Successful end to season for Second Team

The county second team ended their season on a high with a convincing but hard fought 10-5 victory over the Lincolnshire first team, which emphasized their supremacy in gaining promotion back to Division Three of the Inter-Counties Championship, finishing eight points ahead of second placed arch rivals, Suffolk.

Lincolnshire included two formidable players in their line-up in ex-junior international, Steven Mumby and 17 year old Harley Towler, who is a member of the Badminton England Under 19 World Class Potential Programme, so the mens singles were always going to be tough for Norfolk. But team captain, Christian Nielsen, played a very good all court game to take 19 and 17 points off Mumby, whose teasing racket skills gave him the edge. This left Alex Wyett to face Towler in what turned out to be a close fought battle, with Wyett, always on the retrieving end, but showing some admirable tenacity and athleticism, before going down 21-15, 21-17.

Next up were the ladies who were in sparkling form. Lucy Curran played very well to win her match 21-19, 21-13 and then Charlotte Crosby came through yet another epic three setter to grind out a victory which left her unbeaten in singles all season. The ladies then continued their dominance in the level doubles with Curran and Louise Culyer comfortably taking both their games in two sets, while Crosby and Katie Price were untouchable against the Lincs second pair, winning 21-13,21-8, but then struggled a little to maintain that form and lost in three to the visitors' first pair.

Towler and his partner were dominant for Lincs in the mens doubles, winning both their matches against Wyett and James Ruthen and Andy and Chris Piff in two sets, but the Norfolk pairings fought back to take their second matches both in two very tight three setters.

This left Norfolk needing just one mixed doubles to win the match, but the team put in a magnificent performance to win all three.The first match saw a clash between Louise Culyer and Harley Towler, who were the only two unbeaten players in their division throughout the season. The match did not disappoint and went to three superb sets with Culyer and her partner, Alex Wyett, coming out on top 21-16, 21-23, 21-15, a win which was gold-stamped by the other two Norfolk pairs. The team has enjoyed a great season and now look forward to the challenge of Division Three.