On the first day of winter, 26 players with the ‘sun in their eyes’ and hearts arrived at the Oxley Hall to ‘beat the heat’ at the social table tennis competition last Monday night.

With bare arms and strong intent, ‘go-getters’ Zac Williamson and Debbie Brunken were straight into business, when they took on ‘racing plated’, Neil Spurgeon and Martin Butcher, in a game for all seasons.

With each player displaying their own strength and positivity, there were no ‘gimmies’, as each point took many strokes to win or lose.

However, all good things must come to an end, and with the wide smiles on all four faces, it was a true indication of a game won by both pairs.

With spring not far away, Pete and Jack were in fine form, when they sprang into action against ‘busy bees’, Gary Coad and Graham Stephens, in a ‘winner takes all’ game of high intensity.

With Pete and Gary driving long and hard to each other, and Jack and Graham testing each other’s vulnerabilities, it was a game from which we all learned a thing or two.

So much table and floor coverage was instrumental in each pair giving the other a ‘run for their money’, until one pair won 21–20.

Cheryl Coad and Lisa Detlefsen were ‘right in the groove’ when they faced Jason Mullins and Ryan Van Der Poel, in a ‘catch me if you can’ game where scores see-sawed from beginning to end.

With each pair combining their skills, and with their partner’s, they all fought ‘tooth and nail’ to storm down on each and every opportunity that presented itself.

Plenty of laughter after points won or lost truly indicated the enjoyment each player took away from the closely fought encounter - no final scores recorded, but it was close.

Heavy hitting rained down when ‘high-flyer’ Harriet Day teamed up with ‘new to the scene’ Charlotte Graham, to put notice onto ‘spring chicken’, Neil Brock, and Hugh Spring, in a game that rained down every stroke in the book.

Unfamiliar with Charlotte’s game style, but well-aware of Harriet’s all-round talent, the fellas bided their time before they unleashed their own ‘plusses’ from all points of the compass.

So many lessons learned, as each pair showed no signs of conceding a point until they had thrown their everything at every ball - a great game ended with one pair winning and grinning.

From start to finish, Amanda Van Der Poel, and June Uebergang, were up for the ‘big fight’ when they paired up to play Jacob Hardiman and David Harris.

After sizing up each other’s game styles, it was a test of everyone’s desire and discipline (or the lack of it) on every stroke from beginning to end.

Amanda’s positive court coverage, and June’s ‘all over the shop’ games were constantly put under the hammer, as Jacob and David showered down a wide variety of strokes, to hold a narrow lead, and finally win the tiebreaker.

‘Tearabout’ Manni Poulos and ‘come in spinner’ Olivia Strack, were up for everything thrown at them, when they teamed up against ‘high-flyer’ Ryan Van Der Poel, and Olivia’s dad, Mark, in one of the many games each had already played.

And in a game where heavy hitters rained down on their opponents’ aspirations in both attack and defence, the difference between winning and losing a point was determined in millimetres.

After a great game enjoyed by all, one pair called out ‘we won’ and threw their bats in the air.

After a ‘long day’s night’, Greta Day teamed up with ‘blast from the past’, Dook Gibb, to test the mettle of ‘fast tracker’ Lyla Porter, and Jason Mullins.

With the wind at the backs of all four players, it was a storm of dedication, determination, and delivery, from north, south, east and west, from the word ‘go’.

After a game that spectators thought would never end, one pair finally ‘took home the chocolates’.

Much to her surprise, during the busy evening, everyone gathered around the supper table to celebrate June Uebergang’s ‘umpteenth’ birthday, by singing the Happy Birthday song, and presenting her with a birthday cake, which she cut and shared with everyone, and thanked everyone for their kindness.

Everyone is informed there will be no table tennis next Monday night, due to the King’s Birthday holiday. But all the ‘fun of the fair’ will resume the following Monday June 15, at 7pm.

BYO bat, $2 entry and a small plate to share.