The Cornwall team travelled to Bath University at the start of the new season to play the first two matches at the weekend.
First up were Shropshire, a team also missing a women player like Cornwall, and the two Dyer brothers, Harry and Jack, got Cornwall off to a flying start with great singles wins in two ends. Joanna Vyvyan did very well in the top women’s singles slot in winning in three, and although Josh Richards and Jess Canfield battled hard, they just lost out in their games.
And the crowd went wild
In the doubles, James Whetter and Guy Michell were up against a tough pair, and lost in two, but Harry and Jack with some amazing reaction shots and good teamwork did well to win in two. Bronwen and Joanna, a new pairing, found it tough going in the only women’s doubles game.
Bron and Jess in action
Unfortunately both mixed, again with new pairs, of Harry and Bronwen, and Guy and Jess, went Shropshire’s way, which left the overall score 6-4 in the opposition’s favour.
On to the afternoon match, against Wiltshire, and it was a tough start, as all the Cornish singles went the wrong way, but the men had other ideas in the doubles games….In the first men’s, James and Guy got into the zone, and after a narrow win in the first end, stormed to victory in the second. Harry and Jack followed suit - achieving their unbeaten run in three ends of exciting, entertaining badminton.
Storming Guy and James
Harry and Jack winning
After that, it was all downhill for the Cornwall team, as the opposition took the only women’s doubles and the first mixed, and despite James and Jess putting in a brave effort, they narrowly lost the third end 21-19, agonisingly close, but making the overall score 9-2 to Wiltshire.
A long day, and long trip back, but the team are determined to look forward to the next time in the new year.
