A fine performance by all leading to another victory for the combined team.

We played a competitive Abbeydale side, with some very powerful women.  So powerful in fact that when Laura and I played our mixed game, our opponents played levels and the lady out-muscled me out of a number of points (note to self – must start lifting weights or something).  Within this context, and against said lady, our women could not overturn the opposition in their levels games.

However, all of the mixed games and men’s games went the way of Broomgrove.  A very strong performance by Joe, who unusually played without any hint of an injury, and his partner, Sam.  Adam and Jen are proving an unbeatable pair.  And Laura played superbly in her mixed with me, closing out the third end 24-22 (having been 4-11 down!).

So well done all.  Let’s see if we can make it 3 out of 3 in January at our match this week.

Go Broomgrove!

A good night for Broomgrove as both the Men’s II and Combined teams clocked up their first victories of the year.

The match was notable for the inclusion of Mike and Jen for their first matches of the season, and the first ever for Mike.  They both played admirably.  Jen, who had not played for a few months and felt a bit rusty, won both of her mixed games with Adam, and narrowly lost her ladies with Sally in three.  I think perhaps the player of the match must go to Mike who managed to take all three of his rubbers without even dropping a game.  Not bad for the new boy!

The Notts Northern team were, as ever, gracious opponents and we wish them all the best for the rest of the season.  Having lost the away match 3-6 and then won the home with the same score. we will look forward to more close games next season.

Before the match the team were discussing creating an upset.  Unfortunately we were unable to do so against a strong Abbeydale side.

The evening began badly when, after three games, we found ourselves 0-3 behind.  Round two ended 1-5.  In the third round of games we managed to pick up one more, but in the end were well beaten by, what looks to be, a team that will challenge for the first division.

Some good performances were of note during the match.  Sally and Laura were a gnats whisker from taking their ladies game (albeit with some unwelcome distraction from one of the Hallam staff!).  Laura again played a great mixed game with me winning some superb net rallies against experienced opposition.  Mary too fared well in her mixed, taking the last game of the night with Adam.

So it is a loss that we will dwell on over the Christmas period, I’m afraid.  But let’s not be despondent.  The team has also received its first Christmas present!  Abbeydale 1 have donated us a new ‘team pen’, for which we thank them muchly.  [NB In return, we have promised to take as many rubbers as we can off of their fierce rivals, 'Abbeydale II', when we play them... ]

I know it’s a little early, but now I’m on a seasonal theme, have a lovely Christmas.  But don’t go crazy on those mince pies as we have our revenge match against Notts Northern early in the new year (6th Jan)!

Go Broomgrove!

Craig and Aji had a wobble at the start of their first game but managed to clinch the first rubber with relative ease. Mike and Peter clinched an absolutely terrific win against the first pair, both of them showing spectacular temperament in the final match against the first pair. Ameya and John were a new pairing and moved fluidly around the court, their smashes cut through the air with an audible ferocity.

After the first 4 games things were looking good with Broomgrove leading 3 games to 1.

Mike and Peter then were then outplayed by their first pair and Craig and Aji  lost in 3 in their game to make the match  score three all.

As the pressure was mounting the game took an interesting twist.

In the performance of the night Aji and Craig went on to convincingly beat their first pair, while John and Ameya having looked imperious in  their first rubber  winning

21 – 10 and  looking to have sealed the match victory then went on to lose  in their decider.

This left Mike and Peter to battle it out in a winner takes all finale.

To increase the pressure the Nomads team and supporters crowded in onto a bench behind the court ready  to offer raucous vocal support to their team.

There was only one option left to Mike and Peter and that was to blitz the opposition with a demonstration of crafted error-free badminton. This they duly did leaving the home support in incredulous silence with only the occasional ripple of polite applause from the Broomgrove team punctuating the proceedings.

The pairing won the final rubber comfortably, Peter’s experience and Mike’s shot selection created a deadly combination to deliver a much earned 5-4 victory. It was a commendable effort by the whole team, which was well and truly captured in the result.

Mike and Peter with nerves of steel won, 21 -13, 21 -10 to give Broomgrove a well deserved if slender 5 – 4 victory.

Well done team!

The early exchanges were split between the teams, with the games being played out of order as the away teams 3rd pair arrived 45 minutes late. Adam and Ameya winning their rubber in 2 ends whilst Mike and Craig narrowly missed out leaving the score at  1-1.

The middle rubbers were more promising with Broomgrove winning 2 of the 3 rubbers, with David and Peter playing excellently to win in 3 ends. Again Adam and Ameya won in 2 ends whilst Mike and Craig again narrowly missed out in 3 ends. Leaving the score 3-2 to Broomgrove.

Adam and Ameya beat the opposition in 3 ends to leave the score 4-2 and meaning that Peter and David had to win one of their remaining 2 fixtures or Mike  and Craig had to win their final encounter. Peter and David valiantly battled but unfortunately lost against the Abbeydale number one pairing, adding to the tension of a very close match. As Peter and David began their final game Mike and Craig put in a brilliant performance to beat the opposition in 3 ends to get the critical 5th rubber. The key moment in the 3 end came at 17-17  when a dropshot clipped the net leaving Craig with an impossible netshot return, however upon diving to the floor to meet the shuttle it scraped over the net forcing the lift from the opponent giving mike a coolly taken kill. From this point there was no looking back. Whilst Peter and David fought bravely in the final rubber they just lost in 3 ends to leave the score at 5-4 to Broomgrove.

Good start Guys, 2 from 2 and many more difficult challenges to come. Nomads next in a newly promoted match which will test how far we have come over the summer.

Scores

Adam and Ameya + 24

David and Peter +1

Craig and Mike + 4

Here is another clip of Ban, the captain of our second team breaking the Guinness world record for the longest doubles badminton match recently.  Well done to him and all involved from Sheffield Forum Badminton club!

Our first home match of the season finished as a 6-3 win.

With all three courts to begin with, the first two rubbers finished quickly: Em and I easily beat a weaker 3rd pair; Sally and Mary were outpowered by a very strong ladies pair. However, Peter and Adam had a corker of a match  which went to three. Losing the first match to 12, they just turned the tables in the second, winning to 19.  By the third game,they had warmed up and won to 12.

The second round of games all went to Broomgrove, with us winning both mixed games, and Sally and Em taking the ladies in 2 – to 19 and 18.

So at 5-1 the match was won, but a resilient Nomads side had saved their best ’til last, winning 2 of the last 3.  Unfortunately neither Em and me, nor Pete and Sal were able to cap of the victory with another rubber.  However, Ad and Mary took their final rubber, giving Adam the only 3 out of 3.  Hats off!

Now with 2 wins in 3 we have a break of almost a month with the next game not until 25th November.

Go Broomgrove!

Here is the last minute of the world record attempt for ‘the longest time spent playing a double games of badminton’. Our very own team captain for the second mens’ team, Ben, played over 150 games and over 29 hours of non-stop badminton!  There were two courts who completed this amazing feat on the 22nd and 23rd of October 2011 at Fir Vale School.  Congratulations all!

All money raised for this event will go to the NSPCC.  If any of you would like to donate, please use the following link: http://www.justgiving.com/Ben-Thomas3