Nerves are jangling amid the seaside ambiance of Eastbourne as both Warwickshire sides strive to upset the form-books on the final day of the AEGON Summer County Cup, Group 1. Gary Naughton's newly-promoted young team, tipped for immediate relegation at the start of the week, are - improbably in with an outside chance of the title if they can beat Dorset and Lancashire manage to defeat unbeaten Hertfordshire. The women however, face an uphill struggle as they attempt to pull off an unlikely victory over the powerful Buckinghamshire team whose first pair Jemima Hayward and Julia Bone are unbeaten all week.
The men celebrated after.pulling off a famous victory on Day 4, upsetting highly-fancied Lancashire 5-4, while the women, despite a disappointing 4-5 defeat by Essex in their unfinished match then snatched their first win of the week, thrashing Leicestershire 6-3. The men's side', whose only loss so far came on Day 1 of the champoinship, kept their nerve in several crucial rubbers, both their firsts, Maniel Bains and Steven Lee and their thirds, the consistent Nathan Rooney and James Southwood winning two out of three, although newcomer Elliot Barnwell and Andrew Fitzpatrick looked slightly distracted, beating only the Leicestershire seconds. This leaves the team guaranteed survival and mathematically capable of taking the title if they score a heavy victory today against Dorset, while unbeaten Hertfordshire lose to Lancashire, which would mean a countback on rubbers with three sides all on 4 wins out of 5.
Sadly the women just failed to topple a wavering Essex side when their first pair Luisa Cowper and Leyla Ogan lost a deciding championship tiebreak against their opponents’ top pair Sophie Cockell and Jane Rabot 6-10.
In the Leicestershire match however, second pair Hannah James and Jess Jackson were the heroines of the hour, winning three out of three and combining superbly together, while at third pair 15-year-old Manisha Foster looked sharp and feisty as she and Aimee Jarrett beat their opposite numbers in straight sets. Sadly captain Katie Shaw is without Luisa Cowper for the final day and will blood 17-year-old Anjoli Foster, probably partnering Jarrett at third pair while sister Manisha will team up with the highly experienced Leyla Ogan.
"I was hugely impressed by how Hannah and Jess played against Leicestershire and really proud of them. Their teamwork was awesome and they were incredibly professional, particularly against the highly experienced first pair - but they'll have to repeat that sort of performance today against Bucks if we're to have any chance of staying up."
Warwickshire’s diehard band of supporters will be cheering their hearts out as they try to urge the men on to an unlikely championship victory and the depleted women’s side to unexpected survival in this highly competitive Group.
Results: Eastbourne. AEGON Summer County Cup Tennis Championship, Group 1
Day 4 Men’s event: Warwickshire bt Lancashire 5-4
M.Bains/ S.Lee lost to C. Nott/ Neal Skupski 4-6 1-6
bt S.Roberts/ A.Davies 7-6 7-6
bt R. Morgan/ S. Stafford 6-4 6-3
E. Barnwell/ A. Fitzpatrick lost to C. Nott/ Neal Skupski 3-6 7-6 10-7
lost to S.Roberts/ A.Davies 4-6 2-6
bt R. Morgan/ S. Stafford 6-2 7-5
N. Rooney/J. Southwood lost to C. Nott/ Neal Skupski 1-6 3-6
bt S.Roberts/ A.Davies 2-6 6-3 10-3
bt R. Morgan/ S. Stafford 6-2 6-3
Warwickshire Women lost to Essex 4-5 (Warwicks names first)
1st pair: L.Cowper/ L.Ogan bt S.Cornish/ BHunter 6-4 6-3
bt A. Wainwright/A. Gibson7-6 4-6 10-7
lost to S. Cockell/ J. Rabot 6-2 3-6 6-10
2nd pair: J. Jackson/ H.James bt S. Cornish/ B. Hunter6-4 6-0
bt S.Cornish/ B.Hunter 4-6 6-4 10-6
lost to S. Cockell/ J. Rabot 3-6 2-6
3rd pair: C.Fraser / A.Jarrett lost to S.Cornish/ BHunter 0-6 3-6
lost to A. Wainwright/A. Gibson 4-6 3-6
lost to S. Cockell/ J.Rabot 3-6 3-6
Warwickshire bt Leicestershire 6-3 (Warwicks names first)
1st pair: L.Cowper/ L.Ogan bt A.Blow/ C.Seal 7-6 6-1
lost to L.Easters/ H.Thorpe 5-7 6-2 5-10
bt K.Boulter/ E.Egan-Morris 6-3 6-1
2nd pair: J. Jackson/ H.James bt A.Blow/ C.Seal 5-7 6-4 10-7
bt L.Easters/ H.Thorpe 5-7 6-2 5-10
bt K.Boulter/ E.Egan-Morris 6-3 6-1
3rd pair: M.Foster / A. Jarrett lost to A.Blow/ C.Seal 3-6 3-6
lost to L.Easters/ H.Thorpe 4-6 6-7
bt K.Boulter/ E.Egan-Morris 6-3 6-1