Moreton v Cambridge

Cambridge sent a seven strong team to Moreton Morrell on Sunday for three singles and two doubles rubbers. Bruce Paxton and Guy Kirk were first on court with Bruce aiming to achieve a first for Moreton that weekend and win a rubber. Moreton had lost 5-0 at Oxford on Saturday while the National League division 8 team recorded a 3-0 defeat at Newmarket.

Possibly unaware of the weekend’s form Bruce raced to a first set win taking it 6-2. Guy then began to find his way on the court and find some cut taking the first four games of the second set before Bruce responded. Guy eventually prevailed 3-6 and the rubber went into the third set. What promised to be close then swung back to Bruce with Moreton taking the three games needed for a 6-3 win and the rubber.

Next up were Tony Branfield and Guy’s wife Kate Kirk who started off in the same manner as her husband going down 6-2 in the first set. She then, like her husband, found form to take the second set 3-6 and again as her husband had took the tie into a third set. Fortunately for Moreton and appropriately for Valentine’s week Kate maintained lock-step with her husband and lost the three games of the third set for Tony to take the rubber 2-1 and give Moreton a 2-0 lead in the match with three to play.

John Cook had the first opportunity to win the match for Moreton but went down 1-6, 2-6 to Paul Brown. The next cook up for Moreton fared a lot better serving up Fisherman’s Pie for lunch followed by a particularly praiseworthy Strawberry Cheesecake.

Suitably refreshed the players went into the first of the doubles rubbers with the match score at 2-1. David Aldwinckle and Alice Messer faced Cambridge’s Ben Geytenbeek and Joe Zygmunt. Cheesecake seemed to favour the visitors most powering them to a 2-6 first set before David and Alice got themselves into the game. In a close encounter and with some steady play from Alice Moreton took the second set 6-5 to level the rubber. The third set continued the trading of sets with final victory going to Ben and Joe 5-6 levelling the match for Cambridge at 2-2.

The final rubber saw Tim Messer and Keith Beechener taking on Christie Marrian and David Pimblett. The Cambridge pair took the first set 0-6 before Tim and Keith got going but get going they did taking a 5-2 lead in the second set. However the trading of games in large blocks continued with Cambridge levelling to 5-5. At 40-40 in the deciding game of the second set Moreton failed to beat chase 5&6 to give the game, the set, the rubber and the match to Cambridge.

Thanks to Nick for marking and to our guests for making it an enjoyable day.