Report of the finals submitted by Ronnie Bell:
The team played in stage one of the inter county in November and beat Cheshire 3-0 and Surrey 3-0 to reach the National Finals weekend . The
venue was Coolhurst Squash Club London 11th and 12th January.
Cumbria had to play Lancashire in the semis Final and won 3-0 . Yorkshire who won it last year beat Surrey 2-1 . The Final started with Terry Belshaw from Kendal racing into a 2-0 lead playing some great attacking winners but the Yorkshire number 3 came back to win the 3rd game and looked like taking the forth to make it 2-2 but at 4-7 down Terry upped his game and served through to win 3-1 great start for Cumbria.
Next on court was team captain and Cumbria number 1 Ronnie Bell from Carlisle Squash Club who was up against a very fit looking opponent but Ronnie was in no mood to mess about with long rallies and took the first 5 points Yorkshire number 1 came back at him but Ronnie secured the 1st Game by this time Ronnie’s shots were coming off and won the second 9-0 , The Yorkshire number 1 still full of running looked dejected and Ronnie secured the win and Title for Cumbria . With one Match still to go Carlisle’s Derrick Leaver with Family watching did not want to lose to the Yorkshire number 2 and what proved to be the closest match Derrick came back from 2-1 down to win his match 3-2 to the delight of he’s many grand children who had came to support 3-0 to Cumbria, its 21 years since a Cumbria Team was in a National Finals the over 35 Team with Ronnie in it had a surprise win then.