31-Mar
CHI COMFORT ZONE DEFLATED
Peter Crabtree gets some bad news ...
The news that didn't seem possible reached us on Sunday
morning that Linda Charman was taking a prescribed course of antibiotics for
a recurring infection and would not be playing against Edgbaston on Tuesday.
The course of treatment had started a few days ago, and had a severe effect
on her fitness, causing her to be completely exhausted after her 2nd game
against Vanessa Atkinson in Dallas.
The absence of Fitzy that had seemed so promising just a couple of days ago
is now a complete frustration for us as well as Edgbaston, but Suzie
Pierrepont will again step into the breach. With a NSL record of having lost
only to the World No.2 and, of course, Fitzy, she has nothing to fear from
ex Chi player Vicky Lankester, and will be looking to give us the start we
need with a win.
But then again, look at my record of predictions ..........
SECONDS OUT, ROUND TWO
Chichester's Peter Crabtree fires the
first shots in the second leg propaganda war ...
Well, it has all been a bit quiet recently, no bullish predictions from
those Northerners, so I guess they might not be feeling so confident now. We
are looking forward to Tuesday, and turning over those Brummies, and seeing
the looks on the faces of Ant and Dec when we enjoy our celebratory Orange
Juice before the final.
The first match was close, and given a fairer wind, or at least a bit more
in Vole’s lungs, we might have been making the journey with a win under our
belts, but it wasn’t to be, and we shall just have to do better this time.
It couldn’t really be closer, 3-2 down but level on games won, and we shall
have our “Raging Bull” back on duty for the simple task of beating Fitzy.
Unfortunately, some of those Priory-ites have had some good results in the
meantime, but that may just make them over-confident, and ready for a shock.
The preparations are going well, and Vole has abstained from sausages and
chips all week, and has lost a massive 0.5 kilos, which together with his
training regime of 0.5 mile runs, and 0.5 hour gym sessions once a week
should put him in fine fettle. Jelly is having a haircut at the weekend, so
he will be streamlined and ready for action. Azzi looked at a steak
yesterday, and is now highly motivated to repeat his win over Del Boy,
whilst Benjy has been on an arm-stretching machine to improve his forehand
reach.
All in all, we are ready for action, so…..let’s get ready
to rumble!!!!!
|
Semi-Finals 2nd Leg: Edgbaston (3) v Chichester
(2)
Stuart Boswell v Peter Genever
Del Harris v Azlan Iskandar
Adrian Grant v Tim Vail
Paul Lord v Ben Garner
Vicky Lankester v Suzie Pierrepont
Broxbourne (1) v Nottingham (4)
Mark Chaloner v John White
Rodney Durbach v Simon Parke
Alex Stait v Renan Lavigne
Danny Meddings v Jason Nicolle
Natalie Pohrer v Jane Fletcher
And the EPC management reply ...
It's going to be
a close one!!!!
You couldn't ask for a better or closer second leg, as we have to report
that Edgbaston have had some bad news in that Sarah Fitz has pulled out
due to a calf injury, which has left the opening for Vicky Lankester to
have the up hill task of playing against the world number 3 Linda Charman!
Sarah was gutted as she was well up for this match, but not even Sarah can
control such an injury. It was just bad luck!
This leaves the match open for either team to push through to the final
stage. We hope that the Morecombe and Wise show from Chichester will have
fully charged batteries in their pace makers coz they're gonna need um!
Edgbaston have seen situations like these before and have been well up
against it. You can rest assured that the team will be ready, as will the
fans, to give the Southerns a serious and professional match, with a 110%
push in the vital matches!?
It will be down to who wants it the most! |
Edgbaston team quietly confident ...
It's time for the players to show how good they really are!
The Edgbaston Priory is looking forward to next week at Chicester, Chicester
have done a fantastic job getting to the semi-finals with some excellent
stats which proves that they are a quality side. Which means that Edgbaston
will not, I repeat, will not be taking them lightly! We have players which
have much higher rankings than Chicester's players but rankings mean jack-didderly
when we're at this stage of the league. We can assure you that every player
will be completely focussed and will be ready to give 120% as they have had
a taste of winning the National league before and they want to win it again!
April 1st will most definitely be Chichester's biggest test (ever?), to come
to a packed Edgbaston Priory, against a full strength world class squad!
(Not many teams have passed that test!)
The Edgbaston Prediction:
With Edgbaston taking a full squad to Chichester we predict a 4-1 win, which
could leave Chichester in a bit of trouble for the 1st April return leg ...
Matt Suckling & Nick Hynes
Phil Songhurst is unimpressed
by TVS optimism...
We just love reading the Broxbourne (un)official predictions for next week’s
semi (see below) – for once Mr Booth’s probably got the score right – but
that’s not difficult! 3 – 2 / 2 – 3 who cares???
Our greatest concern in the North – sorry – The Midlands – is where the
final will be played. Hopefully there’s a nice little two court club, with a
bit of viewing, a mile or so off the M42 – you know – ˝ way between the King
& Queen of the Midlands.
Shame Booth et al won’t be there (but would he have been invited anyway???)
Best for all of us – let the players do the talking ..........
Results |
Semi-final line-ups
Nottingham v Broxbourne
John White v Mark Chaloner
Simon Parke v Rodney Durbach
Renan Lavigne v Alex Stait
Jason Nicolle v Alister Walker
Wendy Maitland v Natalie Pohrer
Chichester v Edgbaston
Peter Genever v Stewart Boswell
Moh'd Azlan Iskandar v Del Harris
Tim Vail v Adrian Grant
Ben Garner v Paul Lord
Suzie Pierrepont v Sarah Fitz-Gerald
17-Mar
Talking over for
TVS Broxbourne ...
