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Press Release 23rd November 2003
The BAT’s mixed team took on Mayflower Wednesday in Division 3 of the Plymouth and District Badminton League recently determined to build on their recent 8–1 victory over University. With Mayflower having been relegated last season from Division 2 the match was going to be a testing one for the BAT’s team.
In the men’s rubbers James Cooper and Alan Berry got the men off to the best possible start with a 15–5 15–2 win. James Cooper and Mike Ward then followed this victory up with a 15–5 15–6 win. The third rubber was a little more interesting in that Alan Berry and Mike Ward won the first game of the rubber 15–1 but then found the Mayflower pair hard to break down when they lost the second game 11–15. The final game of the rubber went down to the wire with the Mayflower pair managing to take it and the rubber 14–15.
With one player absent due to work commitments BAT’s went into the match with Becky Ward playing for the second week running. It was to prove a long day of badminton for Becky as she had just won the ESBA Junior Tournament held in Exeter that afternoon. In the first ladies doubles rubber Frances Ward and Lizzie Rae soon showed Mayflower that the evening was going to be a long one for them with a comfortable 15–5 15–2. The second ladies doubles rubber saw Frances and Becky easily take the first game of the rubber 15–4 but then have to work hard in the second game which they eventually won 15–13. The third ladies double rubber saw Lizzie Rae and Becky Ward once again comfortably take the first game of the rubber 15-2 but then take things a little easily in the second when they had to come from behind to win the second game and the rubber 17–14.
With just the mixed doubles to go BAT’s already had a winning margin over Mayflower but they wanted to press home their advantage. In the first of the mixed doubles rubbers James Cooper and Frances Ward showed their experience of playing together by taking the Mayflower pair apart 15–9 15–3. The second mixed doubles rubber saw Alan Berry and Becky Ward get off to the best possible start by taking the first ten points but then the Mayflower pair slowly came back at them to take the game 13–15. Alan and Becky then regrouped and showed the Mayflower pair had to play by taking the next two games and the rubber 15–1 15–8. The third mixed doubles rubber saw Mike Ward and Lizzie Rae play well together and unluckily lose the first game 14–15. They then found their form and took the next game 15–4 to take the rubber into a deciding end. In the end they just failed to beat the Mayflower pair when they lost it, and the rubber, 11–15.
At the end of the evening BAT’s had made it ‘job done’ with a convincing 7–2 victory over Mayflower.
Alan Berry
Published in the Tavistock Times Gazette on Thursday 13th November 2003