Report 19^th Nov 2006

The season is under way in the Newmarket Badminton Federation Leagues, which runs from October 2006 to April 2007. Early results show how fortunes can change drastically from one year to the next, with Ely Victoria’s increased strength of depth immediately showing that this year they mean business.

In Mixed League Division One Ely Victoria blew away by a score of 9-0, admittedly a weakened version of the St. Phillips team who had pipped them to second spot last year. They almost repeated the whitewash against St. Phillips Men, last year’s champions, 5½-½ (this is a hot off the press result not yet in the tables). St. Phillips’ agony was compounded by another mixed defeat, although more respectably by the narrower margin of 5-4, at Borders.

In the Ladies’ League First Division, Newmarket Ladies A have again started off their season with the usual “let’s see if we can go the season without conceding any games” domination. They are unlikely to succumb to Ely, but the early prediction is that unless St. Phillips regroup or Newmarket, the only other club with probably the strength to halt the Ely march in these divisions, can field their top players regularly, then Ely are looking favourites in the other two Leagues.

In the Ladies’ Second Division it is newcomers Little Shelford who top the table after three straight wins, followed by St. Edmunds, newly returned to the Ladies, who have yet to drop a game. Borders Ladies have withdrawn from this Division.

In the Men’s Second Division the opposition are finding slow plastic shuttles and an improved Soham side tough to overcome and Soham head the table, although level on points with a new Linton Men's team also making a strong start together with Newmarket B and Crossways B. St. Phillips Men’s B are surpisingly languishing at the bottom, for now.

In the Mixed Second Division Con Club, relegated last season, have started well, although Linton showed that this will again be a competitive division, beating them 6½-2½.

Just two results in the Mixed Third Division involved a completely new club to the leagues, namely Hawks, who lost at Soham but won at Littleport.

A couple of dates for your diaries:

For non–league players: Newmarket Leisure Centre hosts, on Sunday 14 January 2007, a competition specifically for those people that have not played league badminton, played in seven categories. Winners of the local round will progress to a regional tournament to be played by 14 March 2007, before hopefully progressing to the national final at Milton Keynes in late May. Deadline for entries is 22 December and full details are available from the leisure centre.

For league players: the 14th International Tournament which will be held over the weekend of 17th and 18th Feb 2007. Entry forms for teams or individuals need to be sent to Sandra Ashcroft by 21st January 2007.  Details of this and other news and badminton information can be found on the website at www.newmarketbadmintonfederation.org.uk.