Chichester : the final countdown
Team Chichester v RAC, 13th Mar 18 : the final countdown
Team Chichester’s penultimate and last home match of the PSL was played against top of the table Tradition @ RAC.
First on court, for Chichester, was Amy Jones who played the WR10, Alison Waters. Amy battled well for the points she won but the pace and accuracy of Alison proved too much for Amy to control and she was defeated 2/11, 1/11, 2/11.
Meanwhile, on the glass-back championship court, Tim Vail was up against WR63 George Parker. The first two games were tight to midway. Parker’s athleticism, retrieving skills, good line and lengths and excellent volleying, however, always seemed to keep Vail on the back foot. Vail made some uncharacteristic tin shots to eventually lose them 7/11, 7/11. In the third Parker forged a good lead and, aided by some errors from Vail, he wrapped up the game and match 4/11 to put RAC 0.2 up on the night.
Next on court Team Chichester’s Tom Walsh [semi-finalist in the 2018 British U23 Open] played Dutch National Champion Piedro Schweertman. Schweertman plays an attacking straight game at a very high pace and hits the ball cleanly. Walsh was equal to this style of play and when both players started mixing it with lobs a great all court game ensued. Schweertman took the first 9/11 before Walsh equalised 11/5 in the second. Schweertman’s strength and consistency allowed him to drive through to take the next two games 4/11, 6/11 in what was an excellent match for the packed gallery.
Ollie Pett, Chichester’s number 2 string, played WR48 Ben Coleman. Both players played an attacking all-court game. Coleman, looking full of running, took a tight first game 7/11. In the second Pett’s excellent shot making came to the fore and he took the game 11/6. After an even start in the third Coleman stepped up the pressure and eventually won it 5/11. The fourth followed in the same pattern but Coleman always seemed to have the edge and finished the match 4/11. The 1.3 score line proved to be another entertaining match to watch and put RAC 0.4 up.
The much-anticipated final match was between Chichester’s Omar Abdel Meguid WR40 and Paul Coll WR11 and last season’s number 1 for Team Chichester. At the start of the first game both players were feeling out the court but then Meguid started to break Coll’s rhythm with constructive use of the lob and volley. Coll, nonetheless, ran down and retrieved almost everything but Meguid held out to take it 11/8. In the second Coll started off well whilst Meguid lapsed into a few errors and Coll ran through to take it 3/11.
The third game was evenly matched and what followed was a master class in fantastic shot making and retrieving from both players. Coll just managed to get enough back to snatch the game 10/12. In the fourth Meguid threw caution to the wind and tried everything to once again break Coll’s rhythm but this time he hit too many tins and eventually lost the match 4/11.
Chichester 0-5 Tradition @ RAC (3-20)
Omar Abdel Meguid 1-3 Paul Coll 11-8, 2-11, 10-12, 4-11
Ollie Pett 1-3 Ben Coleman 7-11, 11-6, 5-11, 4-11
Tim Vale 0-3 George Parker 7-11, 4-11, 7-11
Tom Walsh 1-3 Piedro Schweertman 9-11, 11-5, 4-11, 6-11
Amy Jones 0-3 Alison Waters 2-11, 1-11, 2-11
The next, and final match of the season, is away to St.George’s Hill on March 27th.