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Derby to face Nottingham in AJ Bell NBL final
Five finally became two tonight in the AJ Bell NationalBadminton League after Team Derby and University of Nottingham Badminton emergedvictorious from their away trips to set up a local 'East Midlands derby' finalin Milton Keynes this coming Wednesday.
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And, bucking the trend of a season of fine margins, 3-2 scorelines and fixtures too close tocall, their paths to Wednesday's showpiece title shootout at centre:mk turned out to be more comfortable than both could have imagined, each winning 4-1.
Suffolk Saxons sold out the Ipswich Corn Exchange butdespite vociferous home support it was Scottish international Kieran Merrileeswho led Nottingham into the Championship Final before Chris Adcock and NinaVislova added extra gloss to a dominant performance from Martyn Lewis' men.
Li Lian Yang, Malaysia's rising star, set Nottingham ontheir way with an upset of sorts, defeating the previously unbeaten Julie FinneIpsen 3-1. Yang, who later lost on tie-break in the women's doubles, is fastbecoming one of the AJ Bell NBL's hottest properties with 4 singles eventvictories in a row.
And she will relish the chance to face compatriot Lyddia CheahYi Ya, Team Derby's own Malaysian singles specialist, on Wednesday. Cheah beat JordanHart on tie-break in the night's opening event in Loughborough before TeamDerby's own Team GB stars re-enforced the title charge against a Lightning sidewithout their own Olympian, star Henri Hurskainen.
Marcus Ellis and Nico Ruponen were comfortable 3-0 winners in the men's doubles before LaurenSmith paired Kate Robertshaw to a 3-1 women's doubles win to give Team Derby anunassailable 3-0 lead and a place in the final.
The performance of the night though, albeit a mere consolation,should go to Lightning debutant David King who won on tie-break against threetime Olympian Scott Evans before Team Derby added a mixed doubles win to their evening's job well done.
Wednesday's final will come with extra firepower as Team Derbylook to take revenge for the 3-2 defeat to their near neighbours. And, doing soon the AJ Bell NBL's biggest stage – at centre:mk with the champions trophy onoffer for the victors, will be some motivation.
In the night's other fixture, to avoid the wooden spoon,Bristol Jets ended a run of five straight defeats with a 4-1 home victory overSurrey Smashers. Only a Sam Parsons menssingles win robbed Jets of the season's first whitewash and Bex Pantaney willbe happy to record a big win to end the Jets debut season after being on theend of a string of 3-2 scorelines where fine margins played their part.
The edge of your seats awaits.
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