Sarnian girls base of title-winning team

THE Channel Islands girls team have won Division 5A in the Ariel 13 and under Junior County Cup and with it promotion for 2005. Three Guernsey players were included in the five-strong team that travelled to Basingstoke to play three matches in as many days and the CI came away with an unbeaten record.

'It was a fantastic achievement,' said Hugh Raymond, the CI development officer.

'It was actually the first time our coach, Rebecca Edwards, had taken a group away, so it was great for her and the team is now up to Division 4B, which is phenomenal when you consider that we are looked upon as a very small county.'

On the first day, the CI faced North Scotland and Jersey's Alex Taylor got the team off to a great start against Alessia Palmeiri with a 7-5, 6-4 win.

Guernsey's Isabel Wray had a marathon match at number three against the 9.1-rated Jennifer Green.

The Sarnian lost the first set but showed great courage in taking the second 7-5.

The third set was equally entertaining and the score was no reflection on Wray's effort as she was unfortunate to lose it 6-1.

The CI numbers one and two were Guernsey's Heather Watson and Olivia Cooney respectively and both endured a long match.

Cooney displayed excellent consistency and was unfortunate to go down 6-2, 6-2 to Samantha Lister, while Watson managed victory over Katie Gater by the same score.

The Guernsey girl continuously caught her opponent out with down-the-line winners.

With the overall match level at 2-2 going into the doubles, Taylor and Wray produced some great net play in a 7-5, 6-3 win, but Watson and Cooney eventually succumbed to their opponents in three sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.

However, with the matches tied at 3-3, the CI won the overall contest by virtue of having won eight sets to Scotland's six.

On day two, the CI switched from indoors to outdoor clay courts as they met Gloucestershire.

A very focused Kirsten McArthur gave the CI a winning start as she overcame Georgia Rawlinson 6-3, 6-2 although Gloucester-shire hit back with Wray again going down in a marathon three-set encounter.

But Cooney and Watson gave the CI a 3-1 lead going into the doubles with wins over Lara Surman (6-4, 6-4) and Elisha Hande (6-1, 5-7, 6-2) respectively.

This time Watson and Wray teamed up and won their doubles contest 6-0, 6-4 and although Cooney and Taylor went down in three sets, the CI had already secured the overall match honours.

The final clash was against North Wales and once again McArthur got the ball rolling with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 singles win.

The Welsh team levelled with Wray suffering defeat in another tight match but Cooney excelled in securing a 6-4, 6-4 victory in the number two singles.

Watson lost out in the number one singles with her opponent, Sean Bayliss, winning the championship tie-break.

But, importantly, that tie-break was not to count as a set win in the overall contest.

The teams could not be separated on matches after the doubles with Cooney and McArthur winning for the CI.

Watson and Wray lost but the CI took the honours by one set.

'They were all very close matches but to win it was tremendous,' Raymond said.

'I think they are going to do well next year as well because I think we lose only Olivia from the age group and we have got some good youngsters coming up behind them.'

The under-13 boys also went away for the County Cup weekend.

They played in Division 5B, which was held at the Connaught Club in Essex.

On the opening day the CI played eventual group winners Oxfordshire and went down 6-0 although most of the individual matches were close.

The islanders bounced back well the following day against Cumbria with the teams winning three rubbers each but the CI taking the overall match due to games won.

Unfortunately, with the side due to meet Staffordshire in the final match, the day was washed out by rain and the CI missed out on the chance to finish runners-up.

'The weather was the disappointing aspect of the weekend but the boys are staying up in that division which is good.

'The interesting thing is that we are getting strength in depth and that is really helping us in both the boys and girls,' Raymond said.