Melbourn Squash Club earn Cambridgeshire League crown

Club earn first county title

Melbourn Squash Club sealed their 16th consecutive victory as they created history by being crowned the Cambridgeshire League ladies’ champions.

In their penultimate match of the season, they faced closest challengers and defending champions Hunts County.

Frances Smith won 3-0, but Lynne Hays was beaten 3-2.

However, straight game victories for Kate Bradshaw and Sam Pluck gave them a 19-3 victory to seal the title, and that left their final match against Cambridge as a celebration.

And Melbourn won 20-2 to make it the first time in the club’s history that any side has won a county crown.

“Despite a disastrous start [two players forgetting to turn up to a match] and injury for Sam meaning she had to miss four matches, points were being accumulated and we began to realise we stood a chance,” said captain Hays.

“This was a real team effort, with Kate and Frances losing only one match each throughout the season, and the rest only losing three each.

“This consistency made us very difficult to beat, with an average of 17 points per match. The team has really enjoyed the season: good squash, great results and to cap it all we are champions.”

Melbourn’s mixed first team face a relegation play-off to retain their Division One status.

Wins for Vinod Duraikan, Joe Weavers, Dan Easton and Mark Oppen helped them beat Cambridge 17-5, while St Ives unexpectedly beat St Neots 17-10.

So after finishing one point ahead of relegated St Ives, they now face a play-off against Division Two runners-up Leys.