Norfolk II bounce back with Inter County Regional Badminton Championships win

Malcolm Lovatt
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
5:12 PM

The county second team returned to winning ways in the Inter County Regional Championships with a 9-6 home victory over Northamptonshire.

Michael Philpott, Luke Cox, Serena Verney and Lucy Curran all won their singles games, but Northants fought back strongly to take all four men’s doubles. James Ruthen and Chris Piff were particularly unlucky to go down in two tough three-setters, losing their first match 21-15, 19-21, 21-23 and the second 13-21, 23-21, 18-21. Philpott and Paul Daynes lost both their games in two sets.

The women’s doubles were shared with Michelle Dungar and Katie Ruthen and Verney and Curran winning one game apiece in straight sets. Going into the mixed doubles the match was level at 6-6, with Norfolk determined to complete the double by winning at least two of the remaining games. In fact, they won all three, with Philpott and Dungar, Daynes and Ruthen and Cox and Verney producing the goods for the home side.

Norfolk entered a team in the over 45s division of the Masters Inter County Championships played in Stoke-on-Trent. The team’s opponents were Leicestershire, Shropshire, West Scotland, Cheshire, Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire and they were well placed after the first day, but, unfortunately came across some very strong opposition on day two, eventually finishing fifth. Representing Norfolk were Eddie Simmons, David Guy, Geoff Roff, Andre Minnis, Ryan Folkard, Suzanne Benton, Jenny Longmore, Sally Bridgstock, Norma Bowen and Sandra Robinson.

In the latest round of Shires League matches, Norfolk Under 15s took on a very strong Bucks side who arrived with one boy short, which gifted the home side four games. Despite this Bucks won the match 15-5 with Norfolk’s only win coming in the girls singles from Devon Minnis in a comfortable two setter. The team was Dominic Ely, Ben Page, Ben Sharman, George Vickers Tom Boardman, Jacob Trend, Devon Minnis, Kathryn Adamson, Georgia Moyes and Lauren Mortimer.