Without a single win all season Cambridgeshire 1 desperately needed a victory over Worcestershire 2 to claw back ground on the rest of the division. However both Cambs ladies singles players fell to injury playing a tournament the day before the match, so many thanks to Liz Salmon and Tracey Heyward for stepping up at very short notice.
Rob Pace lead the team out with a confident victory at first singles, gaining revenge for a defeat earlier in the season. Unfortunately county champion James Watkins was not able to avenge his earlier defeat, again beaten in 2 ends.
With the regular ladies singles players unavailable Natalie Taylor and Liz Salmon bravely stepped up and put in two great performances, Taylor’s fitness just holding out to give victory in straight sets, and Salmon losing out but deserves credit for a very strong battling performance.
It was the level doubles that cost Cambs the away fixture and the same proved true in the return leg. All four Cambs pairings were scratch partnerships and perhaps it was no surprise that all eight games went to Worcs. Perhaps even more disappointing was the fact that only one of the eight games was decided in three sets, the rest not going the full distance.
With all the points already decided there was nothing left to play for in the mixed. Pace/Kate Balls fought hard but were beaten at first, Watkins/Salmon played a tight three end game and did very well to come away with a result, then James Wilson/Taylor after using the first end as a warm up came though to win the next two comfortably.
Result 11-4 and a poor performance against a beatable team. 11th hour injuries cannot be anticipated but with six out of seven pairings being scratch partnerships, and having not fielded the same team for any two matches this season it really is no surprise Cambs are in trouble.