ENGLAND WINS GIRLS' HOME INTERNATIONALS
England won the Girls' Home International championship
yesterday at Radyr, Wales, in a nail-biting, touch and go finish.The team came from behind to beat the hosts, Wales, 5-4 on the final day and secure the Stroyan Cup for the fifth year in a row. England finished with 2½ pt, Ireland 2pt (runners-up for the second year in a row), Wales 1pt and Scotland half a point.
It fell to the last three players on the course to win their matches for England – and they did it. Captain Chris Pascall said: “It was touch and go and it all came down to the last three matches.
“It was tough – and it was a tough week. The standard gets better all the time and the girls have played extremely well.”
England held a slender lead in the championship at the start of the final day, having previously beaten Scotland and halved with Ireland. The team knew that a win against Wales would secure the trophy.
But Wales, too, had all to play for and came out, all guns blazing, to win the morning foursomes. Only Elizabeth Mallett and Meghan MacLaren were able to secure their point for England, winning one up.
As the singles got under Georgia Hall continued her excellent form to win her match 5/3 and level the scoreboard. Georgia, who is sixth in the women’s world amateur rankings, won five out of six points this week.
But, when Elizabeth Mallett and Brogan Townend lost their matches, Wales needed just one more point for victory. England, however, held all the aces.
They led in the three games still to finish - and duly won them all. Amber Ratcliffe beat Jessica Evans 4/3 after being three up at the turn, Gabriella Cowley beat Megan Lockett 3/1 after being all square at the turn, and Meghan MacLaren delivered the title-winning fifth point for England by beating Nia Greville 2/1, again after it was all square at the turn.
England v Wales
Foursomes
Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies’) & Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough) beat Georgia Lewis & Nia Greville 5&4
Amber Ratcliffe (Royal Cromer) & Shelby Smart (Knowle) lost to Megan Lockett & Jess Evans 1 down
Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak) & Gabriella Cowley (West Essex) lost to Chloe Williams & Ella Griffiths 3&2
Singles
Hall beat Lewis 5&3
Mallett lost to Williams 2&1
Brogan Townend (Pleasington) lost to Griffiths 1 4&3
Cowley beat Megan Lockett 3&1
MacLaren beat Greville 2 &1
Ratcliffe beat Evans 4&3
In the day's other match Ireland beat Scotland 5-4.
