The Club’s winter programme of matches has resumed after a short Christmas break.
In the Basingstoke League the men’s A team had a straightforward win over Old Basing B. Shaun McDonald and Al Williams won both matches 6-1, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-2. John Cadwell and Gregor Corcoran also proved too strong for the opposition winning 6-1, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-1.
They then took on local rivals Goodworth Clatford. This was a closer match with Al Williams and Shaun McDonald winning three sets and Gregor Corcoran and Adrian Shapter winning two, to give them a 5-3 win overall.
The men’s B team has relied on youth and has given first senior matches to several of the club’s talented youngsters. Brothers Tommy and Mark Mackie helped the club to promotion last season and Kyril Kennett has played a lot of matches. Myles Cole is the latest junior to join the team. Myles, Kyril and Mark are fourteen years old. They need to be consistent and strong to hold their own in a senior match as well as having to cope with styles less coached than their own. Myles and Kyril played their part in beating Old Basing B at Old Basing. They won both matches 6-2, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-4. Gareth Banning and Jacob Webb halved one match 6-7, 6-2 and won the other 6-0, 6-0.
Myles, Thomas, Kyril and Adrian
The team found it harder against Old Basing A at Andover’s Indoor centre, but they put up a good show. Myles and Kyril faced the Basingstoke Singles Champion in the first pair but had some superb rallies of professional quality. The Old Basing pair had more consistency at that level and won 6-0, 6-2. The boys were not downhearted, however, and had a close match against the second pair sharing the sets 6-4, 2-6.
Adrian Shapter and Thomas Foster did well against the second pair, winning 7-5, 6-2 and put up a good show against the firsts but went down 3-6, 3-6. This was a loss by 3-5 overall, but a great effort against a good team.
The A team are due to play the Old Basing A team so this should be a good test for them.
