County IInd Team Lose to Northamptonshire IInds

On Sunday both the county 1st and 2nd teams played their penultimate matches of the 2007/08 Victor Inter County Championship. Going into the weekend matches both teams were unbeaten, with them both needing bonus point wins to secure league champions status.

The situation was similar for Cambridgeshire 2nd team when they played host to Northamptonshire II. The Cambridgeshire ladies have been dominant during the season, and quickly opened up a two nil lead with wins for Jaclyn Lai and Alison Bennett in the ladies singles. Northamptonshire then levelled the match defeating Jason Lai and Rob Couch in the men’s singles.

The Cambridgeshire men found the going tough in the doubles with a solitary win coming from 1st pairing of Neil Place and James Watkins and 2nd pairing of Rob Couch and Craig Haughton losing both their matches. The Cambridgeshire ladies once again levelled the match with 2 wins for Jaclyn Lai and Alison Bennett, and 1 win for Liz Salmon and Sandra Ashcroft.

The mixed started well for Cambridgeshire, with Neil Place/Liz Salmon winning their match, albeit with the opposition conceding through an injury. Northamptonshire 1st pairing quickly levelled the match beating Rob Couch and Alison Bennett in two straight ends. Once again the match has gone to the final mixed, and once again this had gone to the 3rd end, with James Watkins and Jaclyn Lai winning the 1st end 21-16, but lost the 2nd end 17-21. In the end, Northamptonshire proved too strong, winning the 3rd end 21-15.

This gave Northamptonshire II team an 8-7 win. Cambridgeshire final match of the season is this coming Sunday away to Worcestershire IV, where a win for Cambs will see them as division 5 champions.

County Ist Team - Six in a Row

This weekend saw Cambridge travel to Nottinghamshire III for the latest game in the ICC division 2B. The home fixture earlier in the season had seen a 10-5 Cambridge victory and a repeat performance taking maximum points was essential for Cambridge to move back to the top of the division for the first time since November.

Cambridge's mens singles players have enjoyed little success this season, and this trend continued as Richard Fryer was defeated in straight sets at first singles. However Rob Pace then levelled the scores with a comfortable victory at second singles, an encouraging result in a rather unfruitful season for the men. Cambridge's ladies however had few problems, with both Olga Bryant and Natalie Taylor recording straight sets victories over their opponents, putting Cambridge 3-1 ahead and ensuring that they both maintain their 100% singles records for the season.

The mens doubles has been another weak link for Cambridge this year, and once again had given the selectors the most difficulty in preparing for this match. However once again the men failed to realise their full potential as the normally reliable Sam Scharf/Jon Carson lost out a in a very close fought three end match against Nottingham's strong first pair, but then disappointingly lost in straight sets to Nottingham's second pair. Cambridge second pairing of James Wilson/Sunni Loi staked their claim to a regular first team place with a hard fought three end win over Notts second pair, before they too were defeated by the Notts top pair. 

As so often this season Cambridge's ladies rescued the match and demonstrated their total dominance over this division with both pairings of Faye Gregory/Natalie Taylor and Kat Young/Olga Bryant winning all their games in straight sets. Of all the matches played so far this year the ladies have taken full points from every match bar one, showing they really ought to be playing a division higher. 

This left Cambridge 8-4 ahead and guaranteed the match was won but Cambs required two out of the three remaining mixed to take the bonus point and move to the top of the table. Due to the similar standards of the Cambridge mixed pairings the first games were always going to be tough,  and this showed as Bryant/Fryer lost in three ends at first pair. The university pairing of Young/Pace were undefeated going into this match but unfortunately they too were unable to overcome their opponents, but Taylor/Scharf were more successful with a comfortable straight sets win at third pair.

This left Cambridge 9-6 winners but bitterly disappointed to have missed taking maximum points and the chance to move to the top of the division. Chances were wasted- of the four games decided in three sets only one went to Cambridge, suggesting a lack of nerve when under pressure. This is the fourth consecutive match Cambridge has won but failed to take maximum points and this may well cost them dearly in their quest for back to back promotions.

Under 15s Cambridgeshire Restricted Tournament

The under age 15 Cambridgeshire Restricted Tournament was held at the Burwell Sports Centre.  The boys section attracted a record entry of 25 boys.

For the third seccessive year and for his final year in the age group the boys singles title was won by Jason Lai.  Jason who is already strong enough to play in the Senior Cambridgeshire County second team overwhelmed all his opponents all of whom failed to reach double figures.  In the final Jason defeated Joe Strickett 21 - 5.

For the boys doubles Joe Strickett was partnered by Ben Parker but failed to gain compensation for his singles defeat.  They went down to Shudong Li and Tom Zhang who won 21 - 11.

The girls singles gave evidence of a new rising star when 12 year old Molly Carter defeated Hannah Sharman in the final 21 - 15.

Hannah did however win the girls doubles.  Partnered by Carolyn Key they defeated Molly Carter and Jessica Sharman in three ends 21 - 12, 18 - 21, 21 - 16.

For further information contact Ken Verney.