15th July 2008 By Malcolm Macfarlane
One match each for the England teams on the final day of team competition here in Terni, Italy The Cadet Boys faced the very strong French squad in the Cadet Boys' Final.
Gavin Evans started the match well with a good win over Simon Gauzy but try as he might, going down 11-9 in the fifth set, Liam Pitchford was unable to add to that against Romain Lorentz. The doubles started well with the English pair taking the first set but after that it was all France: 2-1 down.
Gavin Evans returned to the fray to face Lorentz, another incredibly close match went the way of the Frenchman 16-14 in the third and although Gavin recovered to take the fourth to deuce as well, it was not to be. France are Cadet Boys' Champions and England will have to console themselves with the silver medals.
Earlier in the day the Junior Boys lost 2-3 to Belgium in the 5th/6th playoff match. Paul Drinkhall was rested and a hard fought match finally went the Belgian way, Darius Knight won both his singles but neither Matt Ware or Chris Doran could add to the tally.
The Junior Girls team finished their event as they had come to expect, a 3-0 win over Denmark with all three girls, Martha Travis, Natalie Slater and Mary Fuller, winning their game to finish 29th.
To finish the competition with six consecutive wins was a tremendous performance from the young team and they can only have gained from their experiences.
The Cadet Girls were still in with a chance of the 17th place finish which would place them in the top divisions next year in Prague.
Facing Bosnia & Herzegovina it was not to be however, a bad match of styles meant that Emily Bates was never really in the first game which she lost 3-0. Karina Le Fevre, however, won a marathon second game 12-10 in the fifth to level matters, all three doubles sets were close but all went to Bosnia.
So to the fourth and all seemed lost when Karina Le Fevre lost the first two sets but she came back to take the next two sets and stand 6-4 ahead in the fifth. It was not to be, however, as a bit of confidence came out of her game and the game was lost 8-11. All felt Emily would have taken the fifth game so the girls were tremendously close to claiming that top division place but Bosnia & Herzegovina were marginally too good.
Results
Junior Boys ENGLAND - BELGIUM 2-3 - finish 6th DORAN C. lost to JEAN L: 3-11,11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 8-11
KNIGHT D. beat LAMOQUE F: 11-5. 11-8. 11-7
WARE M. lost to GONAY T: 8-11. 11-6. 10-12. 10-12
KNIGHT D. beat JEAN L: 11-8. 11-6. 5-11. 11-9
DOREN C. lost to LAMOQUE F: 8-11. 11-13. 3-11 Junior Girls DENMARK - ENGLAND 0-3 - finish 29th
SORENSEN R. lost to SLATER N: 6-11, 8-11, 2-11
JACOBSEN M. lost to TRAVIS M: 9-11, 1-11, 11-8, 11-8, 7-11
NORLEM I. lost to FULLER M: 6-11, 11-4, 11-7, 4-11, 13-15
Cadet Boys
ENGLAND - FRANCE 1-3 - finish 2nd EVANS G beat GAUZY S: 11-9, 11-8 ,11-4
PITCHFORD L lost to LORENTZ R: 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 9-11, 9-11
EVANS-PITCHFORD lost to ROBINOT-LORENTZ: 11-8, 7-11, 6-11, 8-11
EVANS G lost to LORENTZ R: 11-7, 5-11, 14-16, 11-13
Cadet Girls
ENGLAND - BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINIA 1-3 - finish 18th BATES E. - BUSATLIC B: 8-11, 4-11, 6-11
LEFEVRE K. - HADZIAHMETOVIC E: 7-11, 11-7, 10-12, 12-10, 12-10
DAVIDSON L./LEFEVRE K. - BUSATLIC B./HADZIAHMETOVIC E: 9-11, 8-11,11-13
LEFEVRE K. - BUSATLIC B: 9-11, 8-11,11-9, 11-7, 8-11
Photo: Karina Lefevre courtesy Henk Hommes
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