Melbourn lost 8-14

The 1sts were within touching distance of a win in this match between two teams fighting to avoid the second-bottom spot in Division 1… but in the end came up just short.

It was an evening that turned on the third string match as either side of it the top of the order broke the 1sts way, Matt Sampson (1) beating Grant Bryant 3-0 and Chris Shaw (2) downing Mike Mackay by the same score. However Cambridge held sway at the bottom two strings as Miles Jeanneret (4) and Mark Oppen (5) fell in straight games to Cameron Gibb and Patrick Stewart respectively.

… no, not THAT Patrick Stewart. Another one.

That beamed it down to Vinod Duraikan’s clash with Sumit Karia at third string. This was an intensely close match, with the advantage swinging one way then the other. Vinod was twice a game up, but each time Sumit responded. The fifth and deciding game ended the only way it could possibly do – with a tie-break. Sadly for the 1sts that went to Sumit to mean he won 3-2, and Cambridge took the overall honours 14-8.