London

‘I want to see the game unified,’ continues Winston as the action gets underway. ‘I would really like to see all the different formats under one umbrella.’ Traditional English dominoes, sometimes known as ‘Fives and Threes’, is all but extinct in the capital and Winston feels that the Caribbean game is ideal to fill the vacuum.

As the noise rises and extravagant individual celebrations greet every victory, members of the Clapham Eagles begin to arrive and take up their places opposite their old adversaries. Frank Bruno’s uncle is in their midst, as is ‘Tiger Woods’, AKA Trevor Neil, a man widely regarded as one of the best players in the country. Trevor is in his fifties and sells water pumps. He says his first love was cricket, his wife came second and now dominoes has taken over. Like his golfing namesake, Trevor has devoted his life to mastering the tactics, mental calculations and guile required to be successful in his chosen field.

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‘The good thing about it is that it’s nice people,’ says ‘Tiger’, taking a break from performing his trademark dance move that comes out every time he slaps down a game-clinching ‘card’. ‘There’s no aggro. Whatever race or creed you are, things can get out of hand when you have so many people gathered together drinking. But I can say in the five years we have had the finals at Wandsworth, there has been nothing, not even a little scrummage.’ Clapham, the team that Trevor founded, has made it through to the gala showpiece for the last two years, being pipped on both occasions by Hampton Hawks of Birmingham in front of a 2,000-strong crowd. In addition to Winston’s list of disciplinary measures (£50 fine and a three-week ban for obscenities; hats optional, but they must be the same colour as team uniform), match referees are vital for ensuring order.

Sadie, 59, is a chef and member of the Clapham team. She knows only too well how dominoes can leave Jamaican men hot under the collar. ‘Women didn’t want to play before because there were no rules and no respect,’ she says. ‘Without respect in dominoes we ain’t going to go no place.’

Where they will go is anyone’s guess. If Winston gets his way – and today’s strict dress code suggests he might – dominoes will become a game played by all, not just West Indian men of a certain age. If Tiger/Trevor gets his, the league will get a sponsorship deal with Heineken: ‘We drink a lot of it when we play so it would be nice.’

For more information about the Anglo Caribbean Domino League see www.anglocaribbeandominoleague.org.uk, or email WCJBennett@aol.com