2014 Dacoity Cup Day 2

Day 2 (Mathern Course):
On Saturday, apart from the 16th Bandit Trophy, there were 9 more points available in the quest for golf's holy grail - the Dacoity Cup. 

ROW skipper Dunbar needed a big improvement from his pairings after they averaged 46 on Day 1. He sent out a pair of Bandit Trophy veterans first in Dungannon Cannon Talbot and Meat Pie McDougall. They played a fast paced, high pressure, aggressive, never say die, in your face, twat it, look for it, hole it, refuse to back down sort of game...and lost by 10 points to the eventual Bandit Trophy Winner Stuart and his partner Paul.

Next up were Coupe and Hone, against Van der Merwe and Maloney. The ROW pair deserved a prize for having a combined name less likely to be a TV cop show duo than any other pair this weekend, but on the course they were no match for the English. It was starting to look like another landslide for England but then...

Although Ken Hicks improved on his Friday form, Captain Ives slumped horribly, and Brownlee and Dunbar took advantage to steal a point for the Rest of the World. The Elgin Marble defeated his opposite number with his new Spanish recruit, salvaging something for the ROW keeping the match score to 8.5 to 3.5 in England's favour. 

A final hour charge on Saturday, clinching a desperate late point to keep slim hopes of a come from behind victory alive, stealing the momentum from previously unstoppable opponents. Sound familiar? Was this the turning point for ROW, the first signs of the Miracle at the Mathern? The Surprise at St Pierre? The comeback in Cymru? (pronounce it properly and it works)The WTF in Wales?

 

Fourball Results:
Cartwright & Hay 65 beat McDougall & Talbot 55
Coupe & Hone 63 beat Van der Merwe & Maloney 53
Ives & Hicks 48 lost to Brownlee & Dunbar 55

So England won 2 out of 3 but could the comeback continue when the singles scores were announced?

Singles Results:
Coupe 35 beat Van der Merwe 22
Ives 26 lost to Maloney 31
Hicks 22 lost to McDougall 25
Hone 28 lost to Brownlee 30
Hay 36 beat Dunbar 25
Cartwright 29 lost to Talbot 30

England skipper Ives suffered another defeat and 3 consecutive matches went the way of the ROW. And in the last match, Cartwright tasted defeat in the Dacoity Cup for the first time ever after 10 matches with a devastating narrow loss to Twat It Talbot, who, scarred by criticism for his lack of fitness last year, had seen his intensive training regime pay off and  confirmed the momentum swing towards ROW.
Score after Day 2: England 10.5 Rest of World 7.5   

ROW had won the day's play 5-4 and although England were still in front there were many doubts expressed as to whether they could gain the 3.5 points they needed on Sunday to retain the cup having only managed 4 on Day 2. Speculation mounted about skipper Ives' position and he was asked about his future as captain in this interview:

  



Derek certainly seemed to be feeling the pressure under the media spotlight. The tough and extremely professional interrogation he underwent appeared to highlight the sudden lack of confidence in his team to withstand a fightback that hadn't until now been anticipated. Suddenly everything was up in the air, the English camp racked by uncertainty. Derek had some serious thinking to do, and needed to find a way to make sure his team were motivated for the final day. What he did next might have a critical effect on the outcome of the Dacoity Cup...

He ordered another round of gin and tonics.

Meanwhile the ROW skipper had a much more relaxed air as he addressed the media:

Mike also predicted a backlash from the ROW team, who he said "had the potential to get enough points to win."  Stirring stuff!! Would it have the desired effect? The world was waiting to find out...