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League's top teams double up in cups

TENNIS by Jackie Thorley

Draycott and Basford make clean sweep of silverware

CITY and Suburban League top guns Draycott men and Basford women have bagged the league and cup double. Basford served up a powerful performance in the women's Foundation Cup final to retain the silverware, while a similar picture emerged for Draycott when they saw off Florence on home territory to retain the Sporting Trophies Cup.

Draycott set the early pace as Andy Cresswell and Jamie Bourne raced to a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Gavin Lyall and Dave Parkinson. And the league champions increased their halfway lead when Craig Leese and Dan Chow defeated Neil McPher-son and Andy Hibell 6-3, 6-3. Florence caught a glimmer of hope as McPherson and Hibell stole an early 6-4 opening set advantage against Cresswell and Bourne, but the Draycott pair squared the match with a 6-4 reply. On the neighbouring court, Leese and Chow secured a 6-3, 6-1 win against Lyall and Parkinson and the defending champions claimed an overall 3½-½ victory.

In the women's competition, Basford's triumph over Abbey View rounded off a fine season in which they also clinched the City and Suburban League title for a fifth year and finished as Premier Division runners-up to Wolverhampton in the Wilson Staffordshire Inter-Club League. Basford got off to an explosive start in the Foundation Cup final at Draycott, with Karen Dobson and Judy Tierney clinching a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Abbey View's Janet Hardern and Sue Langford. Mary Hobson and Pam Smith then notched up the same result against Rachael Finney and Liz Rowley. The Basford players pressed their advantage to capture the opening sets of the remaining rubbers, forging an unassailable lead. "When we played Abbey View in the league the matches were keenly contested, so it was nice to have a comfortable win in the cup final," said Basford captain Karen Dobson. "It has been a good season for us, although we had to settle for second place in the county league. "Wolverhampton were really strong because they were able to call on players who represent Shropshire, Hereford and Worcester and Staffordshire," she added.

The City and Suburban League men's Dale Cup reaches its climax on October 7. when Boro A will take on either Abbey View B or Basford A in the final at Stone Tennis Club.

Sentinel, 25 September 2007
Courtesy of The Sentinel News & Media