CADET DIVISION 1B

8 DECEMBER 2013

TEAM	P	W	D	L	GAMES F	GAMES A	SETS F	SETS A	Pts
MIDDLESEX 2	8	8	0	0	222	80	70	10	16
KENT	8	8	0	0	187	88	59	21	16
HERTFORDSHIRE	8	6	0	2	174	107	53	27	12
ESSEX	8	6	0	2	173	130	49	31	12
NORFOLK	9	5	0	4	157	157	43	47	10
SUSSEX 2	9	2	2	5	150	180	37	53	6
SURREY 2	9	2	1	6	132	184	37	53	5
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE	9	1	2	6	132	192	33	57	4
SUSSEX 3	9	1	2	6	127	211	30	60	4
SUFFOLK	9	0	1	8	99	224	19	71	1

There remain two single adjacent County matches left to be played in an exciting finale to Cadet division 1B. Kent v Middlesex will battle to determine winners and runners up whilst Essex v Herts will sort who will finish in third and fourth places.

A full report on day 2 of the competition will follow in due course.

Report from Day 1 9th November

MIDDLESEX AND KENT LEAD THE WAY

This season Cadet Division 1B is a south east/east region with 10 teams and ETTA had proposed two days of matches, one of five rounds and one of four rounds. However all Counties had agreed that five rounds of matches in a day was too long so it was suggested by me that there be two days of four rounds and the ninth match be between adjacent Counties at a date and time to be arranged between themselves. This format was agreed by everyone and all matches would be played on two tables. Also as the Division was equally divided north and south of the Thames a venue be found in each half of the Division. Thus the first round of Cadet County Championship matches was held at BATTS, Harlow on 9 November 2013.

Two of the adjacent County matches had already been played before this date. Sussex 2 and 3 had drawn 5-5, Dexter Sherrin unbeaten for the second team and Alice Hazell for the third team. Norfolk defeated Suffolk 8-2, Oscar and Louis Moyes, Ross Brown and Mollie Patterson all unbeaten.

In the first round of matches at BATTS Middlesex 2 showed their intentions of dominating the Division with a 10-0 demolition of Suffolk. Kian Burgess took Kai Ghazi Timms to a decider as did Katherine Shaw in her match with Jasmine Chan. Essex defeated Sussex 8-2 after losing the first match, Sam Hume, Stephanie Cross and Gracie Edwards unbeaten as was William Goodstone for Sussex. Kent beat Herts 7-3, James Smith, England No. 8 cadet and Ben Foster (26) unbeaten but Jack Merton suffered a five game defeat by Herts Chris Clifford. Herts Charlize Uy won both her matches and she went on to stay unbeaten for the rest of the day. Norfolk won their first two matches against Surrey 2 but left it to Louis Moyes to win the last match for a narrow 6-4 win, Diego Freitas, another player to stay unbeaten throughout the day, and Danielle Kelly winning both their matches. Bucks and Sussex 3 fought out a draw, Ben Naylor-Smith and Shristi Ghosh for Bucks and Viral Kanji for Sussex two wins each.

In the next round it was Sussex 3 to suffer a 10-0 defeat at the hands of Middlesex, Evie Quiroga being closest to a win going down 11-8 in the decider with Talia Benin-Reid. Kent and Essex both had 8-2 wins against Suffolk and Surrey 2 respectively, eight matches in each being won 3-0. Katherine two wins for Suffolk and Diego similar for Surrey. Herts also beat Norfolk 8-2, Chris Clifford and Ethan Walsh (ranked 22) unbeaten with Megan Allaway a 13-11 decider win over Georgina Sunter. Bucks fought back from 3-0 down to Sussex 2 but despite Shristi Ghosh’s two wins Ryan Heselden’s last gasp 9, 11, 17 win over Oliver Hardman secured the points for Sussex 2.

For round three Middlesex’s momentum continued, this time Norfolk were on the receiving end of a 10-0 scoreline. Mollie Patterson was nearest to a win losing the fifth game 7-11 to Jasmine Chan. Essex and Kent kept up the chase, Essex losing just one match when Suffolk’s Katherine Shaw got the better of Gracie Edwards 3-1 and Sidney Dorn just managed to defeat Kian Burgess 11-9 in the fifth game. For Kent they lost three of the four girls matches, Kate Bridger unlucky not to win both her matches. Herts boys Chris Clifford and Jake Henley were in the ascendency over Bucks in their 7-3 win while the Surrey2 v Sussex 2 match finished all square only two matches not settled 3-0 and both of these were won by Surrey late in the fifth game.

For the final round of matches two of the unbeaten teams, Essex and Middlesex met and what a match that turned out to be although the final score was not a true reflection on the closeness of the match. Only one match was won 3-0 and this could, perhaps would, have lasted longer had Kai Ghazi Timms not produced an unbelievable ace serve at a crucial late stage of that third game. The four girls, Tania Dennison, Stephanie Cross, Jasmine Chan and Talia Benin-Reid each won once with three of their four matches going the full distance. The Middlesex boys, Eren Coscu, Kai and Jay Ghazi Timms just had the upper hand winning all six matches to enable Middlesex to win 8-2. Kent kept the pressure on the leaders by beating Norfolk 8-2. Mollie Patterson won her two matches to prevent a whitewash with James Smith, Jack Merton and Ben Foster winning four of their six matches 3-0. Herts also had an 8-2 win over Sussex 2 to keep in touch with the leaders, Alice Hazell and Katie Hood both beating Megan Allaway for the Sussex wins. Sussex 3 lost their last two matches to Surrey 2 for a 4-6 defeat, Surrey’s Michael Tunubu winning his first matches of the day. The two bottom teams Suffolk and Bucks settled for a draw, the Suffolk boys, Kian Burgess, Daniel Shelley and Adam Reeve gaining their first wins of the day whilst Ben Naylor-Smith and Jemma Walker both won twice for Bucks.

After the days play James Smith (four matches), Ben Foster (three matches) and Regan O’Neil (only two matches) of Kent, Kidi Martin Paolo, Kai and Jay Ghazi Timms and Eren Cosgu (all three matches) of Middlesex and Diego Freitas of Surrey for the boys and Charlize Uy of Herts, the only girl, are still unbeaten.

The next round of matches is at Cippenham on Sunday 8 December but it looks as though the destination of the Division Title will be settled when Middlesex and Kent meet in the adjoining single County match yet to be arranged.

Arthur C. Clark
Essex Junior Match Secretary and Cadet Division 1B Organiser. (December 8, 2013)