[visiongallery set=72157628985533009]
Photos: Vivan Jayant
From initially what was a very close encounter, Halifax emerged as victors with four straight game wins in the latter portion of this 9 set tie. Whether this was down to the pre-match agreement between the Captains of a free lunch for the victor is another matter.
The turning point was undoubtedly the 6th match, a forceful Halifax 21 – 5 win, driven by some quick movement on the baseline from the aptly named Piers Whipp, which set the foundation for a sprint to the finish.
This shift up in gear from Halifax, after an even start, will be pleasing for them as a chance to demonstrate their ability to take a game by the scruff of its neck at the crucial stage. Derwent can take solace in their steady start to the match, but will be, of course, disheartened to end up losers after leading 3 – 2 after the 5th match.
The tie begun with a 21 – 15 victory for Halifax’s Lucy Rogers and Ian White, who won one particular point with an impressively powerful drop shot.
However, Derwent answered quickly with a comfortable 21 – 9 win. In this game, the combination of several accurate shots from the baseline by Liam Boshewl, coupled with Charlie Parker’s deft net play, provided the overall tie with an interesting balance early on.
Derwent’s steady start continued with a closely fought victory of 21 – 18 for Mike Taylor and Clara How in the 3rd match, but was quickly rebuffed with a 21 – 9 win for Halifax in the 4th match. This clear Halifax win was largely based on their strong sense of discipline in formation, with Lucy Rogers sticking closely to the net providing good cover to allow Ian White’s powerful shots from the baseline.
At 2 – 2, the Halifax captain Tom Grange expressed some concern at the performance of his team, a feeling extended by the 21 – 12 win from Mike Taylor and Clara How of Derwent that gave them an overall 3 – 2 lead.
From the first 5 games it is clear to see how close this match was, but as mentioned earlier, the rampaging 21 – 5 win for Halifax in the 6th game seemed to open the floodgates for Halifax’s comfortable cruise to winning a victorious 6 – 3.
These floodgates were firmly propped open by the 21 – 14 win for Ian White and Lucy Rogers over the, until-then, undefeated pair of Mike Taylor and Clara How. This overcoming of the hitherto solid Derwent pair was largely built upon the power shown by Ian White from the baseline, an example of sporting aggression prevailing akin to the 1932-33 ‘Bodyline’ tour of the English Cricket Team down under.
The deciding 8th match was a tense and close affair, with momentum shifting a number of times. The game started with an authoritative point for Derwent from a powerful shot from Liam Boshewl, who later showed good judgment to leave a close wide shot. The Halifax pair, Piers and Yan, did wrestle back control of the game, only to lose it again due to a couple of mistakes that brought the possibility of a second Derwent revival close to reality. However, delicate net play from Halifax, coupled with some close rallies eventually brought Halifax the win required to secure the tie overall.
The final 9th match, inconsequential in its result, still provided an entertaining watch with a 21 – 19 first win of the day for the Halifax pair Tom Clarke and Cat Mcloughin. The fight shown by the Derwent team of Jon Hill and Emma Benson in this game was a credible showing of the passion for badminton, which emitted from a very enjoyable early afternoon of college matches.
Lets hope that the Halifax Captains’ free lunch was just as enjoyable.
Pair of the match: Ian White and Lucy Rogers of Halifax College, who won all three of their games.