THE BATS mixed team took on Mayflower in division 3 of the Plymouth and District Badminton League, determined to build on their recent 8-1 victory over University. With Mayflower having been relegated last season from division 2 the match was going to be a testing one for the BATS.
In the men?s rubbers James Cooper and Alan Berry got off to the best possible start with a 15-5, 15-2 win. James Cooper and Mike Ward followed with a 15-5, 15-6 win.
The third rubber was a little more interesting in that Alan and Mike won the first game of the rubber 15-1 but found the Mayflower pair hard to break down when they lost the second game 11-15. The final game went down to the wire with the Mayflower pair managing to take it and the rubber 14-15.
With one player absent due to work commitments BATS went into the match with Becky Ward playing for the second week running. It was to prove a long day for Becky as she had just won the ESBA Junior Tournament in Exeter that afternoon.
In the first ladies? doubles rubber Frances Ward and Lizzie Rae showed Mayflower the evening was going to be a long one for them with a comfortable 15-5, 15-2 win.
The second rubber saw Frances and Becky easily take the first game 15-4 but then have to work hard in the second which they won 15-13. The third rubber saw Lizzie Rae and Becky Ward again comfortably take the first game 15-2 but then take things a little easily in the second when they had to come from behind to win the second game and the rubber 17-14.
With just the mixed doubles to go BATS already had a winning margin over Mayflower but they wanted to press home their advantage.
In the first of the mixed doubles rubbers James Cooper and Frances Ward showed their experience of playing together by taking the Mayflower pair apart 15-9, 15-3.
The second rubber saw Alan Berry and Becky Ward get off to the best possible start by taking the first ten points but then the Mayflower pair slowly came back at them to take the game 13-15. Alan and Becky regrouped and showed the Mayflower pair how to play by taking the next two games and the rubber 15-1, 15-8.
The third rubber saw Mike Ward and Lizzie Rae play well together and unluckily lose the first game 14-15. They then found their form and took the next game 15-4 to take the rubber into a deciding end. In the end they just failed to beat the Mayflower pair when they lost it, and the rubber, 11-15.
At the end of the evening BATS had made it ?job done? with a convincing 7-2 victory over Mayflower.