Match Report
Kent battle to claim slim advantage across the board: the heat was on in more than just the weather in Berkshire on County Day Sunday!
Travelling to Berkshire to win matches is always a tough ask, especially now in the men’s and seniors division where Dylan Leary and Eddie Barker are representing the Berkshire teams alongside a whole host of other talented international players.
The Seniors kicked the day off against a mighty Berkshire team with the cry for positivity and recovery following a first loss of the season last time out, where we went down too easily to Surrey. The first set was like a tennis match with no team giving up anything; Berkshire led 5:4. Second set 9:9. Kent’s Dean Kasitz, or as he is fondly known, “Deano Deano,” played a superb first frame of the third set to take out Dylan Leary and give us a slender advantage. Berkshire, however, fought back again to take a 15:12 lead before another response from Kent led to 6 in a row, taking an 18:15 lead. However, Berkshire, with all their experience and class, managed to salvage a draw, 18:18. So, still in the Kent boys’ hands again for a top 2 finish. Excellent performances from both Dean Kasitz and Andy Gee with 6/8 between them.
The Under 23s, led by their captain Jasper Simmonds, went ahead early in the match and raced to a 7:4 lead, but a spirited Berkshire comeback meant it came right down to the wire to get that win. Up stepped England International Jake Lloyd to deliver that victory, 11:9, and a sigh of relief for the Under 23s who are undefeated this year and sit top of their group at the halfway mark.
There was no Ladies’ game yesterday (postponed), and another date will be looked at in the future.
Onto the all-conquering Juniors who keep getting better and better. The region and national champions raved to a 6:3 lead in the first set, then eclipsed that, 7:2, in the second set to take a 13:5 lead. The third set was a little closer before the Kent juniors romped through the 4th set, 8:1, to deliver a resounding 26:10 win. James Goldsmith and Callum Britt were the standout performers with 4/4, and Finley O’Shaughnessy delivered the winning frame. Top of the group at the halfway stage and looking very much like Region 7 winners again!
The C team was missing their captain, Paul Cox, this month, and Paul entrusted the captaincy to his vice-captain Horley. Phil, supported by Chris Freelove, set the tone for the match, and their start was emphatic, delivering the first two sets 8:3 and 7:4 to take a 15:7 lead at halfway. More dominance ensued, with the final score running to 27:17. First-time captaining the side, Phil had to make some selection changes as another player dropped out. His choices made good as they delivered 11/12 frames, with Ben Coles coming in from reserve to win 4/4 (thank you, Ben, for agreeing to play for us). Nathan Glass got back to some form again, winning all 4 to cap an excellent day for the stand-in captain/vice-captain. Well done, lads.
A shock result for the Kent B men that had their captain saying, “That hurt!” Our B team lost their first regional match for 3 years, and just like the weather, it was a bolt from the blue!! Apparently, our Berkshire friends played extremely well, but I’m sure talking to some of our players at the end, there will be a keenness to reverse that result at Chatham later on in the year.
We move on to the much-anticipated A team match between the newly crowned national champs against a Berkshire side who have pretty much dominated locally and nationally over the last 8 years. The Kent boys are keen to show Berkshire their national result is no flash in the pan! Berkshire won the first set 6:5, but Kent roared back with an 8:3 win to lead 13:9 at the halfway point. The heat in the room was taking its toll on a few players, but Kent was gaining an advantage and reached a scoreline of 20:16 early in the third set.
With Kent seemingly one foot in the winning line, Berkshire pulled back to 20-20, then 21:20 Kent, a magnificent clearance under pressure from Steve Ritchie that took it to the last frame. A difficult chance for Josh Patel–he went for the clearance only to see his last red rattle and hang on and lie in the cushion. His opponent snookered him 4 times, and each time Josh found a way out of that snooker and once almost dramatically potting the ball down the rail from a snooker. In the end, the new rules enabled our opponent to steal the win, and a 22:22 draw was the outcome.
Our captain, Adam Bassoo, captured the mood in the camp when he said it shows where we have come from and where we are now when we are disappointed with a 22-22 draw to Berkshire. Still in the A team’s hands, can they seek that elusive Region 7 title that has eluded us, or will we at last get our name on that title? We will see what the second half brings. Player of the day for the A team, young Harry Compton, 4/4 with some controlled and measured finishes. Harry does love a pose when he wins 4/4!! 😂
Next month, it’s Sussex at home on July 10th. There will be no A team or seniors games as both teams lose players to the Worlds, so games are being rearranged for the future. Good luck to our Kent players going to Worlds in Morocco. That’s WC Barbara Taylor (ENG), Willie Anderson (SCO), Josh Patel (IND), Jasper Simmonds (ENG), and Andy Twigger (SCO).
As a final note congratulations to the following players having earned their next county medal. Special mention to Andy Redsull who joins Paul Cox in the ‘1300 club’, an amazing achievement:
1300 frames – Andy Redsull
100 frames – James Goldsmith
All the best, Wilbo
Final Scores
| u23s | 9:11 WIN |
| Seniors | 18:18 DRAW |
| Juniors | 10:26 WIN |
| Ladies | P-P |
| A | 22:22 DRAW |
| B | 27:17 LOSS |
| C | 17:27 WIN |