Muthaiga Sports Round-Up

The squash courts continue to be a busy part of the Club with tournaments and matches increasing throughout the year.

In September we held the British Rules Tournament, which attracted a strong turnout of 16 players. At the end of a grueling contest Kunal Bid defended his title beating Rajeev Gandhi in the finals and Jeremy Clayton beat Joseph Kariuki in the plate competition.

My special thanks go to Tournament sponsors Dry Associates Ltd and to Sachi Mohindra for gifting the players Biofreeze products.

In November we held the Muthaiga Closed Challenge Cup and Nina Bell Trophy, which were sponsored by J W Seagon Ltd this year. The Muthaiga Closed Challenge is the most hotly contested of the challenges and Kenya’s oldest tournament, which started in 1914. Once again 16 players entered. Daniel Szalpak defeated Kunal Bid in the finals to retake the title he has previously held, and Jeremy Clayton defeated Fabian Collis to win the Nina Bell Trophy for the first time.

Muthaiga Closed Challenge Cup Champion Daniel Szalpak (right) receiving his trophy from Jeremy Clayton representing sponsor JW Seagon Ltd.

Several Muthaiga Members are also playing in the recently launched Duma Squash League - namely Safina Madhani, Imran Rattansi, Job Muriuki, Keriri Muya and Aaryan & Kunal Bid. It has been a great experience and has improved our games playing with Kenya National players and coaches.

Next year we have plans for a few new tournaments, the team format, a Junior Championship and a Ladies Championship. If any new players would be interested do please get in touch with me and I can add you onto our squash groups.

I wish all Members the very best for 2023.

Kunal Bid Squash Captain Nina Bell Champion Jeremy Clayton receiving his trophy from squash Captain Kunal Bid.

Runner-up for the Nina Bell Trophy Fabian Collis (pictured right) with squash Captain Kunal Bid.

Club Singles

The annual Singles competition attracted 13 bowlers this year. The final was a closely fought match, which ended with Essie Walker winning the trophy against Ian Stamp, who was also our gracious sponsor.

Winner of the Singles competition Essie Walker

Club Pairs sponsored by Marion and Gordon Watson held in September was a great success. Twelve competitors entered six teams. It was a well-balanced competition with winners determined only on the last game. Oliver Fowler and Clare Jethwa won the competition; Gerry and Halina were very close runners up. The spider was won by Gerry and Halina.

Club Pairs winners Oliver Fowler & Clare Jethwa.

MCC vs Caledonians

Dougie Duncanson and the Chieftain, Emma Coventry, fielded a team of eight Caledonians supplemented by MCC players of Scottish persuasion. Despite the Caledonians 8-point handicap, MCC prevailed and retained the Trophy.

Ladies vs Gents Bowling Competition

This year’s competition attracted 24 bowlers - including the new Secretary Michael Flint and his wife Lilly. All six rinks were used with 5 Gents vs 5 Ladies Pairs and one Gents vs Ladies Trip played.

At the end of play both the Ladies and the Gents had won three matches each, but based on score difference the Ladies won the competition - and by a wide margin. Essie Walker won the Spider. The Ladies vs Gents competition marks the end of competitive bowling for 2022 and the green is now closed for maintenance until mid-January.

WILLIE WATSON TROPHY

Willie’s daughter Sheena Dryden presented the prizes.

The Willie Watson Invitational Trips competition was a tremendous success with forty-eight bowlers, forming sixteen teams, from five clubs around the country taking part. The participating clubs were MCC, Nairobi, Karen, Ruiru and Mombasa. The teams were divided randomly into four groups, each team playing each other, then on Sunday the knockout competition was held for the Trophy, the Plate, the Bowl and the Basket.

The finals saw Ruiru take the Trophy in a well-deserved win, Muthaiga A won the Plate, Nairobi won the Bowl, and Muthaiga B won the Basket.

The tournament was kindly sponsored by Muthaiga Country Club.

Willie and his sons (from left) Andrew and Alasdair and daughter Sheena with fellow Bowls members.

Our “Cup of Nations” annual mixed doubles tournament attracted only seven players. Nevertheless, with one of the tennis staff to make up numbers, we were still able to run a Mini Round-Robin Competition with four pairs. After an extremely competitive session Team USA - Harold Zagunis & Tamara Krautkramer - emerged as the winners of the event by just one point against joint Runners-up Team EU Richard (Staff) & Fui Meng Liew and Team UK - Johnny Ponsonby & Alec Davis.

Kenya’s first Grand Slam Junior Wimbledon winner Angella Okutoyi, was spotted at the MCC Tennis courts in December. Invited by an MCC Member of the Young President Organization (YPO), she held a fun afternoon of tennis drills with young players.

We wish Angella all the best as she heads on to University of Auburn in the United States to further her budding tennis career and studies in the process.

Angella Okutoyi (pictured centre in purple T-shirt) at MCC in December.

FORTHCOMING TENNIS EVENTS

14 JANUARY Tennis vs Squash Challenge

29 JANUARY MCC’s Australian Open Mixed Doubles

19 FEBRUARY Ladies / Men’s Doubles

5 MARCH Matata Cup

18 MARCH MCC vs Karen Country Club Ladies Doubles

Disappointingly, our annual “Christmas Crackers” Mixed Doubles Tournament, which had 30 registered players, had to be rescheduled as the courts were too wet for play. However, a festive lunch at the Tennis Pavilion still went ahead and was a wonderful opportunity to say thank you to outgoing Tennis Captain John Goodwin for his commitment, enthusiasm and dedication to the Section over the past six years. John handed over the Captaincy to Aida Kimemia Nesbitt, who together with Tennis Committee members Johnny Ponsonby (Vice-Captain), Katarina Karanja, Rachel Wootton and Troels Mahieu-Sørensen, will further promote the sport at MCC.

Tennis Captain Aida Kimemia Nesbitt, with out-going Captain John Goodwin & Vice-Captain Johnny Ponsonby. Two weeks later, under clear blue skies the rescheduled “Christmas Crackers” tournament took place with 20 participants. The tournament format entailed the 10 initial pairs randomly selecting a Court to start on. After each match, the winning pairs moved up a court and split, while the losing pairs moved down a court and split. Winners on Court 1 stayed put (and split) as did losing pairs on Court 5. Five rounds were played and the eventual prize-winners were those who ended up on Courts 1 & 2.

The overall winners were Rishi Ramrakha & Fui Meng Liew with Runners-up Harold Zagunis & Tom Tilson. Third and fourth places went to Troels Mahieu-Sørenson & Makena Nesbitt and Yan Welffens & Alex Lehmberg respectively.

Christmas Crackers Winners: Harold, Tom, Alex, Yan, Rishi, Fui Meng, Makena and Troels.

It was a super fun tournament to close out the year.