BAT's Badminton Club A team came back after Christmas determined to start 2001 on a winning note in the Plymouth and District Badminton League.

Having already played Torpoint Badminton Club at home early on in the season a good result was hoped for but it was a match which kept the BAT's players on their toes throughout.

With Chris Woodruffe unavailable to play due to a national badminton tournament and David Harrington not back after the Christmas break the men's half of the team took on a new look with James Cooper and Mike Ward coming into play.

All three men's doubles rubbers proved straightforward with only eight points being lost over the three rubbers. The first men's doubles rubber saw James Cooper and Alan Berry take only 10 minutes to overpower the Torpoint pairing 15-0, 15-0.

The second rubber again was an easy one for the BAT's pairing of James Cooper and Mike Ward when they cruised through to take it 15-2, 15-2.

The third men's double rubber also went the way of BAT's when Alan Berry and Mike Ward took the rubber 15-1, 15-3. The BAT's men had laid down a good basis for a win by taking all three doubles rubbers.

The first ladies' doubles rubber saw Heather Cooper and Glynis Hingston have to work hard for every point. In the first game it took the pair some time to settle down to the hall and the different shuttles with the Torpoint pair taking an early lead.

In the end the BAT's pair lost the opening game 8-15 then could only match the Torpoint pairing point for point in the second game before losing it and the rubber 12-15.

The second ladies rubber saw Heather Cooper and Diane Philips struggle to win points with far too many shots ending up the wrong side of the court lines.

In the end the Torpoint pairing ran out the winners 15-9, 15-11. The third rubber saw fortunes swinging both BAT's and Torpoint's way. In the end the BAT's pairing of Glynis Hingston and Diane Philips lost out for BAT's 8-15, 15-5, 11-15.

With the teams drawing three rubbers each the mixed doubles rubbers became important to both BAT's and Torpoint. The first saw Alan Berry and Glynis Hingston give BAT's the impetus they needed with a well worked win 15-6, 15-5.

James Cooper and Heather Cooper then played an unusually scrappy first game of their mixed doubles before taking the rubber 15-13, 15-3. The third also went the way of BAT's with Mike Ward and Diane Philips playing well together as a new pairing 15-1, 15-4.

At the end of the evening BAT's had won the match 6 rubbers to 3 to start off the New Year on a confident note.

BAT's Badminton B team ended 2000 on a high note when they recorded their first win of the season in division 5 of the league against Callington.

After a hectic start when rubbers were exchanged in the men's and ladies' doubles the mixed doubles proved to be the key to BAT's winning 6 - 3.

BAT's B team had to shake off the Christmas food with an early January match in division 5 against China Fleet B.

In the first of the men's doubles rubbers Paul Bitton and Ewan Rae started with a hard fought rubber which they won 15-12, 15-12. The second men's doubles rubber proved to be the hardest of the evening and contained the only game China Fleet won all evening but only after the BAT's pairing of Paul Bitton and Mike Ward had lost the first game 8-15 and were 7-13 down in the second. They then recovered to win the game 17-15 on setting and the third game 15-11.

The third rubber saw Ewan Rae and Mike Ward settle down early on to take the rubber 15-8, 15-10.

In the ladies' doubles all three rubbers went the way of BAT's. In the first rubber Susie Povey and Elizabeth Rae dominated the China Fleet pairing and ran out comfortable winners 15-5, 15-2.

The second saw Susie Povey's and Frances Ward' confidence rising with a 15-6, 15-4 win.

The girls were determined to take the third which Elizabeth Rae and Frances Ward did comfortably, 15-3, 15-3.

Having won all the men's and ladies' rubbers the pressure was on to cap the evening off in the mixed doubles. In the first rubber Paul Bitton partnered Susie Povey settled to a steady game to win 15-11, 15-9.

The second saw the pressure starting to build but Ewan Rae and Frances Ward put the pressure behind them to take it easily 15-4, 15-1.

With the BAT's team now having eight rubbers with the final one to play, Mike Ward and Elizabeth Rae had the responsibility of playing the final rubber. After a hesitant star they settled to the task and ran out the winners 15-6, 15-10.

For the first time BAT's B team had found out what it was like to be on the right end of a 9-0 win.