Cambs Squash

Ladies Senior Inter-County 7th + 8th March at St Albans.

Team: 1 Carrie Hastings, 2 Julia Dolman, 3 Mhairi Dougal, 4, Elsje Van Es, 5, Carol Hargreaves, 6, Nicky Hastings

We were fortunate enough to only have to travel to St Albans as there other two teams were Devon and Somerset.

We had hoped to have a team of 7 players to give more players the opportunity to play and to give the chance for Elsje Van Es (aged 16) some senior match experience.

Unfortunately Anne Babtie, Kate Gray and Faye Kowalewsky couldn’t make it and we ended up with a weakened, but keen, side.

The first game was against Somerset. Carol got us off to a great start, playing some very tight squash and probably should have won in 4 as she was 8-5 in the fourth. Her opponent clawed her way back and it went to a fifth. Carol polished that one off 9-0.

Meanwhile Mhairi was playing an experienced O50 player. Mhairi battled well and managed to get the 3rd game, however, lost in 4.

Carrie was on next against a friend of hers from the WISPA tour. Emma was a bit too strong for Carrie who was coming back from an ankle injury. Carrie was not her usual self and played a tentative negative game. She lost 0-3.

Eljse went against a well matched player. She won the 1st game and we thought we were in for another win. Unfortunately she chose the wrong decision for 1 point at 8 all and lost the next point. She then struggled to gain control lost the next 2.

Julia on next against a very good player who applied pressure from the start. Once Julia got into her game plan she matched her better opponent and the games were much tighter.

Next match v Devon.

Carol on first against Josie Barnes (Ex Cambs player who used to play for Philips and Portugal Place). Carol started off well and the first game was close, but Josie was too strong and Carol lost in 3.

Mhairi was up against another strong opponent. She was much more positive in this match and got off to a good start. Unfortunately tiredness kicked in the later stages of the match and she lost 3-1.

Carrie playing more like her usual self, started off slowly losing the first. She then played better and won 3-1.

Elsje then played. She was 1-2 down, and the fourth game she hurt her hand and it started bleeding. She went off to get it sorted and continued playing. Unfortunately it was in difficult place for a plaster and she went off a few times in that game to get it sorted. She lost that game. She played extremely well in the fifth and won 3-2.
(Fortunately the girl marking didn’t know the rules about bleeding on court, as Elsje would have lost the match for going off more than once).

Julia stuck to her game plan from the word go in this match and put up a great fight to a strong experienced player. She was learning and improving in every match, losing this one in a close 3-0.

Sunday – without Carol but with Nicky in as stand in.

V Herts – who had won both their games the day before.

Nicky played Louise, a lefthander who used to play for Cambs University about 14 years ago. Nicky struggled with Louise’s serve and was on the defensive from the start. In the 3rd game Nicky started to play with confidence and show us what she was made of but unfortunately it was a bit too late and her young opponent pushed through. Lost 0-3.

Mhairi was matched against a similar played who moved well and struck the ball hard. Mhairi was much happier playing a hard hitting game and played some great squash. Mhairi’s opponent just had a bit more control over the crucial points and won 3-0.

Carrie next on against the Herts captain, Isobel. Carrie now playing quite confidently and won the first 9-1. Carrie was starting to play the squash she is capable of and dominating the T throughout. Isobel crept back to 5 in the 2nd but Carrie closed the match out in 3 games.

Elsje meanwhile was having a cracking game against Elke (club champion of the courts we were playing on for the last 7 years). Very experienced who played the ball very well. Elsje won the first quite easily but the next few games were close.
In the fifth game, Elsje knocked her cut from the previous day and the SRA referee demanded her off court to get it taped up and also to change her t-shirt that had blood stains on it. At 7-4 up in the fifth Else had to leave the court for a different injury and Elke took control from then on the win the match 3-2.

Julia was next on court against a high maintenance lady who demanded silence and stillness from the crowd and passers by at all times. Julia fought well and took sound advice from Carrie between games. Her game plan and concentration gave her control over many of the rallies it was just too tough to keep up, losing in close games 3-0.

COUNTY TIES WON POINTS
1st HERTS 3 52
2nd SOMERSET 2 44
3rd DEVON 1 27
4th CAMBS 0 17

Nicky Hastings - Team Manager