Great Britain leads Limb Trophy but Pridmore keeps Aussie dreams alive
Batstone, Yorston and Flynn record wins for defending champions
Great Britain have established a key 3-1 lead in the Limb Trophy against Australia at Seacourt on Monday, though a deciding game victory from team captain Oliver Pridmore provided hope for the Australians late in the day.
Great Britain drew first blood in the Limb Trophy courtesy of Ned Batstone in the 4th singles against Alex Rackham. There wasn’t anything flashy about Batstone’s game, but there needn’t have been. Rackham was searching for outright winners and quick finishes to rallies, even when the ball was not there to be played. Batstone needed only to sit back, play the ball into good areas and await the overeager shot from his opponent. Rackham did string together a few impressive main wall dedans, but they were too few and far between to make a meaningful impact on the scoreboard.
Will Flynn then extended Great Britain’s lead in the 3rd singles against Australia’s Darcy Webster-Jones. Flynn, playing on his home court, showed off his superior control and power as he ran Webster-Jones around the court. In particular, Flynn dictated the rallies from the return of serve, meaning Webster-Jones never had opportunities to play around the tambour. Webster-Jones battled valiantly to stay alive in each rally mustering a couple of games whenever Flynn did give him a ball to hit to the grille.
It was less easy for Britain’s Benedict Yorston in the 2nd singles against Australia’s Nick Stenning. Stenning was in the match through the first six games, taking on risky shots that were generally paying off, backed on by the vocal Australian contingent in the side gallery. He was able to draw Yorston to one area of the court before slamming a shot back to another. Unfortunately for Australia, he could not sustain the intensity, as Yorston started to read the play better and better. Stenning flattened, and with the crowd noise fading Yorston grew a small advantage into a decisive one. From 3-all in the first set, the Brit won the next nine games, winning the match with a brace of winning galleries.
The 1st singles was a rematch of the Invitational final, held the previous day, between Britain’s Bertie Vallat and Australia’s Oliver Pridmore, where Pridmore had been the victor in three sets. Vallat had learned from his loss, playing with positive intent from the outset, increasing the pace of his shots and providing plenty of cut, helped by the new set of balls put on court that morning. Though Pridmore adapted, moving up the court to cut the ball off sooner, he was still on the defensive for enough of the set to cede it 4/6.
As was the case the previous day, Pridmore was unperturbed by the loss of the first set. Instead, he lifted his play, hitting some blistering straight forces and honing in his shots on the grille. His court coverage was exceptional as well, reading the bounces off the gallery ledges, diving all over the floor and climbing all over the walls. The second set sped by with a repeated scoreline now seeming inevitable.
When Pridmore had a 4-1 lead in the third and final set, the match appeared all but over. But Vallat didn’t believe so, putting in one of his best stretches of play for the week as he slowly clawed back the deficit, controlling the line of his shots well enough to be regularly beating Pridmore on the floor. He found a second wind physically, pushing to move as quick around the court as he had earlier in the match. Vallat strung together four consecutive games and firmed as the favourite at 5-4. Pridmore refused to accept defeat, with a series of unreturnable winners, each causing the Australian contingent to erupt louder than the one before. He won eight of the last nine points to register Australia’s first win on the scoreboard.
Play for the Limb Trophy will continue on Tuesday, with four doubles rubbers, with a fifth as a decider if required. Australia will then play the USA in the Clothier Cup on Wednesday and Thursday, with the British team to play the USA in the Van Alen Cup on Friday and Saturday.
Match results:
Limb Trophy — Great Britain leads Australia 3-1
10:00 AM (4th singles): Ned Batstone (GB) def Alex Rackham (AUS) 6/1 6/1
11:30 AM (3rd singles): Will Flynn (GB) def Darcy Webster-Jones (AUS) 6/1 6/2
1:00 PM (2nd singles): Benedict Yorston (GB) def Nick Stenning (AUS) 6/3 6/0
2:30 PM (1st singles): Bertie Vallat (GB) lost to Oliver Pridmore (AUS) 6/4 2/6 6/5
Order of play for Tuesday (all times BST):
Limb Trophy (GB vs Australia)
10:00 AM (1 & 2 doubles): Bertie Vallat & Benedict Yorston (GB) vs Oliver Pridmore & Nick Stenning (AUS)
11:30 AM (3 & 4 doubles): Will Flynn & Ned Batstone (GB) vs Darcy Webster-Jones & Alex Rackham (AUS)
1:00 PM (1 & 3 doubles): Bertie Vallat & Will Flynn (GB) vs Oliver Pridmore & Darcy Webster-Jones (AUS)
2:30 PM (2 & 4 doubles): Benedict Yorston & Ned Batstone (GB) vs Nick Stenning & Alex Rackham (AUS)
4:00 PM (Deciding doubles (if required)): Benedict Yorston & Will Flynn (GB) vs Nick Stenning & Darcy Webster-Jones (AUS)
Remaining matches:
7-8 July: Limb Trophy (GB leads Australia 3-1)
9-10 July: Clothier Cup (USA vs Australia)
11-12 July: Van Alen Cup (GB vs USA)