|
|
 |
Back to the Teams
After the individual champions were crowned last night (well,
not strictly crowned, the presentations are at the end of the
whole tournament), it was pure team action today.
Two rounds each in the Men's and Women's, by the end of which
the semi-finals were be decided. Two rounds too for the Vets,
but there it's a straight league so nothing's likely to be cast
in stone there for a day or so yet.
|
|
 |
T&T deal double blow to Cayman
as Barbados go top ...
Hosts Cayman suffered a double defeat to Trinidad & Tobago in
their table-topping men's and women's matches in tonight's final
round of pool matches.
The home teams got off to the worst possible start, going
two-nil down in both matches, played on adjacent courts.
Amy Gillezeau and Joanna Scoon did the business
for the T&T ladies, prevailing in two well-contested and
noisily-supported matches, while Ryan Abraham and Paul
Deverteuil did the same for the men.
Cayman number ones Marlene West and Dean Watson
pulled one back, Watson earning revenge for his individual
defeat at the hands of Colin Ramasra, winning a pulsating match
12-10 in the fifth.
But there were to be no miracle comebacks. Nakita Poon Kong
recovered from losing a nail-biting first game 20-22 to beat
Courtney Stafford in four games, and Kale Wilson beat
David Finch in straight games to give the T&T teams unassailable
3-1 leads.
Barbados won their men's and women's matches to finish top of
the groups - the women had an easy but fun match against the
spitited Bermuda side, while Shawn Simpson came from two
games down against individual champion Chris Binnie to put
Barbados three ahead against Jamaica, the match eventually
finishing 5-0.
So the semi-final lineups
are:
Men - Barbados v Cayman, Trinidad
& Tobago v Jamaica
Women - Barbados v Cayman, Trinidad & Tobago v Guyana
There was better news for Cayman
in the Vets' as they beat T&T 4-1, John Macrury clinching
the match when he put them 3-1 ahead in the O50 tie, while
Barbados beat Guyana 4-1 - Barbados won the two matches played
3-2, absentees from both sides making the overall result 4-1.
That puts Cayman and Barbados on two wins each, and on course
for an effective final on Saturday afternoon.
So the end of the most hectic day of the tournament - especially
if you happen to have all three teams playing at the same time
...
"I thought it was bad where you have five or six players to
watch out for at events like the British or World Juniors," said
T&T coach Richard Glanfield.
"But here I had three teams, 15 players, all starting at the
same time - thanks heavens they were all on adjacent courts!
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
Morning Session:
Women: Guyana seal semi spot,
T&T set up Cayman clash ...
 After
losing narrowly to Barbados yesterday, Guyana eased to a
4-1 win over Bermuda today to all but guarantee
themselves a spot in the semi-finals. Bermuda, with #1 Denise
Sommers rested, were no match for the Guyanans, and it's a
reasonable supposition the Barbados will roll over the Bermudans
tonight to clinch top spot in group A.
In group B Trinidad & Tobago dealt out a 5-0 defeat to
Jamaica (who were only fielding three players) to set up a
table-topping clash with hosts Cayman tonight. Both are assured
of their place in the semi-finals, but won't want to go there on
the back of a defeat ...
Vets: Barbados dent
T&T hopes
Barbados denied T&T a second consecutive win with
a hard-fought 3-2 win, Marlon White winning the decisive Men's
O40 game with the match tied at two-all. A noisy ending, that
was, and it means that the race for this title is still wide
open. Meanwhile Jamaica overcame three-person Guyana
3-2 to put themselves into the mix.
Mens: T&T and Jamaica
heading for the semis
The crucial Group B clash saw Trinidad & Tobago take a
4-1 win over Bermuda, guaranteeing themselves a place in
the last four and setting up a group decider with Cayman
tonight.
Same scenario in Group A, Jamaica inflicting a second
defeat on Guyana and they now play Barbados tonight to
decide the top placings in the group. |
|
Individual
finalist Karen Meakins found the bears missing shortly after, a
ransom note in their place.
