ESSEX JUNIOR INTER LEAGUE 22 JANUARY 2011

The Essex Junior Inter League matches were held at Rowhedge on Saturday 22 January 2011. Only four teams entered this season being the same four teams that played last season when Chelmsford won the title. I had intended to play the same four players as last season but when the date was change from the originally selected date of 11 December Chris Denyer became unavailable due to an already entered Badminton Tournament and Scott Dowsett pulled out late on the Thursday evening due to an injury sustained at coaching at BATTS the previous evening. After half a dozen or so late evening telephone calls a replacement in Martin Hiskey was achieved.

Matches were played on two tables with four players in each team, the top two ranked players playing one another at singles and doubles on one table and the same format for the third and fourth ranked players on the other table.

Chelmsford’s first match was against Clacton with James Austin playing James Denyer and although he won the second game 13-11 he lost the match 3-1.On the other table Robert Shrimpton was involved in a five setter with ElmtreeExcalibur’s Mark Smith which resulted in an excellent win for Robert -9, 5, -8, 6, 6. Sarah Austin and Martin Hiskey then both lost 3-0 to Daniel Prior and Adam Wilkin respectively. The doubles was next and James and Robert could practice playing together for the Chelmsford Tournament. against James D. and Mark. The practice went to five sets and although they saved three match points in the fifth set they lost -8, 8, 10, -3, -9. Sarah and Martin lost 3-1 to their opponents. The reverse singles were then played. Although losing the first set 13-11 James went on to beat Mark 4, 7, 7.Robert lost to James D 3-0 and Martin similarly to Daniel but Sarah beat Adam 7, -9, 6, 9 for a final match score of 3-7.

Chelmsford’s next match was against a Southend team fielding three of their National Junior League side. After winning the first 11-9 over Owen Warren James couldn’t get the luck he needed to extend the match further in the third and fourth games to lose 5, 10, 11, but Robert beat Kieran Skeggs 1, 6, -8, 9. Sarah took a game off Charlie Bates and Martin lost easily to Emily Godfrey. James and Robert won their doubles 3-1, ends seeming to make the difference with the second game won to love. Sarah and Martin were never in their doubles, losing 3-0 easily. In the reverse singles James had an easy 6, 9, 4 win over Kieran but Robert suffered the agony of losing the third game to love to Warren having lost the previous two both to 8. Martin lost easily to Charlie 3-0. Sarah, having taken the second game off Emily to 9, pulled back from 10-6 down in the fourth game and then squandered a number of game points to lose it 15-17.

Chelmsford’s last match against Colchester would determine the destination of the wooden spoon and Chelmsford had a six set advantage over a team yet to win a set. James and Robert enjoyed easy 3-0 singles wins and a doubles win over Tom Lewis and Jermaine Fearon and Sarah two 3-0 wins over Lajos Zsisku and Alice Rudge. Meanwhile Martin had lost 6, 6, 1 to Alice and surrendered a 2-0 lead over Lajos to lose 8, 8, -6, -8, -11. In their doubles they lost -6, 9, -9, -10 having had four point leads in both the third and fourth games. A 7-3 win the result.

On the other two tables the battle for the winner and runner up positions was taking place between Southend and Clacton. Both started the match on the same number of points and as their match progressed to 4-4 a draw was becoming a distinct possibility and if it ended that way games countback would become a requirement. However Clacton won the last two matches to take the title. For Mark Smith, who had a disastrous day, he must be more than grateful that his team’s number three and four players only lost two singles matches all day

James Austin 4 out of 6, Robert Shrimpton 4 out of 6, Sarah Austin 3 out of 6 and Martin Hiskey 0 out of 6.

FINAL POSITIONS

Clacton 23 Points, Southend 21, Chelmsford 13 and Colchester 3.

Arthur C. Clark

Junior Match Secretary