

There was good golf and nervous golf, some very individual swings and a great deal of endeavour from these longer handicap golfers.

Although the Cranworth players always say they enjoy it, not often do they look as if they're having fun. This time they actually did.

Results

(Stoke by Nayland names first):

Foursomes: Ann Thomas & Roz Clements beat Jojo Hamer-Phillip & Tina Tuckwell 4-1; Sylvia Paton & Mary Bentley beat Liz Delaney & Alison Furlong 5-0; Mandy Byham & Lesley Garnett lost to Carol Brown & Christin Cooper 1-4.

Singles: Thomas lost to Hamer-Phillip 0-5; Paton beat Delaney 4½-½; Byham beat Tuckwell 4½-½; Clements lost to Brown ½-4½; Bentley beat Furlong 5-0; Garnett lost to Cooper 0-5.

Result: Stoke-by-Nayland 24½ Cretingham 20½ .