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| Report: | A perfect late breaking alignment of the planets led to a very different looking PL team last night. With the 2nd team playing on Thursday, allowing us to pinch Mark, and Steve becoming available as of 6pm on the night it was almost a return to the good old days. With Zeb still being injured, this produced a highly competitive match with it going right down to the wire. Never mind your "PAR produces shorter matches" frequently espoused by the author amongst others, the combination of very bouncy court/ball and some serious levels of fitness displayed all round meant this went on a very long time.
First up: London snr v McManus
The two old foes did battle for the umpteenth time. Gordon started brightly with several unreturnable boasts, but the author got a very long run of points from the middle of the game to take the 1st. The 2nd was extremely tight with the author having to fend off four game balls to eventually sneak it. The 3rd followed pretty much the same pattern as the first, with Gordon struggling to see on the courts he loves so much. Note to the management for the forthcoming maintenance window: don't paint those green tins. Gordy loves them - NOT!
Next door: London jnr v Jeal
Thanks to Steve's late breaking availability the no.1 slot produced a cracking match. Unfortunately I missed the 1st which according to Ted (and the gallery) was brutal. Steve probably did the most running, but just soaked it up, keeping Ted under the cosh during long gruelling rallies. The softening up process duly paid dividends. Steve controlled the 2nd and despite a brief lapse to lose the 3rd, after Mark provided the commentator's kiss of death from the marker's chair "Steve is playing awesome squash", normal service was resumed with a vengeance in the 4th. Ted's movement and amazing ability to get to pretty much any ball hasn't diminished, but at this level the fitness wasn't quite there.
Next up: Kay v Shaw
Marathon no.1. This went on for ever! Paul managed to let a 10-3 lead slip away to lose the 1st, but came back strongly to pouch the next two. At this point he was probably wishing he'd closed it out in the 1st as Rob was rejuvenated thereafter. Paul continued to give it the usual 100% commitment, but Rob's attacking boasting, particularly from the backhand had Paul on the ropes. Mega long rallies, but going 60/40 in Rob's favour. Rob duly saw out the match for a great win.
Next door: Lennox v Patel
Well, after seeing what was happening next door you'd have been forgiven for thinking you'd witnessed the ultimate in earnest endeavour. Not a bit of it. This one went on for a ridiculous amount of time. Both players just ran and ran and ran. Ket in particular soaked up so much pressure, with Mark running him all over the court with some very tight attacking boasting. As Steve (marking) later observed, it was like a 1hr + pressure session. Despite all this, Ket just didn't seem to get tired, and in fact got significantly better as the match wore on, much to Mark's evident frustration. Mark had to save two match balls from 8-10 in the 5th, and eventually flopped over the finishing line on what I understand was a slightly controversial pick-up (at least the BLTC spectators - not Ket - thought so). A great battle and the match winning turning point.
Last on, after a long wait: Kennedy v Carnero
This too was a match that went all the way. Very different in style to the other two running marathons, but nevertheless a close fought battle. Gina got herself to a game ball in the 1st but tinned a reasonably straightforward drop at game ball up to subsequently lose it. Paul then got firmly in the driving seat as Gina indulged in too much boasting and a few too many missed (and too early) drops. The coaching staff duly (re)ladled on the advice to attack to a length to set up the opportunities before going for the kill, and Gina applied it well to scrape the 3rd at the death after saving 3 match balls. The 4th was more of the same, as Gina hung on to take it despite a 10-6 lead nearly going. In the decider Paul got in control as Gina lapsed back into too many mistakes, and got to 10-5. Cue a stunning, if ultimately unsuccessful comeback as Gina hauled it back with some great play, only to lose it at the death. Another great match.
So, we'll frame this one for the season, as so far it's looking like a 3 man team for next week and a return to the doom and gloom, with the author already polishing his crampons ready for the assault back to the team summit. As an interlude though, this was a great evening's squash and enjoyed by a fairly vociferous gallery, with many of the Sly Fox's compadres, and 5th team players from the next door match pitching up to support. |
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| Author: | CL |
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