After their strong win against Bedfordshire in the previous match, Cambs 2 were after more points to secure their place in division 4B against Suffolk 2. However, two eleventh hour injuries thanks to the Cambs Open and the unavailability of a couple of other key players lead to yet anothed reshuffled team in this difficult season.
Will Hodgkinson and Rob Couch opened proceedings with the mens singles, but although Rob battled away in his usual tenacious style and took his younger opponent to 3 ends, both rubbers went to Suffolk. Amanda Godfrey and Sandra Ashcroft stepped up for the ladies and both put in strong perfomances and again took their opponents to 3 ends, although both rubbers again went to Suffolk.
With the score at 0-4 in Suffolk's favour, Rob Couch and Dan Bates battled away and eventually overpowered their opponents in 3 ends to take the first mens doubles. Scratch pair Sam Scharf and Will Hodgkinson combined well and clinched the second doubles in another tight 3 ender. Unfortunately both paris were unable to sustain this form and both lost the reversed games to 3.
The ladies got off to a bad start, as one of the few regular pairings on show Amanda Godfrey and Tracey Bichener lost in straight sets against Suffolk's first ladies pair and although Sandra Ashcroft and Sharon Chandler fought hard, they also lost, this time in 3. The reversed games were more in Cambs favour as Amanda and Tracey returned to form and won yet another close 3 ender, although Sharon and Sandra failed to trouble to scorers, losing yet again in 3.
This left the score 9-3 to Suffolk and Cambs needed to win all three mixed to salvage a point. Third pairing of Rob and Sandra started things off well with a straight forward 2 set win, but although Amanda and Sam at first and Sharon and Dan at second put in great efforts, both pairs ended up on the wrong end of close 3 enders leaving the final score 11-4 to Suffolk.
The score line perhaps flatters Suffolk slightly as twelve out the fifteen rubbers went to 3 sets and Cambs will move on to the next match scratching their heads wondering what might have been.