Some big names fall on first day

Monday 16th May 2011, 2:29PM BST.

Dave Jeffery blasts out of a bunker early in his match against Matt de la Mare yesterday at L’Ancresse. Jeffery won 4 and 3. (Pictures by Adrian Miller, 1136463)

THERE are usually a couple of surprises on the opening day of the Island Championship and yesterday was no exception.

However, they did not arrive until late in the afternoon on a day when some of the margins of victory were the real shocks.

Multiple former champion Nigel Vaudin was one of the big names to fall at the first hurdle.

That Ian Thomas overcame the island regular was not a huge upset in itself because Thomas has been in fine form so far this summer, but the 6 and 4 scoreline did raise a few eyebrows around L’Ancresse.