Bygone Days! 24/02/06  David Burrell (BH Pegasus) unearthed an interesting article recently when clearing out some old furniture.  He found a page from the Hants & Berks Gazette dated Friday 22nd March 1963 with some Badminton notes. 

Eastrop, in their first year in the league were winners of the Mixed Section which had only one division. There was not a Ladies Section and the Mens Section had two divisions.  In the 1st Division A.W.R.E. looked as though they would pip “Assistant Masters” to the title.  It was tight and would probably be settled on a “games won” basis.  Division 2 was won by Waverley who along with A.W.R.E. are the only two clubs still playing in the present set up.  Other teams featuring in the tables were Overton, Tech.College Staff, R.A.F. Odiham, Lansing Bagnell (the foreruuners of BH Pegasus ), Scarlett Runners, Bramshill Police. Thornycroft, Q.M.Students, Q.M.Old Boys, Park Prewett (later B.D.H.?) and Oakley. The secretary at that time was a Mr J Gray.  Does anyone know if this gentleman is still in the area . If so please let a member of the present committee know as it would be very interesting to learn more about the League in those early days.

Ladies Match Report - 24/02/06  A two pair Andover Sports ladies team in the Ladies 6 Division of the Ian Dewar sponsored league still managed a 5/4 win against Waverley at John Hunt School.  Ellen Dennett and Val Wheeler won their three rubbers for the winning visitors helped by two from Sandra McDonald/Liz Jones.  Sally Holmes and Heather Mountford won the solitary home rubber.  

In the Ladies 4 Division Andover suffered their first defeat following three victories when they went down 5/1 at home to BH Pegasus for whom Lesley Acheson and Kim Street took part in three winning rubbers with Doreen Quilter and Amanda Marsden participating in two each.  Ann Viney and  Laura Thomas won the sole rubber recorded by the home team.  This win means that BH Pegasus have bypassed Andover to head the division by two points.

Mens Match Report - 24/02/06  A strong Viking Mens A team in Division 1, intent on regaining the championship which they lost last season, beat Aldermaston 9/0 at Aldermaston.  The pairings were James Bevis/Richard Whatley, Tim Cooper/Mike Fidge and Chris Powell/Tony Coombes. 

Six of the seven teams in Division 2 were involved in matches last week with Viking B recording the same score as their A team did.  Their opponents in this case were Alresford who have not been having a very good season so far.  Graeme Berry/Scott Wilkins, Simon Williamson/Neil Hodges and Steve Ineson/Vincent Young made up the victorious team.  Hurst, who are slightly behind with their programme of matches beat Beechdown B 7/2 at the Hurst to keep in fourth place in the table. David Ord/Mark Payne won a maximum for them supported by two rubbers each from Stephen Hartwell/Dave Keep and Alex Wigmore/Jeremy Browne.  Richard Bowen/Paul Deed won the two Beechdown B rubbers.  Firefly are still in second place following a gift of nine points when BH Pegasus B conceded to them. 

Dave Cooley and Stuart Gordon won the two rubbers for a two pair Whitchurch team in Division 3 when they drew 2/2 with Waverley who also only had two pairs. Each of the visiting Waverley pairs, Adam Bridgen/Colin Huntley and Philip Quinn/Richard James won one rubber.     

Mixed Match Report - 24/02/06   David Burrell/Kim Street and Jonathan Phillips/Lesley Acheson won a rubber each for BH Pegasus A when they lost 7/2 to leaders Beechdown A in Mixed Division 1.  Neil Marie/Andrea Hill and Peter Seward/Madge Cummings won maxima for Beechdown A supported by one rubber from Mick Cummings/Karen Southwell.   This victory leaves Beechdown A  11 points ahead of chasing Viking A, who have a match in hand.  The two teams meet in their final matches of the season  and the championship could well depend on the result on that occasion. 

Division 2 is equally close with St Marys, having just beaten LoddonSherpas A who had only two pairs 7/2, now only 2 points behind Viking B and 10 behind current leaders LoddonSherpas A.  Ian Young/Stephanie Matthews won the two rubbers for LoddonSherpas A while Mark Ferguson/Margaret Mason won two for St Marys complimented by one each from Andrew King/Pam Norman and Philip Desbois/Frances Rayson.   

In Division 3 LoddonSherpas B could only field two pairs when visiting Firefly and lost 7/2.  Steve Webb/Traicy Tait won two rubbers for the home side with Colin Pink/Rosemary Pomroy and Phil/Susan Pike supplying one each.  Phil Hood and Lee Timperley won the two rubbers for the losers. In the same division runaway leaders BH Pegasus C continued to dominate with a 8/1 defeat of Beechdown C at the Sports Centre.  Nigel Appleton/Jan McDonald won the solitary rubber for the losers with Dale Turpin/Jean Deverill and  Frank Dowling, in his first league appearance for some considerable time, partnered by Jenny Skilton each winning their three rubbers for BH Pegasus C.  Alex Groom/Laura Stella won the remaining two rubbers for them.  

A two pair Andover side in Division 5 was still strong enough to beat LoddonSherpas C 6/3 at John Hunt School.  Alan Dixon/Laura Thomas and Ivor Brojek/Karen Causley were the winning pairs. This victory leaves the Andover side in second place in the table behind neighbours Andover Sports B.  Beechdown D recorded a 7/2 victory over Phoenix B in the same division but had to forfeit two rubbers which were won by a player who had been originally nominated for the C team thus making a 5/4 result.  Tim Jefferies and Leanne Francis set up the win by taking all three of their rubbers and Ian Simpson/Sue Nolan won the other two.  The original two rubbers scored by the losers were won by John Shipman/Alison Rendall. 

Last updated on 10 August, 2006

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