Injuries proved costly for Herefordshire & Worcestershire’s women as they finished bottom of Group Six in the Aegon Summer County Cup at Ilkley Lawn Tennis Club.
Despite impressive displays from captain Jo Shepherd and Katie Miles, who won five of their first six rubbers against Midland rivals Derbyshire and Shropshire, H&W failed to win any of their matches.
It means a drop down to Group Seven however Shepherd, who earlier this year helped Great Britain to victory in the Over 40s World Championships in Florida, identified a number of positives for the future.
“We were missing quite a few players through injuries and I was only there for two days so it was a weakened squad,” said London-based Shepherd who learned her tennis at Bromsgrove.
“But although it was a disappointing result it was also good experience for some of the new players competing at this level for the first time.
“Players like Sophie Oliver, Jo Mason and Eleanor Fleming will all have benefited and it will stand them in good stead for next time.”
Miles also teamed up with Lauren Whiteman to win a further three rubbers against Oxfordshire and Suffolk.
H&W will return to action in the Aegon Winter County Cup at the end of November.
“That includes singles as well as doubles which will hopefully be better for the younger players,” added Shepherd.
The match scores for the five day Aegon Summer County Cup were as follows:
Derbyshire 6 H&W 3
Shropshire 6 H&W 3
Northamptonshire 9 H&W 0
Suffolk 7 H&W 2
Oxfordshire 7 H&W 2