2001

Dale Hill Golf Club, Sussex

England - Paul Baines (captain), Paul Boross, John Farren, Jeremy Wilson

Catalunya - Michael Turner (captain), Pep Aragones, Victor Fernandez, Pep Riba

England came here with their tails up. Defending the trophy at home, they allowed themselves the luxury of an experimental captain change - a piece of hubris which would return to haunt them.

While Farren and Wilson had several opportunities during the morning to open up some clear blue water between themselves and their dogged opponents, their failure to do so may have been complacency or inexperience but when they arrived at the 18th all square they knew that it would only take a flash of brilliance from the mercurial Aragones for the tie to slip away from them. And so it proved. Spearing a 4 iron into the well protected green to stop within feet of the flag, Aragones took the hole and the first point.

But no need to panic, Boross & Baines against Turner & Riba was a guaranteed point for England... Or at least it would have been had Baines played to anywhere near his ability.  Time to panic? At close of play Catalunya had 3 points with the 4th still in the balance the match between Wilson & Baines, Aragones & Fernandez having been adjourned for bad light on the 17th.