AEGON Summer County Cup Review

North of Scotland Ladies team maintained a 100% record at the AEGON Summer County Cup as they earned promotion to next year’s Group 5.

The North team dominated throughout the week and added to their earlier successes with victories over Lincolnshire (8-1), Cornwall (8-1) and Shropshire (7-2) to top Group 6 at the North Oxford LTC.

Also enjoying promotion was the East of Scotland Ladies team who will make the step up to Group 4 next year after 4 wins out of 5 this week at the Avenue Lawn Tennis & Squash Club in Havant, Hampshire.  After a good start to the campaign the East Ladies slipped up against Northumberland (4-5) on Wednesday but recovered well with victories over Staffordshire (8-1) and Somerset (7-2) to seal their promotion.

The East Ladies take the Group 4 space from their local rivals the West of Scotland, who could not maintain their Group status despite a final day victory over Avon (5-4).  Earlier losses to Nottinghamshire (3-6) and Norfolk (3-6) at the West Worthing Club in Sussex meant a 5th place finish in their Group.  The West Ladies will now face the North in 2011.

The South of Scotland Ladies suffered a torrid time in Group 7 at the East Gloucestershire Club in Cheltenham, with losses against Northamptonshire (1-8), Isle of Man (4-5) and Wiltshire (0-5) to see them finish bottom of the table.

The South Men had contrasting fortunes as they earned promoted to Group 5 after 4 wins out of 5 at Felixstowe Lawn Tennis Club in Suffolk.  A Wednesday defeat at the hands of Durham and Cleveland (5-4) was followed up with victories over Northamptonshire (5-4) and Bedfordshire (6-3) to ensure a second place finish in Group 6.

At Eastbourne in Group 1, the North Men recovered well after their early week set-back to maintain their position in the elite of the Summer County Cup.  Victories over Warwickshire (6-3), Surrey (5-4), and Lancashire (5-1) in the second half of the week was enough to secure a 4th place finish.

The East of Scotland Men narrowly missed out on promotion to Group 1 after a strong second half to the week which included tight victories over Yorkshire (5-4), Dorset (5-4) and Derbyshire (5-4).  In the end the East finished on equal points with second place Derbyshire at the Cromer Lawn Tennis & Squash Association in Norfolk but lost out on promotion due to the number of rubbers won.

There was further disappointment for the West of Scotland as their Men suffered the same fate as their Ladies with relegation to Group 4 after a 5th place finish in Group 3 at the HSBC Sports & Social Club in Beckenham, Kent.  Like their female counterparts a last ditch victory over Herefordshire & Worcestershire (5-4) was not enough to keep them up after suffering earlier defeats to South Wales (2-7) and Cheshire (3-6).

Full results and final positions from the AEGON Summer County Cup can be found by clicking here (search for “AEGON Summer County Cup”)