Devon U13 versus
Cornwall (A)
Sunday 16 March
2008
Match Report
Result:
Won 22-14.
Team:
|
Zachary
Phillips |
Hannah
Laidler |
|
Jamie Bishop |
Lauren Crump |
|
Tom Otto |
Abigail
Summers |
|
Samuel Owens |
Sophie
Laidler (U11) |
|
Dominic
Garside |
Emily
Hutchings (U11) |
|
Paul Reed |
|
With only five
girls, and two of those playing up from the U11, we knew this was
going to be a tough call (giving the opponents five rubbers before we
had even started). But we wanted to win our first game of the season.
The badminton
almost came second fiddle when a tarantula attack in the minibus on
the way down caused mayhem and screaming (from the girls) and laughter
and hysterics (from the boys).
We were welcomed
by a friendly Cornish team who lent us a sixth girl to make up the
numbers for games purposes. But however nice off court, we planned to
be ruthless on it. The first four games went off – and we came off
the victors. Winning five of the boys singles and two of the girls
singles we were just ahead going into the doubles. Notable
performance in the boys singles from Paul Reed who playing at boy 6
took his opponent to three ends before beating him 21-10 in the final
end.
The girls were
all playing in new partnerships. Hannah Laidler and Lauren Crump
settled in very quickly together and demolished the Cornish girls,
winning the only three girls doubles rubbers convincingly.
The boys doubles
represented the strongest possible doubles team from the U13 squad.
And this was reflected in the results – as we won all nine boys
doubles rubbers in two games. The biggest competition came between
the top two pairs to see who could win by the biggest margin. The
result? Zachary and Samuel had 80 points scored against them, Jamie
and Tom had 85. This domination in the boys doubles proved pivotal
for us.
Going into the
mixed I knew we couldn’t be beaten…but unfortunately suffered from a
mathematical blank when quizzed by the players about how we were
doing!
Some new parings
in the mixed were also used. Zachary and Lauren discovering that
sometimes knocking convention works, playing level and winning
easily. Jamie and Hannah received a walkover from an injured Cornish
girl. Tom and Abigail were unlucky to go to three ends and lose 21-23
in the final. Samuel and Sophie played incredibly well in their first
match together, winning in two ends - giving Sophie (an U11 player)
her first mixed rubber in the U13 squad. Dominic and Emily played
well together but were just beaten. The mixed rubbers split down the
middle meant an overall win for Devon 22-14.
A nice end to
the match was had with a Cornwall versus Devon ‘round the world’.
Watching Devon players fall rapidly I feared the worst for our
reputation. Then Jamie, on his own, finished off four Cornish players
– to win the game – before being mobbed by his ecstatic Devon team
mates.
It is very hard
to pick a player of the match as everyone played so hard. Zachary,
Jamie, Hannah, and Lauren all won every game. Because technically
everyone was at the top of their game on this occasion I will pick
‘player of the match’ on the basis of another key characteristic in a
good player – attitude. Player of the match therefore goes to Emily
Hutchings. Playing an age group above her own and playing every game
with a smile she is a popular player amongst the team. She reminds us
all what it is to play and enjoy your games.
Emily Macaulay
U13 Lead Coach
|
