Double reigning Men’s Champion Andrew Croft will not be making it three titles in a row after becoming the latest club player to be struck by an injury jinx.

Andrew, who won the men’s singles titles in 2023 and 2024, has been playing a number of competitions – and other matches - with a broken foot, which has seriously affected his performance.

After managing to get through his drawn-pairs quarter-final with Bill Mann, against Nicola Coles and Maurice Benson, Andrew lost a tight veterans match against yours truly before losing to John Box in the Handicap and then to Clive Thomas in the Men’s Championship, all in the space of a few days (during which he also represented the club in a Mid Sussex League fixture at Isle of Thorns).

During his men’s singles defeat, Andrew was clearly in some discomfort, and it remains to be seen whether he is able to continue in the two remaining competitions he is in – the drawn and mixed pairs – which are both at the semi-finals stage.

Clive will face Mark Gooch in one Men’s Championship semi-final for the right to play another former double champion, Basil Larkins, who defeated Bob Sutton 22-6 to make his third men’s singles final in five years.

Mark is also through to the John Martin Shield final in his first year of competitions (see below).

Stephen out, too

Also bowing out is Stephen Banks, who suffered a serious leg injury playing rugby.

He was due to play a mixed-pairs quarter-final with Anne Bosman, but their opponents, Jennie Evans and Graham Brown, have been given a walkover to the semi-finals, where, if Andrew is unable to play, alongside Gwen, they might well be given another free passage to the final.

Stephen has also had to withdraw from the Sam Farmer Trophy, meaning his scheduled first-round opponent, Nicola Coles, has a walkover into the quarter-finals.

If Andrew was a trouper for his tenacity, Ted Prince deserves equal recognition after playing his second competitive match in successive days, just a week after injuring himself in a fall in his garden.

Ted beat an in-form Paul Palmer in the Sam Farmer Trophy, eventually winning 21-14, and the following day he was back on the green to play Gwen in the Veterans competition. This time he lost, 13-3.

On their Marks...

Already through to the semi-finals is Anne Bosman, who beat Basil in the quarter-finals.

The semi-finals of the Handicap will feature Nicola Coles against John Box, who will have a 10-point start, and Mark Howell versus Clive Thomas, who will start one point ahead.

Mark defeated Gwen in the quarter-final, in a high-scoring game that was very close throughout.

A few hours later, he was back on the green, playing me in the Sam Farmer Trophy. This time he was unable to mount a comeback and lost 13-22.

We meet again in the semi-final of the John Martin Shield, where the winner will play Mark Gooch, who defeated Marge Breading in their semi-final.

The drawn-pairs semi-finals pit Dorothy Glasby and John Box against Mark Howell and Anne, and – if Andrew is able to continue alongside partner Bill Mann – a potential match with Ken Starnes and Peter Huntley.

In the Mixed Pairs, Linda and Peter Huntley will play Nicola and me for a place in the final against the winners of Andrew/Gwen versus Graham/Jennie (if it gets played).

Full details of scores and remaining matches can be viewed by clicking on Club competitions at the top of the page and selecting a competition.