HomePress Release 23rd November 2003
With two convincing opening matches in Division 3 of the Plymouth and District Badminton League where University and Mayflower Wednesday had been on the receiving end of two BAT’s wins, BAT’s now had to play their first away match against University. For the first time in the season BAT’s were able to play their first choice ladies but an injury in the week to James Cooper meant that he was not playing at his best.
In the men’s doubles rubbers James Cooper and Alan Berry found breaking down the University players difficult with smash after smash being returned and rallies taking a long time to win. Both James and Alan felt frustrated, as they knew that they should have won more easily than the 15–12 17–14 score line showed. In the second men’s doubles rubber James Cooper and Mike Ward failed to make any impression on the University pair with James suffering more and more as the rubber continued. In the end the University pair were worthy winner 4–15 6–15. The third men’s doubles rubber saw Alan Berry and Mike Ward struggle for points against a well organised University pair. In the end the University pair proved too strong for them and they took the rubber 9–15 6–15.
The ladies doubles rubbers were more one sided with the University ladies being shown a lesson in badminton skills. In the first ladies doubles rubber Susie Povey and Frances Ward played well from the start and comfortably took the rubber 15–6 15–8. The second ladies doubles rubber saw Susie Povey and Lizzie Rae totally dominant with rally after rally going their way. In the end the University pair were pleased to get off the court having lost out 15–2 15–2. The third ladies doubles rubber saw Frances Ward and Lizzie Rae continue the domination with another convincing 15–6 15–5 win.
For the first time in the season BAT’s had not gone into the mixed doubles rubbers with a winning margin already on the board which gave the mixed doubles rubbers an extra edge to them. In the first of the mixed doubles rubbers James Cooper, in spite of his injury, and Frances Ward show the University pair how to play mixed doubles with a 15–5 15–5 win. In the second mixed doubles Alan Berry and Susie Povey started off their rubber slowly but in each game as soon as five or six points were scored by the University pair they upped the stakes and pulled away for a comfortable 15–6 15–9 win. The third mixed doubles rubber saw a very close encounter with Mike Ward and Lizzie Rae sharing the first two games 15–12 11–15 but then turn on the style and take the final game 15–8.
At the end of the evening BAT’s came away from the match with a very well worked 7–2 victory over University and looking forward to the next match in the league having already taken 22 points from the first three matches of the season.
Alan Berry
Published in the Tavistock Times Gazette on Thursday 20th November 2003