Monday 28 March 2022

 The Final Weekend


Cornwall’s top badminton players triumphed in the final weekend of Badminton England’s Senior County Championship at Bath University at the weekend. Needing points to avoid relegation, and missing some key players, manager Brian Hannibal led the team to some inspired victories against tough opponents over the two days of play.


The Stars

First up on the Saturday were the Dorset team, and both Harry Dyer and Milo Semonin lost close games, before Jack Dyer turned the tide with a win in two ends, followed by Cara Collins and Joanna Vyvyan winning well in the women’s singles.


In the men’s doubles, Harry and Jack lost to a strong pair, then Milo and Elliot Dyer had a good win in two ends, although both the Cornish women’s pairs, Bronwen Wotton and Amy Polglase, and Joanna and Mollie Bailey went down fighting.


First the selfies


At 5-4 to Dorset going into the mixed, it was all to play for, and Cara and Harry powered to victory at first mixed, with Bronwen and Elliot just losing out, making the final score 6-5 to Dorset.


What followed was an exciting match against rivals Devon, and the Cornish singles players battled hard, with Harry having a great win in the top slot, and although Jack just lost, Milo won his game in three very tight ends. 

Next up Cara once again showed her class with a comfortable win, then Joanna battled against a wily veteran, pushing the Devon player hard but narrowly losing in three.


Classy Cara

Both mens doubles pairs had excellent wins going the distance in each game, and although Bronwen and Amy lost the first women’s doubles, Mollie and Joanna had a good win in 2nd.


With Cornwall having already won the match, more points were on offer, duly taken up easily by Cara and Harry in the mixed, and with Bronwen and Elliot losing, the overall match score was a deserved 7-4 to Cornwall.


Day 2 and the team’s final match was against a strong Avon team, with much needed points at stake. A brilliant start in the singles, with Harry, Milo, Cara and Joanna all winning, to set the team up nicely.


Harry wins again

Milo leaps (and wins)

It was even stevens in the doubles - Harry and Jack just lost a very tight game against a difficult pair, but Milo and Elliot kept up their 100% record by winning in two and looking good. In the women’s, Bronwen and Amy stormed to a close victory in three ends, before Mollie and Joanna narrowly lost theirs in the final end.


Once again the Cornish team had already secured an excellent victory, but powered on in the final mixed doubles. Cara and Harry were just unstoppable again, and Amy and Elliot were on fire to win the last game of the weekend, giving Cornwall an 8-3 win, and avoid relegation with a flourish.


Cornwall team - manager Brian Hannibal


Cara Collins.         Liskeard                    Harry Dyer.     Truro

Joanna Vyvyan    Camborne                Milo Semonin. St Austell

Bronwen Wotton. Bristol.                       Jack Dyer.       Truro 

Amy Polglase.      Camborne                 Elliot Dyer.       Truro