Fendalton tennis side incurs points penalty

Press, 20 November 1987, Page 36

Fendalton tennis side incurs points penalty

The Fendalton senior women’s tennis side has had crucial points taken off its tally from a recent match by the competitions’ committee. Fendalton had beaten Avonside on October 24, scurrying home to win 6967. But it had played Sally Hughey, who was not nominated in the team in its top doubles combination. That caused it to be penalised by losing four points, sending Fendalton to the bottom of the points’ table. “It was a tight match so it had a devastating effect on the points but although it was an oversight by the team we have got to act,”

said Mr Tony Ralfe, the chairman of the competitions’ committee.

“The rule was put in place in order to stop teams stacking their combinations or by the same token sacrificing weaker players in the top combinations. Sally would have been fine if she had played in the lower combinations but as it stands we have to follow the clear definition of the rules,” Mr Ralfe said.

But Fendalton do not share the committee’s view and vehemently opposed the penalty. “We were really annoyed because we did not

win the top doubles anyway,” said Carolyn Viggers, the team captain. Viggers felt that the committee had also overlooked another rule which should have justified its team line-up.

"There is also a rule which says that you have got to play doubles on merit. We weren’t trying to swindle anyone. Sally plays top doubles well and we didn’t want to separate our established bottom combination,” said the angry Viggers. Points after the ruling: Elmwood 30, United 25, Shirley 18, Avonside 14, Barrington 12, FendaltOn 9. '