The first match after Christmas is always difficult, especially when you are playing a team far too strong for the division they are in and three key players are unavailable. However the team was delighted to welcome back Natalie Taylor and Richard Fryer, both making their first appearances of the season.
While Cambs are fighting to avoid relegation, Norfolk have not dropped a single point all season and that record never looked in danger during the match.
Singles saw straight sets defeats for Rob Pace and Jaclyn Lai against exceptionally strong opponents. The second singles saw Richard Fryer extremely unlucky to lose out in a tight three set game, before Alison Bennett produced a fantastic singles display against strong opposition, winning in three sets and must surely now be considered for a permanent singles place.
Doubles saw a similar story with the Norfolk top mens and ladies pairs being too strong for Cambs. Pace/Fryer picked up a point with a good victory over the second pair, unfortunately Jon Carson/Peter Galloway were not able to match their victory. Taylor/Bennett were not able to trouble the Norfolk pairs, while Lai/Kate Balls were involved in a close game before being forced to concede through illness.
The match was decided before the mixed and the illnesses/injuries meant not a single established pair was available to play. However the three scratch pairings produced some of their best performances but unfortunately were not quite able to secure any results. Bennett/Pace gave the Norfolk first pair a huge scare, just losing out by the tightest of margins. Lai/Galloway similarly pushed their opponents close, before fading slightly towards the end. It took Taylor/Fryer the first set to work out how to play together but then produced a fine display and were beaten in the closest game of the day.
Another disappointing result that doesn’t quite reflect the closeness of some of the games. However it is the matches against other opponents that will decide whether Cambs can maintain their place in the division rather than this game.