On Wednesday 21stJuly, our Wilts M75 team surpassed expectations against a strong Hampshire/Isle of Wight side which included two players selected recently for British National Teams to play in the World Championships !
On the longest day, it was perhaps appropriate that the match should last four hours from 12 noon !
Second pair Edward Lea & Robert Townsend started immaculately winning the first seven games before the opposing second pair got going and rallied to take the second set 4-6. In the meantime first pair Matt Holland & Colin Gratton took their first set 6-4 but lost their second 3-6. So both rubbers went into the 3rd set CTB with EL/RT winning 10-6 but MH/CG losing 5-10.
One-all and all to play for ………!! Edward & Robert ran their first pair close 5-7, whilst Matt & Colin won their first set 6-3 …….. Matt & Colin managed to close out 6-2 whilst Edward & Robert scored another 5-7…….. so level 2-2 on rubbers, also level 5-5 on sets …… but Wilts had won six more games to succeed by 42-36 on games.
Considering that this is in Division One of the LTA Seniors County Cup and Hants had already defeated Cornwall but lost to Surrey, this was really an excellent performance ! Currently Wilts are in second place to Surrey in the division but will next face both Middlesex & Surrey, both very strong teams, at the end of July.
Mike Powell (Wilts Mens Seniors Organiser)