Some rode bikes, some drove cars and some hitched lifts to tonight's TT encounter at the Britannia Thunderdome. Two teams enter, two teams leave a bit later that same evening. Had the place to ourselves, unusually, with three available tables: two simultaneous matches and one for a knock with Arvind, our resident Defiants wannabe.

Slow and frustrating start, going down in five ends against their left-hander (who switches to playing right-handed when he gets wound up), then glancing over to see AC come back from matchpoint down (against a girl!) to secure his opening point, the lucky fella. Reversal of fortune next for the two of us, me jammily winning another five-ender and AC losing to the sinister one.

And what of KC? Another end, to his credit, and some good games, but ultimately pointless. Our doubles meritocracy kicked in once more, kicking out KC in favour of those who'd scored most points on the night. And we won, thankfully, to gain a draw. Hey, we didn't lose: that's progress.

Even time for a quick cuppa and as many chocolate biscuits as it's polite to eat chez GS, sometime team member and longtime user of the NHS. Then one got on his bike, two got behind the wheels, and one hitched a lift back home.