Boys are big winners in 12 Counties comp
Sports News
NORTHANTS’ 18U boys were comprehensive winners of their group in the 12 Counties tournament at the Corby Tennis Centre at the weekend.
The county line-up of Nikki Rae, Jordan Parker, Jack Haworth and Lloyd Read enjoyed a red letter day, virtually whitewashing the visiting counties, namely: Cheshire, Hereford and Worcester and Nottinghamshire.
The only exception to this came in the opener when Rae, playing at the head of the rankings, lost to opposite number Sean Sivewright from Cheshire.
One of the stand out wins came from Haworth at No.3 as he defeated Cheshire’s Cameron Hogg who is ranked 23 places above him in the 16U age group, at 17 in the Great Britain list. All of the county lads’ wins were in straight sets...
Read is in action at Corby this weekend when he competes in a Grade 3 indoor series event.
It was a different story for the girls, but there were strong extenuating circumstances over their difficult day.
Northants’ lack of depth in the 18U age group was cruelly exposed when both Rachel Kings and Evie Harrison were forced to pull out through injury, while Jemima Potter is away at Millfield School in Somerset. This meant the team comprised of a very youthful line-up of Alice Johns, Kate Clayson, Lauren Phillips and Abigail Clifford, Clayson and Phillips having taken part in the 14U competition the weekend before!
The quartet all play their tennis at County LTC, and as at least once of their coaches remarked, the key word to take from the weekend’s events was ‘experience’. Despite this disadvantage, three of the four first round matches with Cheshire were decided on match tie-breaks...
COUNTY A men resumed the winning thread in their first Winter League match of the new year, inflicting a 6-2 defeat on visitors Rugby A, although they were held 4-4 at Northampton A on Friday evening.
In the Rugby success, County’s regular pair of Barry Wilson and Dave Garrett beat Marcus Powell/Brad Keenes 6-4, 6-1 and whitewashed Chris Hinds/David Warren. County’s other duo of Tony Pratt/James Cole lost 0-6, 6-7 to Powell/Keenes but beat Hinds/Warren 6-3, 6-4.
Meanwhile, Rushmere A’s failure to field a team for their match with Rugby A last Friday night threatens to place a lop-sided effect on the relegation picture.
In Men’s Division Three, Abington A were 6-2 winners over Rugby B to maintain their challenge at the top. The pair of Karl Adams and Peter Skerrett captured all four sets.
Abington are still though, left in hot pursuit of leaders Duston United A who followed up a 7-1 win over Dallington C with an 8-0 success at a weakened Northampton D on Friday night. The victory was secured thanks to the line-up of Ian McIlwaine, Dean Conopo, Lee Morris and Jason Hillier
In the Dallington C victory, David Barr and McIlwaine took all four sets while Conopo and Paul Simkins captured three.
Duston United’s B team look like being relegated from that section after losing 8-0 to Northampton D but in Division Six, the Mendip Road’s D team are still unbeaten after a 7-1 win over a Northampton G. The key contest looks like being the clash with Harpole who are similarly unbeaten, on February 19.
History was made in Division Six on Monday night when West Haddon hosted their first floodlit league match, the outcome being a resounding 8-0 success at the expense of Abington B.
At least one member of the League Executive committee was able to briefly mark the occasion on court, although Abington’s only success story on the night was finding the new country venue in the dark!
In the ladies divisions, Duston United A and B are both on course for promotion in Division Four and Division Five respectively.
This achievement would be a first for the B team whose latest 8-0 win over Collingtree was achieved with a line-up of captain Cathy Hodge, Darina Hudson, Kim Ormshaw and junior Ellen McIlwaine.
Tried and tested Dallington C pair Ali Church and Jill Greenhalgh were on song last Tuesday night in the 8-0 Division Three romp against Earls Barton.
Although the match was a top of the table clash, Church and Greenhalgh were in great form, posting four 6-1 set wins. Lou Sturdy/Sue Vinney beat Sarah Bray/Sue Watchorn 6-1, 6-4 and Judith White/Sarah Nicholls 6-2, 6-3 to complete the evening
Accolades, and team of the week status was bestowed on Nether Heyford B after they secured their first win of the season in Division Five against County E on the same night.
Becky Littlewood and Sandra Bayliss took all four sets, beating Debbie Collins/Ann White 6-2, 6-2 and Yvonne Swallow/Yuetewa Johns 6-3, 6-3 while Jo Dickson/Jane Wood took one set off Collins and White 6-4, to complete the 5-3 win.
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