La Grande Mare beat both the weather and Alderney

THE course was barely playable but the ducks seemed happy enough as were Ross Bateman's seven-man La Grande Mare team who safely negotiated the first hurdle of a new Hampshire Sevens golf campaign.

The 2012 champions proved too strong for the Ridunians who packed their team with mid-handicappers to no avail on a course with seemingly as much casual water on the fairways as there was square footage of green.

Not that the soggy conditions made any difference to the result and La Grande Mare, with Karl and Darren Ogier replacing Andy Harte and Adie Coquelin from the side who went all the way last year, clinched another home tie against L'Ancresse.

That clash promises to be a real battle, the sort which Wasif Anees enjoyed on Saturday morning in finally overcoming Gary Maurice and, in so doing, clinching the tie for Bateman's men.