To be held at Rugby, Eton & Winchester, 27th November 2011
Readers will know that John Buchan wrote 'The 39 Steps'. He also wrote a lesser-known book called 'John McNab', in which three successful but bored friends in their mid-forties decide to turn to poaching. Under the collective name of 'John McNab', they set off for the Highlands of Scotland to anonymously poach a salmon, a stag and a grouse from three estates undetected by their owners.
On 27th November, a group of 16 less successful but seriously enthusiastic middle-aged players from Marlborough Town Fives Club will embark on a self-imposed challenge inspired by McNab’s fictional exploits. Leaving Marlborough at 6am they will play each of the three main variants of Fives in one day at each of their spiritual homes.
Peter Grant, principal organiser and instigator of the challenge said, ‘Arranging tournaments at each of the homes of the variants of Fives has never been done on the same day before. The Marlborough Club wanted to be the first to pioneer such an event’.
Travelling first to Rugby, they will play a Rugby Fives knockout tournament to be concluded before a ‘smoked salmon’ breakfast which the school will kindly provide. Then the party will drive south to Eton for a ‘venison’ lunch followed by the playing of an Eton Fives tournament. To complete the McNab, they will journey to Winchester to play a Winchester Fives tournament and partake of ‘grouse’ sandwiches for tea.
As if they will not have eaten enough, the perpetrators of the first ever Fives McNab will then return to their Clubhouse at the Wellington Arms in Marlborough to celebrate their achievement with their final meal for the day and several well-earned pints.
A full report on the day will appear here online and in the next Fives newsletter, due in February 2012.