The pre-season regional County Challenge competitions, Major and Minor, attracted just three counties in the south east, Essex, Kent and Hants. Kent actually entered three teams, one in the Major two in the Minor.
Essex had the fillip of winning both competitions, reward for the players’ effors and for Peter Nickals, who made all the match arrangements and team raising.
Essex success in the Major was by dint of winning both matches against Kent, the key away victory being spectacular, while in the Minor Essex and Kent Haddrell finished level on 5 Match Points, Essex winning on Total Game Points, by 17 to 15½.