Lincolnshire Men’s team travelled to Oxford to contest a strong Group 4 at Men’s Summer County week.
On day one we had what looked like a very winnable, but tough match against Warwickshire. Unfortunately things didn’t quite go to plan, with close losses for the pairs of Ed Allinson & James Shacklock and Joe Woolley & Dan Stuk, together with a win for the pair of Will Mason & Dave Scales, leaving Lincs 2-1 down. Wins in the second round of matches for Mason & Scales and Woolley & Stuk left things finely poised at 3-3 with one round to play. Unfortunately after a win for Allinson & Shacklock and defeat for Mason & Scales, Woolley and Stuk went down gallantly 7-6 in the third set leaving Lincs with a disappointing 5-4 defeat.
Onto day two and what looked like a must win match against North Wales. Dom Beesley had joined up with the group and played in the first round of matches unfortunately losing with Allinson to Wales' number one pair. Thankfully wins for the pairs of Woolley & Scales and Mason & Shacklock, left Lincs 2-1 up. Stuk 'subbed' in for Dom in the next two rounds of matches and Lincs went 4-2 up again losing to the number one pair. Finally closing out a vital win 6-3 in rubbers, in the third round of matches.
Day Three and what looked like the easiest match on paper of the week against Nottinghamshire. James White had become available and played three great rubbers with Allinson, winning all three. Three wins also for the pair of Woolley & Scales and two wins for Mason & Shacklock left Lincs with a resounding 8-1 victory!
It turned out that the first three days were a lot more manageable then the final two as the counties of Middlesex and Somerset and exceptionally strong teams. Middlesex were our opponents on day Four, and we found ourselves up against numerous World ranked players! Despite giving everything we had and losing three of the matches in tight three-setters, the pairs of Allinson & White, Mason & Shacklock and Woolley & Scales, failed to register a rubber on day four, going down 9-0.
With how the other results went, Lincs Knew going into Friday, that we needed just one rubber for survival. Unfortunately Somerset our opponents that day had won all the matches comfortably and it would not be easy to get the solitary win needed. The first round of matches didn’t go to plan with a three set loss for the pair of Mason & Allinson and losses for Scales & Woolley and White & James Scales, who came in as a late reserve! A little bit nervous going into the second round of matches, Allinson & especially Mason produced an inspired performance to beat the Somerset second pair 6-1 6-1 and guarantee Lincs survival in Group 4.
Staying up in a very strong Group 4 is an excellent achievement for the team and hopefully with a few players who were missing added to the squad for next year, we can push for promotion to group 3. All the lads who played can be very proud of themselves for the effort and application showed. Player of the week and a special mention has to go to Will Mason who was in tremendous form throughout the week!
Ed Allinson, Team Captain