Women’s Over 40 Intercounty Match Report
Stage 2 – Sunday 23 November
The Team String
1 Chris Park (Northumberland Club)
2 Dawn Ward (Tynemouth)
3 Lesley Vitty (Northern)
4 Eleanor Bowles (Northumberland Club)
5 Sue Hoburn (Northumberland Club)
Playing at the Bowden Club, Cheshire, the Northumbria team took on the host county in their first match of the day. Sue Hoburn, a last minute stand-in at no 5 string, came away with a hard fought victory. Lesley Vitty, meanwhile, staged a comeback from 2-0 down to level her match at no 3 string but was unable to sustain the push in the final game. With the match standing at 1-1, Chris Park could not overcome the deft play of her opponent at no 1 string, losing 3 -0, but Eleanor Bowles, undefeated last season at no 4 string, continued her fine form into this season with a 3-1 victory. The match was now level at 2-2 and Dawn Ward valiantly played but could not get the better of her tricky, left-hander, going down 3-1.
The match was lost 2-3 but valuable points were scored (9 -16)
Full results:-
1 Chris Park lost to Di Parums 3/9, 2/9, 1/9 0 – 3
2 Dawn Ward lost to Polly Woodward 4/9, 5/9, 9/7, 2/9 1 – 3
3 Lesley Vitty lost to Hilary Tarleton 6/9, 1/9, 9/4, 9/6, 2/9 2 – 3
4 Eleanor Bowles beat Jane Law 4/9, 9/7, 9/7, 10/8 3 – 1
5 Sue Hoburn beat Cathy Woodhart 7/9, 9/6, 9/4, 9/1 3 – 1
The second match of the day was against Hertfordshire and Northumbria were quickly on the back foot, going down in both the 3 and 5 string matches 3-0, with both Lesley and Sue feeling the effects of the earlier match. Eleanor once again pulled out a magnificent victory with another 3-1 victory. Chris Park took the first game in her match at no 1 string, but the roller-coaster match finally levelled at 2 all, before Chris was able to finish off for a win 3-2. Once again Dawn Ward tried to seal the win in the 2nd string match, but once again, despite her courageous play, went down 3-1, in a thrilling encounter in which both players gave their all.
The match was lost 3-2 but again our points total of 7 from this match could prove vital in the final reckoning.
Full results:-
1 Chris Park beat Isobel Smith 9/2, 6/9, 4/9, 9/1, 9/5 3 – 2
2 Dawn Ward lost to Elke Rubsam 7/9, 9/0, 7/9, 4/9 1 – 3
3 Lesley Vitty lost to Sue Collins 3/9, 3/9, 2/9 0 – 3
4 Eleanor Bowles beat Lesley Garner 5/9, 10/8, 9/0, 9/3 3 – 1
5 Sue Hoburn lost to Sally Philp 6/9, 5/9, 6/9 0 – 3
The final match of the day between Cheshire and Hertfordshire resulted in a whitewash to Cheshire 5- 0 (20 – 5).
The remaining matches with Yorkshire and Leicestershire are to be played on 11 January.
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