Mission impossible can be a recurring theme for Northants’ players but the issue is less of a concern when you are a 12-year-old girl pitched in at the deep end.
Unfazed Alex Lewis was one of four dramatically under-age county juniors competing in the 14U National Championships in Malvern over the bank holiday. Like the location surroundings, they faced a stiff uphill task.
Where Lewis is different is the fact she has already made her Northampton League debut in Division One this summer for Dallington A featuring alongside skipper Rosie Jackson in the 8-0 win over their club’s own B team before a 6-2 success against Abington A last week.
That has set Jackson’s side up for a serious challenge to County A and Brackley A while Abington have been asked stiff questions in their openers, but the pair of Amie Norman/Jo Pearson at least halved with both Steph Patching/Zoe Yuill and Jackson/ Lewis.
Hunsbury girl Lewis appears to be taking it all in her stride thanks to the coaching of James Haley and on court wisdom of her skipper while Haley also controlled weekend events in Gloucestershire. As her mum Jenny remarked: “Alex is having the time of her life and would play tennis seven days a week if we let her. Her highlight of the weekend was shooting James in the Laser Zone.”
The challenge facing Northants at the weekend was put into perspective by the first day match with Middlesex, always strong, but on this occasion fielding a number one who had recently won a Tennis Europe event.
Haley said: “We won a few games but no sets. Middlesex didn’t lose a match all weekend.”
The picture became brighter for Northants’ girls on Saturday when Lewis and Jessica Buchanan picked up a doubles rubber in a 5-1 loss to Oxon but the best was saved until last with a victory over Shropshire earned by an 11-9 win by the Lewis/Buchanan combination in a championship tie-break after the match ended 3-3 in rubbers.
Despite stoic team efforts from sisters Katie and Laura Heathfield and Imogen Allen, it was Lewis/Buchanan who earned both singles and a doubles success to set up the shoot out.
So, just as weekend events in the Lionel Cox Trophy at Queenswood School in Hertfordshire, where Northants fielded teams in 10U, 11U and 12U categories, finishing ninth of ten counties overall, the story is one of promise for the future. “The 10U and 11U boys were both fourth which augurs very well for next year,” said Northants LTA talent co-ordinator Justin Chacksfield.
Meanwhile, coach Steve Biss took charge of the 14U boys squad in Southampton where they completed the three days occupying third places. After losing 5-1 to Bucks on Saturday, they then handed out 4-2 and 5-1 defeats to Oxon and Hampshire & IOW respectively.
Joe Tyler won singles on all three days, also winning two doubles with Cameron Yuill who was successful in two of his three singles matches. Sam Smith also picked up a singles and doubles win while Henry Masters won a doubles on the final day.
Biss said: “If we had played against Bucks the way we did on the final day we could have finished higher. Kent were the overall winners and I believe we would have given them a stronger game than Bucks did.”
First win of season for Abington A
Abington A’s men notched a first Division One victory of the summer on Friday night when they defeated Dallington B 6-2.
Abington’s first pair of Peter Skerrett/Amrik Thakar collected all four sets, while Karl Adams/Dominic Sefton bagged the other two.
In Division Four, Abington C were 7-1 winners at Collingtree B with the pairing of skipper Alan Wadsworth/Chris Sefton collecting all four, while Tim Walden/Colin Chapman picked up three sets.
Dallington ladies’ National Club League team go in pursuit of their first victory in their East Midlands regional section on Sunday when they host Ashby.