ICT

Day 1

This year's ICT Campaign began with the usual early pickup at the services. No punctures or minibus problems this year and everyone was excited and ready to go. The journey was so unexciting that George fell asleep on everyone's bags.

On arrival in Nottingham, there was time for the official photo, checking out the rooms and lunch outside on the grass at the University, before heading for Jubilee and the first match against Kent

A comfortable 10 - 0 victory helped to settle the nerves of both the seasoned competitors and those new to the event.

The second match followed immediately against Somerset and again everything went to plan with another 10 - 0 win.

Then it was back to the University for the evening meal, ready for the final match of the day against Lincolnshire.

This was another 10 - 0 win, although unfortunately, Lincs had to concede their first boys doubles through injury.

Everyone played really well all day, but particularly in the last match where any earlier nerves had been banished and those players faced with tight matches held their nerve and won through.

Day 2

Having won their box, Cheshire were guaranteed a place in the 1 - 20 group.

Tuesday's matches began with Dorset. Another 10 - 0 victory saw the day off to a good start.

This was immediately followed by Leinster who finished 2nd in their box to Yorkshire on Monday in a close match, which could have gone either way. However, the Cheshire team were really settling into their stride, with comfortable singles wins and all of the mixed and level doubles partnerships looking really good, and growing in confidence with every game. The same scoreline as all the other matches - a 10 - 0 win. At 50 games won, none lost and the threat of whacks for the person who lost the first game, the team were thoroughly enjoying themselves. A celebratory "Subway" was called for, then some time to relax in the sun before the evening's match against Surrey.

The team arrived full of confidence for the last match of the day. The 2 mixed doubles and 2nd boys and girls singles went well and Cheshire were 4 -0 up. Next on were the 1st boys and girls singles. Both were really close with the honours split between Cheshire and Surrey leaving the match score at 5 -1. 2nd boys and girls doubles went to Cheshire as did the 1st boys doubles. The 1st girls doubles was really tight, with Cheshire eventually winning and securing a 9 - 1 win. 

Day 3

A 9am start for the match against Herts meant that it was an early breakfast and straight to the hall on Wednesday.

First on were the 2 mixed and 1st boys singles. The top mixed and singles went Cheshire's way as did the first end of the 2nd mixed. Unfortunately, the opposition proved too strong and they managed to get the first points on the board for Herts.

2nd boys singles and 1st and 2nd girls singles were all convincing wins for Cheshire, giving them a 5 - 1 lead. 2nd boys doubles went on next and a win for Cheshire guaranteed a place in the top group. The 1st boys doubles was won by Herts, but the girls took both their doubles for an 8 - 2 win.

The matches in the other groups were all much closer, but eventually our opposition was confirmed as Warwickshire, Lancashire and Buckinghamshire.

The Cheshire v Lancs match was delayed by the over-running Yorks v Devon tie. In the meantime, Warwickshire started their match with Bucks and immediately went 2 - 0 down, losing both mixed doubles.

The pattern was repeated when Cheshire eventually got going against Lancs and lost 1st and 2nd mixed. A fabulous performance at top boys singles by George Li, got Cheshire onto the score sheet at 2 - 1. Cheshire then took the other 3 singles to take a 4 - 2 lead.The top boys doubles was a really tight game, going to 3 sets, but Lancs came out on top. The second boys doubles went Cheshire's way, taking the score to 5 - 3 and meaning that Cheshire had won the match on games, regardless of the result of the girls doubles. The girls didn't rest on their laurels though, going on to take both games and giving Cheshire a 7 - 3 win.

The team enjoying a pre-match warm-up in the sun

On the other 2 courts, Bucks produced an upset, beating the top seeds Warwickshire 6 - 4. Still everything to play for.

Cheshire started their match against Bucks by splitting the mixed, winning top and losing 2nd. In the top boys singles a really tight game finally went Cheshire's way 2 games to 1, bringing the match score to 2 - 1 also.

Mike Roe was convincing at 2nd boys singles moving Cheshire to a 3 - 1 lead.

Bucks then took both girls singles to square the match at 3 all.

Next on was top boys singles and 2nd girls singles. The boys won in 2 and Jojo and Amy came very close to taking the first game, losing narrowly to 13, but were unable to conquer very strong opposition, leaving the match all square at 4 all.

The last 2 games were top girls doubles and 2nd boys doubles. The girls took the first game and the boys had a real battle, losing to 12. Still the match could go either way. Both second games were nip and tuck, but Bucks managed to take the second game in the boys doubles, leaving Cheshire unable to win the match, as even a 5 - 5 draw left Bucks one game up over the match. The girls fought well, winning in 2, but Cheshire's ICT Title hopes now rested on the result of the Lancs v Bucks match on Thursday. 

The Final Day

Another beautiful sunny day in Nottingham and the four teams in the top box had to wait until 2pm for their last match.

Mathematically, it was still possible for Cheshire to win, if they beat Warwickshire and Lancashire beat Bucks. Only time would tell!!

Last minute tactics from the coach?

A good start in both matches - first mixed to Cheshire 15 - 10, 15 - 6 and Lancs took the 1st boys singles.

2nd mixed went to Warwickshire with an increadible nail bighting second end finally decised at 21 - 20. Match score - 1 all.

Bucks took 1st girls singles, and 2nd boys singles. Bucks are 2 - 1 up.

As expected, Warwickshire took both boys singles and Cheshire took top girls singles, making the match score 3 - 2 to Bucks.

In the Lancs V Bucks match, Bucks take 2nd boys doubles, giving them a 4 - 1 lead.

Lancs pull back to 4 - 2 with the top boys doubles, but Bucks top girls take their doubles taking them to 5 - 2. Not looking good for Cheshire.

Next on for Cheshire was 2nd girls singles. Warwickshire took the first game, but Jenny showed real nerve, coming through to win in three winning the 3rd game 15 - 2 - no one realised how crucial that would be. 3 all in the match.

Bucks 2nd girls won and a huge roar confirmed that Bucks were the 2011 ICT Champions, but there was still everything to fight for in the Cheshire Warwickshire match.

In the top boys doubles, Cheshire won the first end, but were unable to hold on and lost 2 - 1, again though, this would prove to be a crucial game.

In the 2nd boys doubles Cheshire won in 2 and the match was still tied going into the girls doubles. The first girls won and the second girls were down in the second end. A quick adding up of the scores seemed to indicate that Cheshire girls needed to score 12 points to win the match. At 14 - 9 down this seemed nigh on impossible. Whilst some of the supporters knew this, Amy and Claire were oblivious and fought on valiently and pulled back to 12-14, before the Warks girls finally scored the winning point. Was this enough for Cheshire - had the Maths been correct?  When the points were added up again, without the pressure of the ensuing game, the final match score was all square at 5 all,11 games all and unbelievably, 276 points all.

How would it be decided? A quick check of the rules from the the supporters confirmed that in this case the winner was the team winning the most of the 1st boys and girls singles, 1st boys and girls doubles and 1st mixed. In the singles and the doubles, both girls events were won by Chesire and both boys events were won by Warwickshire, but the 1st mixed had been taken by Cheshire, giving them a 3 - 2 advantage. Second place was confirmed. The most amazing result and a superb performance from everyone.