Independents v Westholme A                               13th November, 2017

It’s only a game

In the opening doubles, Karen Lamb, playing at three for the home side, partnered Gill Fourie and then Pam Parkinson, against the energetic Jenny Brookfield, Westholme’s number 3, with the roving reporter herself and Lynn Hosegood. With strict instructions in my head to stay at the net (I’d given blood that afternoon and I was sure badminton was one of those ‘energetic’ things not to do within the next 24 hours) I basically let Jenny run herself ragged behind me as we faced Karen and Pam. After two very closely fought games, Westholme were two up. In the second ladies, however, the Independent partnership of Karen and Pam, were determined to pull something back. Having lost the first to Jenny and Lynn who had come from behind to win the first game setting, the home ladies secured the second game in another well fought battle.

If the ladies’ games were fiercely competed, then the men’s were a battlefield (hence the title of this report!)  First up, Captain Nigel Shuker partnered Stuart Davey against the Westholme men, Sam Ames, and the inimitable Graham Robinson. Point for point, the men battled hard, with some brilliant court coverage by all four gents. The away team eventually won both games, however, leaving one more men’s to play: Nigel and Pete Wright for Independents, against Graham and Sully. The first game was neck and neck as the men fired the shuttle (and a few words) over the net. After a feisty match, the home team had pulled back another valuable game, leaving the score 2 games to 4 as we went in to the mixed.

The top pairing of Stuart and Gill found it difficult to retrieve the strong left handed smash of young Sam Ames. And, when Claire remembered to stick her racquet up for the occasional cross court, the away couple quickly romped to victory. Pete at number 2 was ignoring his aches and pains as he dashed, with Pam, around the court against the Westholme partnership of Jenny and Graham. After a bad start in the first game, the away pairing caught up to win the first, but the knees and legs of the experienced Pete were not to be out done, and Independents had their third game of the evening.

It was most unfortunate that, having recently returned to play from a chest infection, Karen and Nigel had to concede their game against Sully and Lynn when agonising cramp forced Karen to call it a day. In the final mixed games, Pete and Pam put up a brave fight against the might of Sam Ames as he dodged round his stationery partner; likewise, Sully and Lynn saw the demise of Stuart and Gill on the adjacent court.

It was lovely to see the end court at Independents so well used by team and social players alike. Could this be one of those No Strings Sessions which the website might advertise for Independents I wonder?

Please remember to support your league’s week of tournaments at Norden next week (yes, that’s why you’ve no match!) either by playing in one or more of the events, or going down to watch what will, I am sure, be exciting nights of competitive badminton.