Summer County Cup at Eastbourne 2019
Team : Natasha Hillyer, Soumeya Anane, Lilly Mould , Kate Malazonia, Kara Biggs, Josie Williamson , Holly Reid, Lizzie Massie, Sophia Mezzone , Katie Shaw(Captain)
1st summer county for Josie , Sophia & Kara
Monday v Surrey (reigning Champions)
Team 
Soumeya & Kate
Lilly & Tash
Josie & Sophia & then Holly 

The team were playing on CC, C1, C3 so all split up so hard to watch one match for long time.

Soumeya & Kate got off to a flying start & beat 2nd pair convincingly 6-2 6-2.Tash & Lilly played the very experience ex GB player Mel South & Emily Appleton, unfortunately they lost 6-4 6-4 , they had lots of chances to break, Tash as solid from baseline as ever, Lilly plays amazing shots but at times when crucial points just needs to make her opponents play at important times.

Josie & Sophia fought really hard but Surrey 3rds just too good. 2-1 down Natasha & Lilly lost 7-6 in 3rd. Soumeya, Katie, Josie & Sophia all lost in straight sets, so now 5-1 down.

Natasha & Lilly had another 3 set match v 3rd pair but this time they won 6-4 in 3rd, Tash is so Solid & Lilly (so talented) said she knows Tash is going to make every ball & that’s why sometimes she goes for some ridiculous winners but then makes crazy errors. Both my other pairs lost in 2 sets, so unfortunately a 7-2 loss. During the  last round we suddenly had an outbreak of flying ants & because of that a seagull invasion I’ve never seen anything quite like it before, but unfortunately it didn’t seem to put Surrey players off.

Tuesday v Middlesex

Lizzie Massie arrived so I partnered her with Josie and Tash with Lilly (even though they only won one match the day before they were so close in other 2 matches) then Kate & Soumeya also played great & thought another day of playing together might enable them to win.They got off to a flying start v No1s, so good winning 6-2. But then their opponents picked up their level & won 6-2 in 3rd, Kate played so well from baseline but then gets really down on herself when losing.Lizzie & Josie played the best they could but there opponents just too good. Tash & Lilly won, so we were  2-1 down Unfortunately Lizzie & Josie tried there hardest again, tried mixing the game up but they were just outplayed once more.Kate & Soumeya yet again had another 3 set match but lost & Tash & Lilly also lost in 2 sets, 5-1 down again.Finally a win from Kate & Soumeya in 2 sets .i subbed in Holly to play with Lizzie they played great together & narrowly lost 4&4.Tash & Lilly also lost so another 7-2 loss .

Wednesday v Essex

Different venue & I changed all the pairs as we had 2 losses, Kara arrived Tuesday evening,

Team :Tash & Soumeya

Kate & Kara

Lilly & Josie

Kara (plays great doubles huge serve & volleys) & with Kate playing together for first time put up  such a great performance v Aimee Gibson & partner whom last year won 15 in group 1, lost 6-4 in 3rd set.

Tash & Soumeya back playing with each other after a couple of years out, played so solid & won in 2 straight sets. Josie & Lilly playing together for first time played so solidly & beat the experienced MandyWainwright & her partner 3&3. Yeh 2-1 up but could have been 3-0. Everyone played so well next round & all my pairs won so 5-1 up & into final round Lilly & Josie lost to 1st pair, but Kate/Kara, Tash & Soumeya all won so a 7-2 win.

Thursday v Yorkshire (crucial match a win would secure us remaining in Group 1)

Team

Tash & Soumeya

Kate & Kara

Lilly & Josie

Josie & Lilly (3v 3) played awesome 1set winning 6-2, then lost a bit of concentration & tried-to go for winning shots & lost 2nd & disappointingly they lost 3rd set 6-4, such a shame as had so many chances at 4-4.

Tash & Soumeya played very solid & won in 2 straight sets.Yorkshires1st pair were too strong Eleanor Dean such an awesome serve, aces galore & huge forehand, they were just too good for Kate & Kara .

So 2-1 down.

Very nervy 2nd round, Tash & Soumeya were also outplayed & yes were out hit from York’s 1sts, losing in 2 sets. Kate & Kara got off to a fab start winning 1set then went 5-2 down played 4 great games to go 6-5 up, but then Serena Nash served 4 awesome 1st serves so 6-6 tiebreak, K & K lost 7-5😭 😭 . K&K heads dropped & couldn’t quite win 3rd set, a match they should have won .

Lilly with Josie put up a great fight & beat York’s 2nds 6-4 in 3rd.

4-2 down I partnered Lizzie in with Lilly in final round as Josies ankle was very painful & swollen.

After 5 mins into round 3 then it started pouring & thunder & lightning, play got cancelled by 7pm

It was the hottest day, it was so humid it felt like walking into a sauna.

So it rained all night & we woke to pouring rain so the decision was made to play on the hockey pitches (not the best as ball hardly bounces & so fast). So final round we need to win all 3; Tash & Soumeya playing so solid winning in 2 sets, unfortunately my other 2 pairs lost, both pairs tried so hard & lost very close matches again, so a 6-3 loss but really it could so easily have been 6-3 win.

Friday lunch time started the match v Herts who were top of the group & won all three matches easily so a tough task ahead.i kept our   pairs the same but Herts were too good & won 1st round 3-0; I knew we needed at least to win 7-2 so I subbed Holly in to partner Soumeya & put Sophia with Kate, once again my team played & fought hard but results didn’t go our way, it seemed to be like that all week, If Only !!!!!

So we finished in 5th position relegation to group 2. It’s been 6 years since we were last in Div 2, so only myself & Tash experienced another Division.

Overall it was such a hot week weather wise, the hottest I can remember, Team all got on great, great banter, lots & lots of laughs at the dinner table, Soumeya keeps us all amused, she is so funny.Everyone was so keen to play next year to get back to Div 1 & hopefully get Manisha & Summer + few others so hopefully they will all be fighting for their place.