BATs A team played their second match of the season in division 3 of the Plymouth and District Badminton League against South Hams. With South Hams just missing out on promotion last season the BAT?s players knew they would be in for a tough match.

In the men?s doubles rubbers Alan Berry and Paul Bitton got the team off to the best possible start with a 15-12, 15-14 rubber win. David Harrington and Alan Berry followed with a comprehensive destruction of the South Hams first men?s pair 15-7, 15-2.

In the second game David and Alan lost the first two points then served out the game by taking 15 points in a row.

The third rubber saw David Harrington and Paul Bitton lose concentration early on by losing the first game 8-15, but win the second game 15-11 to take the rubber into a thrilling third end. There were only two points in it but it was the South Hams pair who took the game and the rubber 15-17.

The ladies? doubles rubbers were all hotly contested but with two of the South Hams ladies having played in division 1 recently the rubbers were always going to be difficult for BATs.

In the first rubber Susie Povey and Frances Ward played well together but South Hams proved too strong and they went down 9-15, 6-15.

The second rubber saw Susie Povey and Elizabeth Rae almost take the first game but they lost in the setting 14-17.

In the second game the South Hams pair proved too strong and took the game and rubber 7-15. The third rubber saw Frances Ward and Elizabeth Rae almost pull off a win when they forced the final game to go to setting after the first two games had been shared. They were unlucky to lose the rubber 15-11, 9-15, 14-17.

The mixed doubles saw David Harrington and Susie Povey play in the number one position for the first time. They drew the short straw when they were matched against the brother and sister pair who have won many of the recent Plymouth League tournaments.

In the first game David and Susie did well to take the South Hams pair to setting but found it difficult to close it out and lost the game 14-17. The second game was more difficult when the South Hams pair took it and the rubber 2-15.

The second rubber saw Alan Berry and Frances Ward build on the last match when they took the rubber 15-10, 17-15.

The third saw Paul Bitton and Elizabeth Rae play some excellent mixed doubles. They took a little time to settle in the first game, came back strongly towards the end but still lost it 8-15.

The second game was closer and it looked for a long time as though Paul and Elizabeth would take it but the South Hams players just ran out winners of the game and rubber 12-15.

BAT?s A team lost the match 6-3 but came away knowing they had shown a strong performance against last year?s runners-up in the division.