Veterans

Ladies Doubles – 5/4/2009

Held at Yarmouth Sports and Social Club

The final veterans’ tournament of the season, the Ladies Doubles, was held at Yarmouth on Sunday. Five pairs entered, with handicaps ranging from owe19 for Gillian Bushell and Elaine Bricknell up to receive 5 for Claire Veal and Jenny Beckingham. The tournament was played as a round robin event and the result was not decided until the final match.

After four and a half hours of play, the title rested upon the result of the final match between Karin Murrant and Karen Woodford (owe11) and Gillian Bushell and Elaine Bricknell, with Gillian and Elaine starting with six points more than their opponents. To add additional interest, had either pair lost heavily, the runners up spot could have been claimed by Claire Veal and Jenny Beckingham.

Karin and Karen started well and quickly amassed some points to stretch their lead and although Gillian and Elaine tried to claw back the handicap, it was Karin and Karen who took the first set 21-13. This meant that they had to score at least 19 points in the second set to win.

Again it was Karen and Karin who started well, giving Gillian and Elaine little opportunity to score points. As the set progressed, Karin and Karen built up an unassailable lead and the question then was whether Gillian and Elaine would accumulate enough points for runners up position. A final flurry of a few points from Gillian and Elaine, before Karin and Karen eventually won 21-9, did secure second place, but at the end of the day Karen and Karin had won by 14 points to win the title for the first time.

Our thanks go once again to Mike West and to Yarmouth Club for staging the Veterans’ events this season. It was greatly appreciated and all of the events have had maximum support and player enjoyment.

Men’s Doubles – 22/3/2009

Held at Yarmouth Sports and Social Club

On a day better suited weatherwise to outdoor pursuits, the veterans’ Men’s Doubles tournament was held at Yarmouth. The 8 pairs who entered were split into 2 groups, with the group winners progressing to the final.

The morning started with Group A and the winners weren’t decided until the final match of the group. Going into the final game both Brian Amy & Mike West and Tony Black & Tony Isaacs had maximum points. The first set was won by Tony Black & Tony Isaacs 21-15, however Brian Amy & Mike West won the second set 21-14 to progress by one point to the final.

Unfortunately, in Group 2 Eric Mitchell sustained an injury in his opening set that impeded his mobility, but he still demonstrated some excellent net play. The outcome of this group also went to the final game. The holders, Richard Jones & Rudi Hendon-John, playing off minus 20, had obtained maximum points, whereas Barry Bushell & Paul Skinner had dropped 2 points in an earlier match and, with the additional possibility that, had both pairs lost a set heavily, then Kevin Foss & Keith Lacey could make it to the final. With Rudi Hendon-John & Richard Jones winning the first set 21-19, it meant they had to obtain 15 points in the second set to reach the final. However they lost the set 15-9, so it was Barry Bushell & Paul Skinner who progressed through.

With handicaps adjusted for the final, Barry & Paul were minus 6 with Brian & Mike plus 4. The first set saw Brian & Mike win 21-11, however the second set was a lot tighter and twice Barry & Paul were within 2 points of Brian & Mike, only to see the lead stretched. Eventually Brian & Mike took the set 21-15 to recapture the trophy they first won in 2003.

Many thanks go to Mike West and Yarmouth Club for staging the event again this year – another successful effort. Thanks also to Kevin Foss for his input to the handicapping.

Click on this link to get your entry form for printing: vets-ladies1

Mixed Doubles – 22/2/2009

Yarmouth Sports and Social Club

Barry and Denise Victorious in the Veterans’ Mixed Doubles

During his badminton career, Barry Bushell has won many men’s doubles titles but until Sunday he had not won a mixed title. Partnered by Denise Insley, he had the severest handicap at minus 22, and, after more than 8 hours’ play, he was victorious in the Veterans’ Mixed Doubles, held at Yarmouth.

Denise and Barry came through Group A, winning all four of their matches. After beating their closest opponents, Mike West and Claire Veal 21-19 21-20, they went into their final group match against Melvyn Price and Linda Lucas knowing they needed to gain at least 37 of the 42 available points. In a keenly-contested match, Denise and Barry won both sets to earn maximum points and progress to the final.

In Group B, Dave Wedge and Jenny Beckingham progressed to the final but only 11 points separated the four pairs. Again, the final match in the group proved crucial, as Dave and Jenny needed 33 points against Richard Price and Mary Speed to overtake Stuart Egerton-Read and Sue Fagan. Although both pairs won a set, Dave and Jenny amassed 40 points to head the group.

In the final, Dave and Jenny raced to an early lead in the first set, at 20 – minus 16, but Barry and Denise slowly clawed back the deficit and fought back to 20-15 before Dave and Jenny were able to win the point necessary to win the set. In the second set Barry and Denise quickly eroded the handicap to win 21-16, then in the third set led at the change around before eventually winning 21-16.

In total, nine pairs competed. The next veterans’ event is the Mens Doubles on Sunday March 22^nd.