Lincolnshire Take Over 60's

Lincolnshire won the last event of this seasons County Championships when they took the over 60’s play off’s held at St Neots.

 

The top two teams from divisions A and B were due to contest the two semi finals, but unfortunately Essex were a late withdrawal which allowed Lincolnshire the luxury of a bye through to the final, as Yorkshire played Kent to determine who were to face Lincs.

 

A close contest was expected for the semi final as the teams had met at the same stage last year when they fought out a thrilling draw, with Kent going through on a superior games advantage. The Southerners were not in the mood to let that happen again and quickly advanced to a match winning 6-1 lead, with only a mixed doubles win by Ian Gomersall/Carol Judson over Graham French/Pam Butcher to show for the efforts of the White Rose team.

 

The Northerners came back strongly towards the end of the match as Keith Powell beat French and another mixed success saw the match end in a 7-3 win for Kent. Yorkshire may look back on the 11-9 fifth game defeat by Geoff Brook against French and Judsons’s 11-8 fifth game defeat to Butcher when the match was still “alive”.

 

The final got off to a thrilling start as Kent started the stronger, with Tom Adams beating Brian Allison in three, followed by a four game win by Bob Cox over Matt Sheader.

 

Brian Hill steadied the ship with a three game win over Keith Clark, and then partnered Sylvia Tyler to a mixed doubles win over Adams and Butcher 11-6, 18-16, 11-6, the sides were now level.

 

Lincolnshire moved into the lead for the first time in the match when Allison beat Cox in four 11-4, 6-11, 11-5, 13-11, then quickly found themselves 5-2 ahead, as Tyler beat Butcher comfortably in three and a mens doubles win by Hill and Allison over Clark and Adams also in three saw Lincolnshire on the brink of victory.

 

Celebrations were put on hold for at least one set, as Clark beat Sheader in three, but it was perhaps fitting that Hill, unbeaten throughout the campaign should record the winning set, as he beat opposite No 1 Adams 11-6, 11-4, 11-9, to give Lincolnshire the title at their first attempt.