05/03/2011
MIDDLESEX INTER COUNTY DOUBLES
Women O45, Men O45, O55. Middlesex Inter County Doubles
SURREY SUCCESS AND DOUBLE DELIGHT FOR MIDDLESEX
Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis and Squash Club
set in leafy
Tettenhall were the perfect hosts for the WOMEN OVER 40, MEN OVER 45, MEN
OVER 55 INTER COUNTY FINALS on the 26/27 February 2011
WOMEN OVER 40
SEMI A - SURREY v CHESHIRE
Holders Surrey quickly underlined their status as favourites for the
title, with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Cheshire. Captain Tammy
Bennett started the ball rolling with a 3-0 win over Liz West, and
her team mates quickly followed suit, only dropping one game in the entire tie.
SEMI B - YORKSHIRE v KENT
This proved to be the tougher of the 2 semis, and although Yorkshire
won 4-1, there were some very tight matches, none more so than between number 1
strings Paula Arrowsmith (Yorks) and Mandy Akin (Kent) , which was
a mixture of wonderful shot play and absorbing rallies, and saw Arrowsmith take
it 9/2 in the 5th.
PLAY OFF - CHESHIRE v KENT
Kent were too strong for Cheshire in the Sunday morning play off. Belinda
Openshaw was the only winner for Cheshire as Mandy Akin,
Karen Hume, Sue Giles and Angie White took Kent to a deserved
3rd place finish.
FINAL - SURREY v YORKSHIRE
Surrey and Yorkshire are old rivals in this event, with the title
swapping hands on a regular basis. Surrey strengthened Saturdays line up with
the addition of Sandra Dunn (who had literally just jetted back from a
holiday in Dubai), looked to have the slight edge. Jo Robinson at 5th
string got things going for Surrey with a 3-1 win over Julie Nevins, but
Lucy Robbins levelled things up with a tight 3-2 win over Tammy
Bennett in the 3rd string match. No 1 Isabelle Tweedale
continued her impressive form with a comfortable 3-0 win over Belinda
Openshaw. Surrey then secured the title once again when Dunn
beat Sarah Percy 3-1. Arguably the best match of the final was in the
dead rubber 2nd string match between Claire Baker and Julie Field,
which swung one way then the next, finally going Bakers way 9/2 in the 5th. A
credit to both players.
4-1 to Surrey overall
MEN OVER 55
SEMI A - YORKSHIRE v MIDDLESEX
Yorkshire
were handed a tough semi final against favourites Middlesex.
With Mark Cowley and Duleep Adhihetty at 1st and 2nd strings
Middlesex are a tough proposition and Yorkshire found them too hot to
handle, losing 5-0.
SEMI B - DURHAM & CLEVELAND v SURREY
It was difficult to predict the outcome of the tie between holders Surrey
and Durham & Cleveland, and it was hard fought all the way. Rob
Thomson, Bob Spence and Dave Lumsden all won for Durham &
Cleveland, Dave Clarke and Andy Wilde for Surrey. 3-2
to the Northerners.
PLAY OFF - YORKSHIRE v SURREY
Yorkshire beat Surrey (who only fielded 4 players due to the withdrawal of
Dave Clarke through injury) 3-2 in an entertaining play off, with wins
for Andy Kettlewell and Dave Lines.
FINAL - MIDDLESEX v DURHAM & CLEVELAND
Mark Cowley at first string started the tie off and quickly overcame a
slightly jaded Dave Lumsden 3-0. A quick victory was important for
Cowley, as will be revealed later…. Chris Goodbourn at 5th string
for Middlesex had a wonderful match with Norman Turnbull, importantly
nicking it 10/8 in the 5th, which gave Middlesex a 2 -0 lead. Stuart
Hardy coming into fine form following a bad knee injury clinched the tie for
Middlesex with a 3-0 win over Brian Duke at 3rd string. Duleep
Adhihetty beat Kevin Dryden 3-0 to make it 4-0 to Middlesex.
Bob Spence salvaged some pride for Durham as he beat Howard
Cherlin 3-0 in the dead rubber match.
Middlesex champions once again 4-1
MEN OVER 45
SEMI A - LANCASHIRE v SURREY
With Dermot Hurford at 5th string
Surrey boasted strength in depth and this saw them through against
Lancashire 4-1, however it could have been closer for Lancashire had
Nigel Willis not lost narrowly 9/7 in the 5th to Greg Pearman at
1st string in a lively encounter. Another great match was that between Ian
Bradburn (Lancs) and Chris Harland (Surrey), which went
the way of Bradburn 3-1.
SEMI B - YORKSHIRE v MIDDLESEX
Middlesex were keen to join neighbours Surrey in the final, but went
one down in the 5th string match as Steve Jones beat Gordon Kerr
3-0. The ever reliable Alan Thomson levelled the match for Middlesex
beating Keith Hinds 3-0, and it was plain sailing for Middlesex
after that as they ran out 4-1 winners.
PLAY OFF - LANCASHIRE v YORKSHIRE
With pride at stake in a “War of the Roses” battle it was no surprise to see
this one go to the wire. With the tie standing at 2-2, the outcome of the 2nd
string match between Allen Day (Lancashire) and Keith Hinds
(Yorkshire) would decide things. What a match it was as Allen clawed his
way back from 2-0 down to take the 3rd 10/9 and the 4th 9/1. Hinds dug deep
though, and won the match 9/5 in the 5th and the tie 3-2 to Yorkshire.
FINAL – SURREY v MIDDLESEX
More local pride was at stake in a “War of the Home Counties” Final, and
like the play off, it went to the last match. Peter Gunter (Middlesex)
and Greg Pearman (Surrey) kicked things off at 1st string with the
strength of Gunter taking him to a 3-0 win. Another 3-0, this time to Surrey
as Chris Harland beat James Ockwell . There were a few double
takes when the 5th strings went on court as Mark Cowley, who had earlier
played at 1 for the Over 55’s took on Dermot Hurford. This was a tough
battle, and at 1-1 it looked as if Cowley might inch ahead as he went 8-6 up in
the 3rd, however Hurford came back to 8-8 and took it 10-8 following an injury
break by Cowley. Hurford then took the 4th 9/6 to put Surrey 2-1 up in the tie.
Surrey seemed to have one hand on the trophy when Marc Aldridge went
2-1 and 5-0 up v Alan Thomson in the 3rd string match, but some tough
rallies seemed to take their toll on Aldridge as Thomson battled back and took
it 9/5. Deflated both mentally and physically, Aldridge struggled in the 5th
and Thomson took it 9/4.
So the final would be decided on the outcome of the 2nd string match. Adrian
Jaski showed his class, and played some lovely squash against James Hyatt,
and won the match 3-0 and the title went to Middlesex 3-2.
A great weekend of competitive squash, was mirrored at the Saturday evening
dinner held at the club, giving the players a chance to relax and socialise
together.
For further details contact:
events@englandsquashandracketball.com
Tel:
0161 231 4499
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