CARIBBEAN ALLIANCE INSURANCE NATIONAL SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

NIGHT 2

I got the rest I so desperately needed.... but the champions became to fall

The 2013 Caribbean Alliance Insurance National Senior Badminton Championships saw the first casualty of the tournament when defending mixed doubles champions Shari Hope and Andre Padmore were eliminated last night at the Wildey Gymnasium.

The luck of the draw saw them having to play their arch-rivals Mariama Eastmond and Dakiel Thorpe in the 1^st game of the tournament, which in the end proved too much for them to handle.

Hope and Padmore started the contest in clinical fashion as they jumped out to an 11-2 lead in the 1^st game.  Their movement and shot selection were excellent as demonstrated in a cross court smash by Padmore, which sent Thorpe diving to the floor and extend the lead to 19-7.

Eastmond’s poor net play didn’t help their cause as she was somewhat overly aggressive and Hope/Padmore went onto easily win the game.

The next game saw a more composed Eastmond/Thorpe which helped them to an early 7-4 lead.  However, at times Hope/Padmore were getting the better of the long rallies but Thorpe took control with some powerful smashes and well placed drop shots to force the champions out of position to maintain their grip on the game.

The pressure forced Hope/Padmore into too many unforced errors.  They simply had no answers and conceded the 2^nd game.

With momentum on their side, Eastmond/Thorpe started the final game dominating but somehow allowed the champions to claw their way back to tie at 7 all.  Thorpe stepped up once again to dictate the pace, driving the shuttle flat and fast.  With the champions still within reach, he then played a spectacular drop to the midcourt to extend to a 3 point lead.

Eastmond took her cue and was now controlling the net to set up Thorpe, and he did not disappoint, even when one of his smashes went hard into the net, it simply trickled over the side.  With match point in hand, Hope returned it into the net and gave Eastmond/Thorpe the 9-21, 21-15, 21-18 victory.

Andre Padmore (above) and Shari Hope lost their Mixed Doubles title

SUMMARIZED SCORES

WOMEN’S SINGLES

(Quarter-Finals)

Shari Hope def. Mikiela Carrington                                                       21-10, 21-10

MEN’S SINGLES

(Quarter-Finals)

Andrew Clarke def. Shem Scantlebury                                                  21-17, 21-18

Dakiel Thorpe def. Shae Martin                                                             21-7, 21-5

Andre Padmore def. Derion Hurley                                                       21-10, 21-9

Bradley Pilgrim def. Ali Forde                                                               21-18, 21-13

WOMEN’S DOUBLES

(ROUND ROBIN)

Mariama Eastmond/Shari Hope def. Sabrina Scott/Amanda Haywood                 21-14, 21-13

MEN’S DOUBLES

(1^st Round)

Curwin Cherubin/Damien Howell def. Daniel Duncan/Shae Martin                        21-16, 21-8

Greg Padmore/Nicholas Reifer def. Michael Bourne/Andre Woodvine                   walkover

(Quarter-Finals)

Dakiel Thorpe/Bradley Pilgrim def. Jade Browne/Ali Forde                          21-13, 18-21, 21-12

Kevin Wood/Andre Padmore def. Sabeel Foster/Cory Fanus                         5-21, 21-13, 21-11

Nicholas Reifer/Greg Padmore def. Shem Scantlebury/Charlie Browne        21-15, 21-8

D’Andre Thorpe/Derion Hurley def. Damien Howell/Curwin Cherubin        21-19, 19-21, 22-20

MIXED DOUBLES

Amanda Haywood/Shae Martin def. Onika Moe/Derion Hurley                    21-8, 21-9

Monyata Riviera/Jade Browne def. Mikiela Carrington/Nicholas Reifer        21-13, 14-21, 21-15

Mariama Eastmond/Dakiel Thorpe def. Shari Hope/Andre Padmore              9-21, 21-15, 21-18

Sabrina Scott/Kevin Wood def. Tamisha Williams/Bradley Pilgrim                22-20, 21-17