Tim’s October Sports Round-up

Cricket
Havant Cricket Club was in the chase to win back the Southern Electric League Premier Division title right up to the final game of the season. With one game left the title would be decided in their game with fellow contenders South Wilts. Going into the game on the final Saturday of the season on 30 August, South Wilts were top of the table and home advantage, made them favourites for the title. South Wilts batted first and set Havant a challenging score of 176 to regain the title. The difficult wicket proved too much and Havant were bowled out for 127, 48 runs short of the required total, and rather disappointingly had to settle for the runners-up spot.

Sadly the second eleven were relegated from their place in Division 2.

Havant & Waterlooville FC
Hawks recent impressive form saw them beat Boreham Wood 2-1 on 4 October to leap frog them at the top of the table, only for Boreham Wood to take top position back on Tuesday 7 October when Hawks could only draw 2-2 away at lowly Wealdstone. However Manager Lee Bradbury was happy with the draw after Hawks twice had to come from behind. Young striker JJ Hooper is in fine form having already scored 11 goals this season.

Rugby
Havant RFC’s season in league London 1 South has got off to a slow start with just 5 points gained by 4 October. Only bottom team Cobham with 4 points has fewer points than Havant. Havant’s match with mid table Charlton Park at Hooks lane on 4 October was however, an exciting high scoring game, for the spectators at least, ending with the scores level on 31 points apiece. The Club’s next games – away to fellow strugglers Hove and home to high flying Wimbledon will indicate whether the side are improving at this early stage of the season.

Sailing
The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Podium squad in the Olympic Sailing Classes seeking selection for the Rio Olympics in 2016 has been narrowed to 29 sailors across the ten events, with 14 of those sailors having qualified for the highest tier of funding via UK Sport’s World Class Performance Programme following medal-winning performances at key regattas.

Hayling Island Sailing Club’s Frances Peters, in the women’s 49erFX skiff and Team 3,2,1’s Sophie Weguelin and Eilidh McIntyre (470 Women) are among those selected to the British Sailing Team October-December 2014.

Podium Squad: RYA Olympic Manager Stephen Park explained: “We’re halfway through the Rio cycle now, and at this stage at the Podium level it’s about trying to narrow down the numbers so that we can increase the level of focus and support that we can give to those sailors who we think, by their performances to date, are most likely to be challenging for podium places come 2016.

“Clearly there are some sailors who will be disappointed by some of these decisions, but it’s an important part of the process towards evaluating and refining the programmes in each of the classes, and delivering the support that hopefully will allow sailors to move from fourth or fifth places to the podium, and then into those gold medal positions.

“It’s that fine detail of review, planning, delivery and execution that will see those gold medals being won in a couple of years, and we’ll keep taking those steps and making refinements towards our target.”

Tennis
Andy Murray has been playing in China in October as part of his rehabilitation following major back surgery in the autumn of 2013 and to sharpen up his game ready for new season starting in Australia in January. However, on his return to Europe later this month (October) he will go all out to get his 2014 world ranking into the top 8 to gain entry into the season ending Champions Tournament at the 02 in London in November. A good Champions Tournament would set him up nicely for lead-up to the first Grand Slam in Melbourne in January. With a return to full fitness in 2015 expect to see Murray raising his game and adding to his Grand Slam titles.

Meanwhile, does anyone who reads this column know where the next Andy Murray of British Tennis is likely, if at all, to come from?

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