Rain delayed an intriguing battle to determine Barbados’ top road tennis parish when defending champions St Michael and Christ Church were locked in a battle in the A class finals of the National Sports Council’s Inter Parish men’s competition at the Dover Court on Saturday night.
The Christ Church team of Anthony ‘Ears’ Mitchell and Dave Arindell will return Sunday night at 7:30 to conclude the fight with Jeffrey ‘Borah’ Best and undisputed world’s number one player Julian ‘Michael Jackson’ White. In spite of a hampering leg injury, Best had split a set with Arindell and was trailing in the decider 16-21, 21-14, 11-13.
Over 1000 fans ringed the Dover Court to see local queen Kim Holder continue her clash with former champions, Sandra Bailey, after the match was disrupted from Friday night. Holder took the crown, 19-21, 21-19, 21-13, to give St George their first title.
Neil Greaves formalized St Lucy’s capture of the B class title when he continued and completed a victory over Christ Church’s Simon Bayne, 16-21, 21-16, 21-16. The classy Kerry ‘TC’ Francis had beaten new-boy Gary Thomas, 21-19, 21-19, on Friday night.
The Christ Church southpaw duo of Ian Yearwood and the stylish Peter Moore then gave the home fans plenty to cheer about when they picked up the veteran crown with a clean sweep of St George. Yearwood who had to default last year’s deciding A team tie breaker due to cramp redeemed himself by stopping Cardinal Beckles, 21-11, 21-16.
Moore, who is a tennis coach by profession then showed the crowd including Minister Stephen Lashley and St John’s MP, Mara Thompson how good an instructor he is by educating Golbourne Bailey, 212-15, 21-13.
