Melbourn lost 10-17

The 1sts suffered a frustrating 17-10 defeat at Hunts County 1sts in their opening Cambridgeshire League Division 1 match of the season.

The match saw plenty of familiar faces on show – three of the home side have played for Melbourn previously – and was intensely closely contested with three of the strings going the full five games.
Mike Herd (3) claimed one of these on Melbourn’s behalf as he recovered from a 2-1 deficit against Jason Burgon [last played for Melbourn – summer 2024], though to be fair to Jason injury played a part in this as he retired ahead of the fifth. Game scores were 11-9, 6-11, 10-12, 11-9, [11-0]

The outcome wasn’t the same for either Miles Jeanneret (4) or Mark Oppen (5) vs Henry Ingram and Grant Mankee respectively, as both Melbourn players saw deciding games go against them after having forced each to five.
Miles and Henry had three really tight games to start, Miles paying in the end for winning two of them. 2-1 down, Miles threw the kitchen sink at game four, winning it impressively… but it was a pyrrhic victory as the effort involved emptied his tanks and he lost the fifth. 11-9, 10-12, 12-14, 11-2, 8-11.
Mark also had a tight one with Grant, in what is always a contrast of styles between Grant’s powerful game and Mark’s tenacious and more floaty approach. These two have met a number of times before and there is usually nothing in it. There really wasn’t again as we got five games all at 11-8 or closer. Mark was a bit underwhelmed with his performance to lose 3-2 against a player he has beaten previously, but also recognised his fitness could have been better, which might have made the tiny incremental difference to turn an 11-13, 12-10, 8-11, 11-8, 9-11 score the other way.
 
Trailing two strings to one going into the top of the order Melbourn levelled up when Vinod Duraikan beat Colin Griggs [last played for Melbourn – ages ago, possibly when he was a junior!] 3-1, Vinod gradually wearing Colin down with his shot accuracy and efficient movement (an uncomplicated game delivered well is Vinod’s route to success… and it’s a good one) to win going away 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 11-1. However Hunts took the day when Matt Sampson (1) was outfitnessed by teenager Mumin Bilen, who recently represented Turkey at the European Team Championships and who played for Melbourn for a couple of seasons pre-pandemic. Mumin has swapped clubs a few times since – he was playing #2 for St. Ives last season – but now has the County Division 1 #1 string gig that suits him for Hunts. In terms of style Matt probably has more shots, and definitely more experience, but Mumin simply kept it steady and extended the rallies and this was enough to send Matt to a 9-11, 7-11, 5-11 defeat.

Skipper Mark commented afterwards “We were disappointed on the night not to win as we had chances to do so. But looking back on it, 10 points is a good start to our season. It is more than we got away to Hunts the last time we played them.”