by Leon Retallick
22nd January, 2011
Spring Gully Bigpond 92-9 df Bendigo Lawn National 65-3
Fifth placed Spring Gully Bigpond have rocked the BTA Premier League with a 9 set to 3 thumping of top placed Bendigo Lawn National. For the Bigpond team they are now within 10 points of 4th placed South Bendigo, who also scored their season best win by defeating 3rd placed Bendigo Lawn Boltons 7 sets to 5.
The Bigpond team signalled their intentions early, taking the opening 3 doubles sets, with Jack Baker and Kevin Derix, Barry Green and Andrew Freckleton, along with Eliza Long (pictured) and Heather Robbins all combining to score good wins.
The match then hit the singles, with the National fighting back. Without captain Curt Garwood, the National team pushed Ward Garwood and Alistair Baker into the no 1 and 2 singles spots, with both scoring impressive wins over Bigpond's Baker and Derix respectively.
With the score at 3 sets to 2 after 5 sets played, Bigpond looked to take control of the match, scoring four singles wins through Eliza
Long, Heather Robbins, Barry Green and Andrew Freckleton, to move to an unassailed lead at the mixed.
Alistair Baker and James McArthur rallied in the final mens doubles for the National team, to defeat Derix and Freckleton in a tiebreak. However, with the Bigpond team taking the two mixed doubles sets, the lower ranked team had scored their best win of the year.
Best players for Bigpond included Eliza Long, Heather Robbins and Barry Green.
Bendigo Lawn Boltons 82-5 lt South Bendigo 83-7
South Bendigo had their season?s best win, with a tight 7 set to 5 win over higher ranked Bendigo Lawn Boltons. At the end of the day, just one game separated the teams, with South's ability to win the close sets, giving them the edge on the day.
South started strongly, taking two of the opening 3 doubles sets to establish the early lead. The pick of the matches, was a high class
ladies doubles where South?s Ashlea Baker and Alyssa Cole proved too strong for the Bolton?s pair of Rebecca Tweed and Tova Penno.
The Bolton's team fought back in the singles, with Leroy Miller and Michael Smyth both scoring wins, to level the match at 3 sets each.
South again rallied, with Michael Nhill defeating Dean Harris 9-7, whilst Simon Kelly outlasted Danny Watson in a tiebreaker, giving
South the lead at the mixed.
Leroy Miller and Dean Harris combined for Lawn Bolton's 5th set in the final mens doubles 8-5, however, with the result reversed in the final mixed, the match was tied on games, with one set on court.
The day came down to a tiebreak, with Pat McMillian and Ashlea Baker taking Michael Smyth and Rebecca Tweed. On this occasion it was the South pair, who battled through to take the win.
Ashlea Baker was South's best player, whilst Leroy Miller won his 3 sets for Lawn Bolton's.
Epsom Butterflies 71-4 lt Spring Gully Brougham Arms 79-8
Spring Gully Brougham Arm's kept their 2nd spot in tack, with a hard fought 8 set to 4 victory over an improving Epsom Butterflies.
It was the Broughie's ability to win 5 of the 6 singles, which ultimately proved the difference between the teams.
Epsom started well, with Matt Hartland and Shane Burke playing consistent tennis to defeat the Broughie's pair of Travis Toner and
Andrew Lethlean 8-5. However, the result was reversed in the 2nd men's Craig Nolan and Pete Valentine, proved too strong for their Epsom opponents.
In the ladies, Epsom's Danielle Bowles and Jane St Clair had the answers for Bronwyn Osborne and Lynda Gallagher in the doubles. But the Broughie pair had the better of the singles, reversed the result
to both take wins.
The men's singles also went the way of the Broughie with Toner, Lethlean and Nolan all recording wins. Robert Jefferies was Epsom's sole singles winner with an 8-3 victory over Pete Valentine.
With the Broughie holding a 6 set to 3 lead at the mixed, the Epsom side would need to win all the remaining sets to score an unlikely
win. Unfortunately they couldn't, with Toner and Osborne, along with Lethlean and Nolan, both combining to give their team an 8 set to 4 win.
Craig Nolan was the best player for the day in taking his 3 sets. Whilst Jane St Clair played here best tennis for the year in winning
two of her 3 sets.
Section 2 Round 13
Spring Gully Sensation 70-6 df Epsom McCarthy Homes 57-4
Phoenix New China 68-5 lt Spring Gully Rockets 70-5
Spring Gully Spartans 49-2 lt Epsom DCK 76-8
BLTC Boris 36-0 lt Spring Gully Racqueteers 81-10
BLTC Tsonga 56-7 df BLTC Red 47-3
BLTC Rafa 51-3 lt BLTC Stoser 75-7