It was a perfect ending to Joe Cardy’s time as Suffolk county captain. Victory over Leicestershire at Stowmarket denied the formerly unbeaten visitors the Anglian League title which went to Northamptonshire, who rounded off their programme by beating Cambridgeshire, writes Tony Garnett.
There was a steely determination about Suffolk who have won all three of their home League matches, a marked improvement on the previous two seasons when no victories were recorded.
Suffolk are building a competitive team with Cardy, who will continue to play, and the dependable Sam Debenham proving very hard to beat at this level.
Suffolk went ahead in the foursomes by two and a half to one and a half. It might have been better still as James Biggs saw a couple of putts lip the hole and stay out before he and Habebul Islam lost on the last green.
Calvin Sherwood and James O’Doherty, the Stowmarket club champion, won a tense match on the final green while Cardy and Debenham won 4 and 2.
Paul Waring and Adam Sheldrake were three up early on. They were still one up on the 18th tee but had to settle for a half.
Suffolk needed to win four of the eight singles to cross the winning line. They were given a great start when Sherwood beat Coby Cartwright in a top-quality match that produced 11 birdies and an eagle. Sherwood, with the appearance of Tommy Fleetwood, was at his best.
Habebul Islam was called into the team at short notice after Josh Cottrell withdrew.
Considering he had played 36 holes round the testing Royal St Georges course in the South East Links Championship on Saturday and did not arrive back in Ipswich until after midnight, Habebul made a splendid county first team debut with victory over Luke Burrows, one of Leicestershire’s leading players.
Paul Waring was always in control against Scott Wormleighton. When Cardy beat James Billingham 6 and 4 Suffolk had won, but Debenham added to Leicestershire’s woes in the final match.
O’Doherty was going well against Leicestershire captain Martin Anderson until he lost a ball on the seventh when it had appeared to be in no trouble.
Tangling with the horse chestnut tree on the eighth can be costly as several players, including O’Doherty, discovered.
Meanwhile, the Suffolk second team travelled to Market Harborough knowing that the title rested between Leicestershire and Suffolk.
The host county went four up in the foursomes. Not many teams recover from that deficit.
Leicestershire fielded several players with first team experience in previous seasons. Suffolk’s only singles winners were Sam Byford and James Tyler who had seven birdies in 12 holes.
Anglian League
Suffolk 1st 7.5 Leicestershire 4.5
At Stowmarket.
Foursomes (Suffolk names first): James Biggs and Habebul Islam lost to Luke Burrows and Chris Brook one down.
Calvin Sherwood and James O’Doherty beat Jack Mayfield and Scott Wormleighton one up.
Paul Waring and Adam Sheldrake halved with Martin Anderson and Coby Cartwright.
Jack Cardy and Sam Debenham beat James Billingham and Joseph Hack 4 and 2.
Singles: Sherwood beat Cartwright 2 and 1, Habebul Islam beat Burrows 2 and 1, Biggs lost to Brook 2 and 1, Waring beat Wormleighton 4 and 2, Sheldrake lost to Mayfield 2 and 1, O’Doherty lost to Anderson 3 and 2, Debenham beat Hack 2 and 1, Cardy beat Billingham 6 and 4.
Leicestershire 2nd 10 Suffolk 2nd 2
At Market Harborough.
Foursomes (Leicestershire names first):
Richard Wale and Steve Sansome beat Jed Seeley and Sam Byford 7 and 6.
Chris Abbott and Tom Roberts beat James Tyler and Chris Bartrum 3 and 2.
John Fairbrother and Jack Merry beat Charlie Taylor and Jasper Johnson two up.
Liam Plant and Paul Dixon beat Chris Duffy and Ben Sayers 3 and 2.
Singles: Wale lost to Byford 3 and 2, Sansome beat Seeley 6 and 5, Abbott beat Bartrum 5 and 4, Dixon lost to Tyler 4 and 3, Merry beat Johnson 2 and 1, Roberts beat Duffy 2 and 1, Plant beat Taylor 3 and 1, Fairbrother beat Sayers 5 and 4.
- Rushmere will meet Thorpeness in the final of the Parks Trophy at Ipswich Golf Club on September 24.
Rushmere beat Southwold at Thorpeness in one semi-final. Thorpeness beat Bungay at Southwold in the other.
Bungay’s cause was not helped by late call-offs from their originally selected team. Thorpeness were winners in 2002, the inaugural year, and 2006. Rushmere have never won this event.
Rushmere beat Southwold by nine holes at Thorpeness.
Scores (Rushmere names first) Tom Howard and Glynn Chaplin halved with John Meikle and Steve Woofenden, Peter Robinson and Ray Smith 4 Keith Hurr and Peter McNally 0, Alan Middle and Graham Hurren 2 Gary Cuthbert and Clyde Camburn 0, Charlie Maskell and Roger Baird 3 Roger Emmerson and Steve Potter 0.
Thorpeness beat Bungay by 17 holes at Southwold.
Scores (Thorpeness names first): Tony Mardon and Mick Cook 6 Nick Owles and Barry Ford 0, Jon Last and Robert Ayrton 7 Paul Whiting and Colin Block 0, Mick Ford and Richard Newton 1 John Eason and Steve Rowe 0, Peter Cooney and Ray Foreman 3 Tony Moore and Russell Dyer 0.
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