England closed their 2012 international programme with another narrow victory. On Saturday 8 September, at Chester Racecourse, they beat South America 8.5 to 8 in the HPA’s Audi International, the fourth and final Test Match of the season.
The line-ups
- England: Ollie Cudmore, James Beim, Mark Tomlinson and James Harper.
- South America: Marcos Araya, Manolo Fernandez Araya, Guillermo Cuitino and Pepe Araya.
South America made life hard for England from the start and led for much of the first half. England, though, still had plenty to play for, and they showed it once the match resumed.
England’s recovery
After a half-time talk, England regrouped and gradually closed the gap. They caught up in the later chukkas, and it was James Beim who scored the decisive penalty in the final period. The half-goal margin tells the story of a match where neither side could shake off the other.
Ollie Cudmore, a four-goaler, was outstanding. Cudmore played his first home Test Match back in May, when England beat the USA 11-10.5 at Cowdray Park, with Luke Tomlinson scoring six goals that day. Now he has had a full home season of international polo, and the experience showed at Chester.
A different kind of venue
Playing a Test Match on a racecourse gives the game an extra audience beyond the traditional polo clubs. The HPA’s Audi International brings the best amateur and professional talent in the country together under one banner, and a match decided by half a goal is exactly the kind of fixture that wins the sport new followers.
What it means
A half-goal win over a determined South American side is a satisfying way to finish a season that began with the Cowdray Park victory in May. Handicap-level international polo is a game of fine margins, and this one was decided by a single penalty in the closing stages. Beim’s cool finish and Cudmore’s all-round performance will give the selectors plenty to think about for next year.
A full report was expected in the October issue of Polo Times. For now, congratulations to England on closing the season with a win.
Sources: Polo Times, Polo Times (England v USA)
