The Warwickshire Team Championship Final, held at Colebridge For the first time, yesterday, became a new season’s opening event and featured teams representing the Association’s largest Leagues – Birmingham & Leamington – and what a close and exciting an encounter it turned out to be.
Birmingham got off to a flying start, with Ben Willson and Mike Browne defeating Lee Dorning and Ryan Lines 3-1 respectively. Kate Hughes, Leamington’s late addition to their team, then overcame Jason Thompson in 5 rather topsy turvy games – 13-11, 2-11,11-7,3-11, 11-8 – before Ben restored Birmingham’s lead, his 3-1 defeat of Ryan including a 17-15 final game.
After that, there was no stopping Leamington. Lee beat Jason 3-1, before Mike Browne became Kate’s second victim in another 5 game thriller, as the 14-12, 6-11, 14-16, 11-2, 11-9 scores show. Ryan then put his team into the lead for the first time, by defeating Jason 3-1 before Kate applied the coup-de-gras, beating Colebridge club mate, Ben 11-9, 11-9, 3-11, 11-8.
Lee and Ben rounded off the match with another pulsating set, with the Birmingham man becoming yet another 3-1 winner.
‘Player of the Match’ Kate Hughes.
Hopefully, next year, both Leagues will wish to repeat this encounter and a much earlier decision to do so, will permit details of the match to be fully publicised, in the hope of attracting spectators to yet another thrilling match.