Essex Boys Under 18 team have gained promotion from Division 2a to Division 1 in a thrilling County Cup weekend that saw a fantastic team effort by the boys rewarded on a thrilling final day.
The squad consisting of Sam Bayda, Shamael Chaudhry, Robert Heaton, Jared Linzell, Kane Patience, Ryan Peniston, Thomas styles, and Lewis Thompson assembled at Redbridge early on Friday morning for what we knew was going to be a tough weekend against quality opposition.
Our first test was against a very strong Middlesex team with Sam Bayda and Shamael Chaudhry making their County Cup debuts for Essex. Both dug deep and showed real character to win in three sets and put Essex 2-0 up. Jared and Ryan quickly made the score 4-0 with comfortable wins. As is so often the case with the County Cup big leads can be deceptive and Middlesex fought back hard recording victories in the number 2 singles and then in the number 1 singles where Lewis Thompson lost a lengthy high quality match to Joshua Page. With Essex nerves beginning to twitch Jared and Shamael won their doubles in a tense third set tie break to take Essex past the winning post and ensured that we had negotiated a difficult first day.
Day two and the opposition was Hampshire & Isle Of Wight. A clinical performance from Essex saw us record an emphatic 7-2 win to set up a day three promotion shoot out with the formidable Dorset team that included the British number 1 and also the 6th, 16th and 23rd ranked players.
Day three started with a fantastic fight back by Shamael who having lost the first set 3-6 turned the match on its head to win the next two sets with some inspired attacking tennis from the baseline. With Sam Bayda fighting hard but eventually losing to the highly ranked Piers Farhang things were level at 1-1. It was quickly 2-1 to Essex with Ryan Peniston playing brilliantly to defeat Adam Watson 6-1, 6-2. It was however looking like 2-2 with Jared trailing by a set and 0-3 against Daniel Gilbert. In a performance that was typical of the whole Essex effort over the weekend Jared dug deep to turn the match and emerge as the winner in just over three hours – 3-1 Essex. Dorset fought back hard and Kane Patience lost a high quality three set match to Josef Doderidge in which Kane played superb attacking tennis throughout. A pumped up British number 1, Adam Glynn, than levelled the tie defeating Lewis who unfortunately injured his shoulder after hard fought matches on day one and two. This meant everything depended on the doubles and the third and second string pairings were soon on court with Essex quickly a set up in one rubber and a set down in the other. Jared and Robert for Essex lifted their game to win the second set and take the rubber into a deciding match tie break. Trailing they fought back hard with Heaton saving a match point with a superb second service, half volley pick up. At 12-11 Essex finally reached match point and Jared clinched the match with a winning forehand through the middle and the cheering Essex supporters ran to the other court where Ryan and Tom were also involved in a deciding tie break. The Essex pair closed the match out in style to give us the magic fifth rubber to scenes of jubilation and excitement which I am sure have not been equalled at Redbridge.
Hats off to a fantastic team who committed completely on every point of every match over the three days and have recorded an outstanding result for the county. Essex is lucky to have so much remarkable talent to call on and the team spirit over the weekend can only be described as fantastic.
Many thanks to all of the parents and the many supporters who turned out to watch and cheer the boys on your support helped to inspire everybody.
Finally thanks to my Vice Captain Luke Spooner and to Selection Committee member Graham Ray for your advice and constant support.
Will Calvert – 2013 Essex Boy’s County Cup Captain