Jazzey’s Spring League got off to a slippery start last week with the most difficult decision of the night being taken by the captains on whether to play or not. However, with the two teams gathered and rarin’ to go, it would take more than a few snow flurries to send them home early. A strong showing once again by Donal Burns and Enid Redmond (The Aristocrats) saw them edge out Nick Hambley and Vanessa McBrien (The Sweet Spots) 7-5. Leonie Madigan’s new found attacking play is reaping rich dividends for the Aristocats and partnering John Griffin, she took the opening doubles 8-4. Claude Bersot and Nadine Stewart dug deep and fought back from 1-5 down to clinch a 6-6 draw against James Morrison and Liz McGuinness. But it was the final match of the night that really turned the night around for the Sweet Spots when the reliable Michelle Kennedy and Nadine fought hard to take their match 9-3 thereby whittling away the six point lead of the Aristocats. So a 48-48 draw it was in the end, and as one wag was heard to say on the way home, ‘we’d have achieved exactly the same result if we’d split the points at the start and we’d all be a lot drier and ten degrees warmer’.
An orange ball would have been appropriate for the later series of matches that night. Lisa Greaves and Ollie McShea claimed their first win (and surely not their last) for the Jazz Standards against Marius Blake and Janet Love. Andy Elliott serve yielded five aces on a night when he and Yvonne Masterson blasted their way to an 8-4 win in the mixed doubles. Kevin Burns and Mark Cousins had somewhat of a rollercoaster ride against Andy and Seamus O’Connell. Starting well Mark and Kevin broke serve early to lead 2-0, only to falter and lose the next six games before regaining their composure and claiming what seemed like a very unlikely 6-6 draw. That result was pivotal in the Jazz Standards victory on the night 52-44.
Wednesday night’s matches started with a slip from Captain Martina Boyd (Nice ‘n Fly) but definitely no slip-up as she led the team to a great result when partnering Martin Sharkey winning 10-2. Martin teamed up with Finn Corrigan and continued their winning streak, again winning decisively 9-3. Although it was a tough night for the Blue Notes they got a good tune from Mary Griffin who won both her matches 7-5 when partnering Stephen Kettyles in the mixed and Gwen Wilson in the ladies. By the end of the night though, it was Nice ‘n Fly who flew highest winning 53-43.
The second series of matches that night were more akin to tennis on ice. The icy conditions on court meant the game play was rather more cautious than usual. The well balanced Geraldine Millar showed all her customary skill when teaming up with James Wilson (Cool Cats) to take the opening mixed 8-4. John Ross & Moira McAdam (Rhythm Section) won their mixed doubles decisively and Moira continued with another impressive display in the ladies when partnering Berni Cornyn. Super-sub Mark Cousins contributed handsomely to the points for the Cool Cats with a win and a draw. However, the conditions proved just too cool for the Cats who lost out on the night 40 v 56.
