Bedfordshire come up just short in Great Yarmouth
Pool round-up
The Bedfordshire County Pool Association Youth Team produced an excellent display on their first visit to Great Yarmouth for more than seven years.
With a number of U14s in their team, Beds had one of the youngest teams in the competition but stormed through the group stages, beating Northants 23-19 and trouncing much-fancied Kent 24-15, to qualify for the semi-finals on the Saturday morning.
However, Beds lost out 23-17 to eventual winners Staffordshire.
The squad, was captain Tom Church, vice captain Chris Wells, Chris Haywood, M-Jaye Waller, Josh Riddaway, David O'Brien, Lee Murnane, James Molloy, George Steptoe, Callum Tyler, Joel Riddaway, Jordan Rice, James Rush and Taylor Hart.
>> England come to Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is hosting a charity pool event on Saturday, July 24, with the current world champion, Phil Harrison, putting on an exhibition.
Harrison will be joined by former world champion Carl Morris.
The England Youth Team has agreed to a match against the Bedfordshire Youth Team as part of the event, to be held in either Luton or Dunstable.
Proceeds from the event will be donated to Hearing Dogs For The Deaf, a charity supported by both Harrison and Morris.
>> Bedfordshire are narrowly beaten by Norfolk
Bedfordshire's mens team had a close match against a very good Norfolk team, but just lost out 24-20.
It will take a while for the rankings to sort themselves out, but seven of the team did their chances no harm by winning at least 50 per cent of their games, with four of the team winning three out of four.
Chris McMullan was named man of the match.
After a good start Bedfordshire B lost their way as they were defeated 31-13 by Norfolk B.
The teams shared the first four frames but it then went downhill rapidly for Beds as they lost 12 of the next 14 frames as they reached the halfway stage 16-6 down.
Bedfordshire narrowly lost the third set but it was followed by a poor final where they were defeated 9-2.
Four players had two wins, five had one victory and two members had no wins.
Bedfordshire's ladies, meanwhile, struggled to get a team together as they were beaten 31-13 by opponents Norfolk.
Having struggled to get the 10 players needed, Bedfordian Claire Michelin threw herself straight in, having to learn the world rules in the car on the way there.
Jennifer Bolton, who played interleague for a London team last year, also made her debut.
Unfortunately Bedfordshire were up against one of the best teams in the region and it showed in the scoreline.
Lady of the match went to Natalie Atkin, who was one of only two ladies to win three out of her four matches.
>> National Youth Grand Prix
The Bedfordshire heats of the National Youth Grand Prix will take place on three Sundays – May 2, June 27 and July 11.
They will start at 11am at Riley's Park Street and are open to anyone under 21, with qualifying places available for the regional heats of the National U16, U18 and U21 championships.
Last year Tom Church, reigning Bedfordshire Youth Grand Prix champion, and Josh Riddaway went all the way to the National Finals.
Taylor Hart, meanwhile, is the latest addition to the youth team, after coming through the trials in January. He underlined his potential at the Norfolk match with a solid three wins out of four.
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Weather for Bedford
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 5 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
