Leicestershire League Match 1
Just a quick update. I played in the local league match, Leicester Uni vs Zen (club) at Rolleston Junior School (away match). That was skipping 2 hours of German (I left after 1 hour). Paired with Pete, whom I have never played before, and promptly lost 1-15, 4-15 to their first pair. We were the 3rd pair. The league works like this: 3 pairs play it round-robin and so it's best of 9.
Next we played the 3rd pair, which very nearly was conceded cos their player was very late in turning up. However, when we were stroking before playing their 2nd pair, the late guy turned up and so we played the 3rd pair first instead. Which may be a blessing in disguise, since it turned out that their 2nd pair was the weakest. We played shite and lost 8-15, 5-15. Our combination was quite shambolic, getting mixed up in positions and not covering each other well. It didn't help that the shuttle was yellow Yonex and it was do darn light! I always cleared out by around 10cm cos we play normally with the white Yonex shuttles and I was getting well annoyed.
Things took a turn for the better when we took on their 2nd pair. We found ourselves up most of the time, and was holding quite a good lead at 12. Unfortunately they fought back fairly quickly and it came to all square. Equipped with youth and a bit of determination, we sped ahead and clinched the 15 points on our (I think) 4th match point. We took to the second set elated, a load off our shoulders. This partnership could work! We went ahead right from the start, but a stutturing period mid-way through the game meant that we were never close to pulling away from them. In the end they caught up again with us, this time at 12-12, and it was them who played better over the last few points, taking the second set when I smashed into the net.
The decider. We had to win this. Or that was what we told ourselves anyway. The only rubber I have played competitively was with Ho Fung in Belgium in the 1st game where we came out winners. This time more luck was on our side and they couldn't even take advantage of our errors in returning. We were up pretty quickly and were up like 7-1, when we ran into a brick wall. This was the most discerning period in the 3rd game. Slowly, they pulled back, and it was 7-6. I was waiting for that one point which would be a symbol of supremacy (and a sign of the change-of-court) but it arrived only after we survived that onslaught. 8-6. Relief. 9-6. They retook service. We went up to 11-9, and that was when the win slowly but surely began to materialise. Another few exchanges, holding them at 9, and we were home, on our 2nd match point (my serve). Finally, a job well done. 15-12, 12-15, 15-9. But the thing is, we should have wrapped it up in 2 sets.
So we did deliver our point. Roland and Venkat won all their games, and it was left to the last match still playing to decide the entire fixture. 8 games gone, we were 4-4. Unfortunately, our 2nd pair (and our 2nd best probably) failed to clinch that decider, losing in 3 sets (again). It was unfortunate, but they didn't win any of their matches and it was such a waste. I remembered asking Roland on the way there how good Zen was. And his reply,"They aren't all that good. We played them last year and 2 years ago and they're pretty much crap, but they were nice people." Oh well we were crap in our own ways too.
Should have trained and experimented with our combinations earlier. Then Pete and me could have taken 2 matches.
But I do thank my lucky stars (there must be many) cos I had orignially passed up this chance to play due to German. But when I heard that Lambert and Roger both could not make it, I decided to text Roland and ask if he needed me to turn up, which was the best thing to happen to him since he would otherwise have been short of players. And the best thing to happen to me.
PS This is the 2nd time i played for the uni team. The first was a forgettable affair last season (academic year) playing with this Paul Ridgers guy who literally gave up before trying. And at that time I played much worse badminton so obviously we had a mountain to climb, but then again he gave no chances to his own teammate. How sad.
Next we played the 3rd pair, which very nearly was conceded cos their player was very late in turning up. However, when we were stroking before playing their 2nd pair, the late guy turned up and so we played the 3rd pair first instead. Which may be a blessing in disguise, since it turned out that their 2nd pair was the weakest. We played shite and lost 8-15, 5-15. Our combination was quite shambolic, getting mixed up in positions and not covering each other well. It didn't help that the shuttle was yellow Yonex and it was do darn light! I always cleared out by around 10cm cos we play normally with the white Yonex shuttles and I was getting well annoyed.
Things took a turn for the better when we took on their 2nd pair. We found ourselves up most of the time, and was holding quite a good lead at 12. Unfortunately they fought back fairly quickly and it came to all square. Equipped with youth and a bit of determination, we sped ahead and clinched the 15 points on our (I think) 4th match point. We took to the second set elated, a load off our shoulders. This partnership could work! We went ahead right from the start, but a stutturing period mid-way through the game meant that we were never close to pulling away from them. In the end they caught up again with us, this time at 12-12, and it was them who played better over the last few points, taking the second set when I smashed into the net.
The decider. We had to win this. Or that was what we told ourselves anyway. The only rubber I have played competitively was with Ho Fung in Belgium in the 1st game where we came out winners. This time more luck was on our side and they couldn't even take advantage of our errors in returning. We were up pretty quickly and were up like 7-1, when we ran into a brick wall. This was the most discerning period in the 3rd game. Slowly, they pulled back, and it was 7-6. I was waiting for that one point which would be a symbol of supremacy (and a sign of the change-of-court) but it arrived only after we survived that onslaught. 8-6. Relief. 9-6. They retook service. We went up to 11-9, and that was when the win slowly but surely began to materialise. Another few exchanges, holding them at 9, and we were home, on our 2nd match point (my serve). Finally, a job well done. 15-12, 12-15, 15-9. But the thing is, we should have wrapped it up in 2 sets.
So we did deliver our point. Roland and Venkat won all their games, and it was left to the last match still playing to decide the entire fixture. 8 games gone, we were 4-4. Unfortunately, our 2nd pair (and our 2nd best probably) failed to clinch that decider, losing in 3 sets (again). It was unfortunate, but they didn't win any of their matches and it was such a waste. I remembered asking Roland on the way there how good Zen was. And his reply,"They aren't all that good. We played them last year and 2 years ago and they're pretty much crap, but they were nice people." Oh well we were crap in our own ways too.
Should have trained and experimented with our combinations earlier. Then Pete and me could have taken 2 matches.
But I do thank my lucky stars (there must be many) cos I had orignially passed up this chance to play due to German. But when I heard that Lambert and Roger both could not make it, I decided to text Roland and ask if he needed me to turn up, which was the best thing to happen to him since he would otherwise have been short of players. And the best thing to happen to me.
PS This is the 2nd time i played for the uni team. The first was a forgettable affair last season (academic year) playing with this Paul Ridgers guy who literally gave up before trying. And at that time I played much worse badminton so obviously we had a mountain to climb, but then again he gave no chances to his own teammate. How sad.
posted by cheez~ at
1:29 am
1 Comments:
haha, good to see that u're enjoying yourself =) have fun.. my exams are coming *scream*.. just kidding.. hahaha.. take care.. =)
cyn
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cyn, at 11:03 pm
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