The talking is nearly over and it will soon be time for the TVS Broxbourne
army, to head North to Nottingham for the first leg semi final. The mood in
the Broxbourne training camp is one of confidence in the knowledge that
there is a job to be done.
The team is undergoing its final preparations today and will be travelling
by luxury coach together with a band of loyal supporters.
Team captain Mark Chaloner says that his team is in the best shape it could
be and are looking forward to the challenge ahead.
Geoff Long
TVS Broxbourne Team Manager
|
THE SHAM OF THE PLAY-OFFS
Peter Crabtree fails to see the need ...
It has now been clearly shown that the play-offs are just a
ruse invented by that Hargrave chappie to try and hinder the imperious
progress of the Chichester All-Stars to their rightful status as Champions
of the National League. Having set new records all season, and quite clearly
demonstrated their superiority over all of the other teams in doing so,
Chichester will now have to prove yet again that they are the best team of
all.
Fortress Oaklands Park will play host to the Edgbaston
team on March 18th, and they must be in some trepidation as they look
forward to being the last team to lose at Chichester this season.
Setting records has been a characteristic of this team for several seasons –
the longest winning run established by the Vole last year is a good example,
but now this season’s list is quite impressive:
- 9 ties won, and only 1 lost
- 35 matches won
- 20 matches won/lost difference
- 115 games won
- 42 games won/lost difference
- 53 points scored
- 9 points ahead of the runners-up
- 3 5-0 whitewashes
Just what else do these players have to do to show their
pedigree? The record speaks for itself, and the supporters at Oaklands Park
are outraged by the abuse of the system that now manifests itself. No doubt,
the boondockers will be out in force to welcome our visitors from the
Midlands, and it will be a pleasant welcome – they are not the sort of
people that would visit their wrath on the visitors, no matter how great the
justification.
What should be happening, of course, is that young Mr.
Ryder should be bringing the trophy down to present it to us after what will
have been an exhibition match next week.
The clever way in which our players have manipulated the ranking system this
season to ensure that the visitors are lulled into a false sense of security
by the differences in their respective positions is illustrative of the
professional way that they go about their work.
Mind you, it has obviously been seized upon by the
opposition, with the cynical “retirement” of Ms. Fitz-Gerald to create a
sense of superiority in our Linda. But we are not to be fooled by this, and
last week’s absence was not due to the publicly announced back problems, but
her attendance at an anger management course, as a result of which she can
now fully vent her wrath in the correct manner, with a new range of
vocabulary to call on when needed.
We have had enough of those upstarts from the Southern Hemisphere abusing
our good nature, and the record will certainly be set straight in the
matches to come.
Our Jelly has been working on a reverse underhand kill to
which young Mr. Boswell cannot possibly respond, and this will be the
culmination of the night’s glories when he seals our victory with a
resounding whipping of his opponent (which will of course be at a private
viewing with no cameras).
As for “Fitzy”, well, we are absolutely confident that our
Lindy will toy with her for a few games, and then finish her off in some
style.
Del boy is getting on a bit now, and the young Lion from
Malaysia will dance around and tease him for a bit, and then he also will
finish off the match with some thrilling shots.
Having had the taste of kebabbing a higher ranked opponent
in recent weeks, Captain Vole will already be able to taste his victory over
the Grant boy, and whoever turns up at 4, Benjy is ready to give somebody a
good seeing to, and that will be the support bout in the private room
earlier referred to.
So really, we could all save time and effort by just giving us the trophy
now, after all, we will stroll through this, won’t we?
|
WEIGHTED BROXBOURNE'S
WAY ???
Andy Booth lpresents a personal preview of the
Broxbourne & Nottingham clash, and the possible combinations of teams and
players.
Six players remain in the teams from their last semi final meeting of three
seasons ago. Parke, Nicolle & Porher (was Grainger then!) and Chaloner,
Durbach & Stait. With Pohrer now in the Broxbourne camp, I ask the question,
"Is it now weighted Broxbourne's way?"
As I see it ...
1st String.
Mark Chaloner v John White.
Mark is a great match day player who like Rod will give everything for the
team. John White is a formidable opponent. Known for the 'pneumatic' forearm
which has got him the reputation of being the hardest hitter of the ball in
the game. I believe it will depend on John White on the day. If he is not on
top form, Mark will take his chance willingly.
2nd Sting.
Rodney Durbach v Simon Parke.
My thoughts are drawn back to three seasons ago, when we beat Nottingham at
the same stage of the League.
That day Rod had to play at 1st string in the absence of Mark, against Peter
Marshall, who had also been promoted in the absence of Simon Parke! Rod,
whipped into a frenzy by the Broxbourne masses, beat Peter 3-0, to give an
aggregate score of 5-5, which then took us through on count-back!!
An amazing day.
With Simon still on the road to full recovery from a recent operation, my
vote is Rod with a narrow advantage.
3rd String.
(Stait/Meddings/Walker) v Renan Lavigne
One to Nottingham. Whoever plays at 3 will find themselves on court with a
player ranked significantly above them. Alex Stait is the in form player,
and could find himself on the receiving end!
4th String.
(Meddings/Walker) v Jason Nicolle
One to Broxbourne. The experience campaigner for Nottingham will have too
much on his plate against either Danny Meddings or Alistair Walker.
5th String.
Natalie Pohrer v Tania Bailey
All form suggests that this should be one way traffic for the World No.2,
despite the vastly improved Miss Bailey.
So my prediction is 2-3 or 3-2 at Nottingham in the first leg, with
Broxbourne enjoying the Home advantage on the 1st April to make Nottingham
look the April Fool's for not playing the first leg away.
All is falling into the Broxbourne hands as history looks
to repeat itself.
Semi-Final RESULTS |