There was heartbreak again for the Cambridgeshire senior IInd team on
Sunday, when they were pipped to the Badminton England Inter Counties
Championship (ICC) Division 5D playoff spot by a single game. To add
insult to injury, the Lincolnshire team were led by England
International prospect Harley Towler - the same player who two years
previously almost to the day had won the games in the match which
condemned the IInd team to relegation from Division 4.
Going into the game on Sunday, Cambs II and Lincs I
were tied at the top of the table, level on both points, and games for
and against. It was apparent from the outset that it was going to be a
tough match, as Lincs had supplemented their squad with two other strong
players: Rodger Annis and Chloe Sidwell. In the singles, Tom Li (j)
battled manfully against Towler, but was beaten in straight games, as
was Mindaugas Dabasinskas despite mounting a spirited second end which
he lost 24-22. Molly Carter (j) also suffered her first singles defeat
of the season in straight games against Sidwell, so it was only Katie
Morton who took points, with a confident straight sets 21-14, 21-7
victory.
Cambridgeshire went into the doubles resolved to turn
the tide of the game, and while the ladies prevailed, the men found the
going much harder. Captain Daniel Bates and James Wilson went into the
game against Towler and Annis hoping to begin the fight back. After a
thrilling first end which they won 27-25, they were unable to maintain
their momentum, and lost in three. Molly and Liz Salmon were also
enjoying a marathon match, mirroring the men by losing their first game
25-27, but then taking the rubber. In the other doubles, Tom and Paul
Martell lost in straight games 21-12, 21-15, while Katie and Jessica
Sharman (j) won 21-14, 21-19.
The reverse doubles saw very similar results, with
both men's pairs losing in straight games, while the ladies both won,
despite a mid-game dip by Liz and Molly.
That left the score 7-5 to Lincs going into the mixed,
and with Towler ranked 19 in the country at mixed, the need to win all
three seemed a stretch too far for the Cambs team. James and Katie, and
Tom and Molly showed Cambs' traditional mixed class, by winning in
straight games 21-19, 21-15 and 21-17, 21-15 respectively. Daniel and
Jess started with a concerted effort to cut Towler out of the game, but
found that this only served to confuse their strategy, and they lost
21-2. In the second game, they resolved to play for pride and took a
more creditable 21-12, but with that result the match - and the playoff
hope - was lost.
For the first time in years, the Cambs IInd team has
enjoyed a season where the squad has been settled, and high hopes of a
playoff spot were only dashed by sharing the group with a very strong
County Ist team. With the Cambs Ist team looking likely to be relegated
from Division IB this year, the only ray of light for the season is now
likely to be the IIIrd team, who have won their Division 5 group and
head into the playoffs at the end of April.
The team:
Daniel Bates (c), Paul Martell, Katie Morton: Hurst Badminton Club
Thomas Li: Pearl Badminton Club
Molly Carter, Liz Salmon, Mindaugas Dabasinskas: St Ives Badminton Club
James Wilson: Ely Victoria Badminton Club
Jessica Sharman: Court Badminton Club
More information about results of the Cambs II team is available on the Team Page.