Norfolk 2 vs Nottinghamshire 2 Home 27th October

Norfolk second team faced Nottinghamshire 2 at Easton College for their second match of the season in division four.

The men’s singles got off to a good start with Ryan Leung winning his singles with a very tense 3 setter. Leung, 21-13, won the first set comfortably. The Notts player then fought back, sneaking the second set, 27-25. The tension was still present throughout the third set especially as the other games had finished, Leung eventually came out on top to win the third set 23-21. Matt Howes played second singles, where h won comfortably in two sets, 21-15, 21-9 to give Norfolk a good start.

In the women’s singles, Lucy Curran played at number two, narrowly missing out on her first set 23-21, but she remained strong in the second set, but unfortunately could not clinch it.

Serena Verney took her first set comfortably, and in the second set, the Notts player withdrew due to a shoulder injury when Verney was ahead 18-5.

The men’s doubles was split, with both Norfolk pairs winning their games against the Notts second pair. Howes and Paul Daynes winning in 3, 18-21, 21-18, 21-13 and Leung and James Ruthen 21-15, 21-19.

Unfortunately the Notts first pair were too strong for the Norfolk pairs this time round, winning both games in straight sets.

Due to the withdrawal of one of the Notts ladies the away team fielded only one pair. Both games went to three sets, with the Norfolk pairs picking up the second set in each. Unfortunately neither Curran and Verney nor Michelle Dungar and Sharn Ponsford convert it to a win by picking up the third set.

With just the mixed to go Norfolk were ahead 7-5, with a glimpse of a win in sight. Unfortunately the Notts first pair were too strong for Ruthen and Dungar who lost in two sets.

The third pair, Leung and Katie Ruthen, fought hard in their second set after losing their first but unfortunately couldn’t quite get there losing 23-21 in the second.

The second mixed was a long, drawn out three-setter to finish the match off. With the other two games finished, the second pairs had an audience, and were unaware that the game was to win the match. Daynes and Verney took the first set 21-13, but in the second the Notts pair sneaked a 22-20 win, taking the game to a third set. By the end of the third set the pressure was still building. Unfortunately for Daynes and Verney, the Notts pair took the third set with a second 22-20 win, not only to take the game but the match too.

The final score was 8-7; the team played well and will face Worcestershire away on the 10th November, where they hope to get the first win of the season.