The Team was: Arthur Attrill, Jack Curtis, Aaron Dawson, George Day, Ryan Golesworthy, Josh Goodall, Liam Hignett, Mike Johnson, Daniel Prickett, Paul Scullard
We had a great week last year going up when we thought all was gone and we would stay. This year is a different beast as all the counties had very experienced county / international players.
We started with the winning team we went up with last year.
Day 1 v Middlesex
The team was: 1 – Hignett + Golesworthy 2 – Attrill + Curtis 3 – Johnson + Dawson
We were missing Josh Goodall for today and needed to at least get a good rubber count if not the win. Middlesex we’re playing Dominic Inglot (ex. World No.17 in doubles) so this was a tough task.
We got off to a quick start (very unlike Hampshire & IOW men!) and went into a 2/1 lead, by lunch it was 3/3 and then our 1st and 2nd pair come good and we won 5/4 !
Credit to Arthur and Jack who not only beat Dom Inglot, but won all 3 matches.
We subbed in Dan and George as 3rd pair last match to give them a taste of County Week for the future.
A great start!
Day 2 v Derbyshire
The team was: 1 – Hignett + Golesworthy 2 – Attrill + Curtis 3 – Goodall + Day
Subs – Johnson + Prickett
Josh Goodall came in with George at 3rd pair, as the team did so well the previous day. We knew Derbyshire had 3 strong pairs and this was not going to be any easier than the Middlesex match. We went down 2/1 then came back to 3/3 but went down 5/4 in the end. Where we had luck in the first match it went against us in the second.
Day 3 v Cambridgeshire
The team was: 1 – Hignett + Golesworthy 2 – Goodall + Day 3 – Attrill + Curtis
Subs – Johnson + Dawson
Cambridgeshire were top of the division and the best team there. They showed it in the morning winning 3/0 then 6/0 at tea, and then 8/1 to close. They were just too strong, adept and experienced, most matches were close, but it was always went in their favour.
We were now needing to win as we could go down.
Day 4 v West of Scotland
The team was: 1 – Goodall + Golesworthy 2 – Hignett + Curtis 3 – Attrill + Day
Subs – Dawson + Johnson
We were in desperate need of a win against the team that had not won yet. We got off to a dreadful start nearly going 3/0 down (which would really have meant we would lose the tie and definitely go down a group), but won a 3rd set tiebreaker to finish 2/1. …Phew!
We then went down in all the next 3 matches but somehow came back to win 2 of them to finish at tea at 3/3. …Phew again!
Then again we went down in 2 of the 3 matches but somehow came back to win the tie 5/4.
We really did escape that one!
Day 5 v Cheshire
The team was: 1 – Goodall + Golesworthy 2 – Hignett + Curtis 3 – Attrill + Day
Subs – Dawson + Johnson
Having lost to Cheshire on the first day last year, we now had to beat them to stay in the group and send them down.
From the early part of the week, we were chasing possibly going up to now fighting against going down… typical County week!
We got off to a good start to lead 2/1. All going to plan. But was pegged back to 3/3 by tea by some quality play from the Cheshire team, annoyingly!
Although the match ups suited Cheshire in the last round, Liam and Jack won convincingly and quickly, importantly, to put pressure on the Cheshire players left on. This did its trick, but surprisingly for our 3rd pair, youngsters Arthur and George, who beat their No.1s but not without turmoil knowing the pressure that was on it ! We won 5/3
Well…. phew, that’s over !
Looking back the group was extremely strong and we did well staying in it. Each team had pairs that could take the game away from you no matter who you were or how well you were playing, so no match was predictable. In fact no pair in the group from any team won all 3 matches on consecutive days. There were 15 quality pairs.
At the end of it we had 3 wins and bizarrely if we had had an 8/1 win v West of Scotland on the Thursday we would have gone up ! That’s County Week.
Again as last year it was a great team performance, everyone mucking in !
Jack and Arthur winning 3 and beating Middlesex. Liam, Ryan and Josh showing class to get the job done on the last two days, but special praise goes to Arthur and George for beating the Cheshire No 1 pair on the last day’s last match and holding their nerve to win. Playing like that in important matches they both have tennis future.
As I said earlier, it was a great team performance and thanks go to Aaron, Daniel, Mike and Paul as subs, supporting and ready to play if and when needed. That really is not an easy job, but desperately needed.
With the right headwind this team could get up to Group 1, just not in a group like that !
Julian Godfrey, Hampshire & IOW Men’s Captain
