Emms wins twice to end England's 20-year wait
Author: Badminton England
Date: 05 Mar 2006
Category: Tournament Results
ENGLAND
and Denmark fought out a pulsating contest at the Carlton International
at Preston Guildhall tonight before the home team snatched a dramatic
3-2 win.
And
it all went down to the final event. It couldn't have been scripted
better as the match - to be screened on BBC1 on Saturday (1.10pm
-2.10pm)and continued on BBC2 Grandstand on Sunday (2.45pm-4.15pm) -
hinged on the final mixed doubles between Nathan Robertson and Gail
Emms and Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Juhl, the Danes they beat in the
2005 Yonex All England final.
A packed house at the Guildhall were treated to some top-class badminton even
if the scoring system was something new.
The
Carlton International was the first time that England had tried the new
3 x 21 rally point scoring system on home soil. And they got off to a
flying start when Gail Emms and Donna Kellogg beat Lene Frier
Kristiansen and Kamilla Juhl in three games despite what Gail called "a
mare in the second game".
But
despite Robert Blair and Anthony Clark putting up a battling display in
the men's doubles, European champions and world No 2s Jens Eriksen and
Martin Lundgaard, who recaptured their All England title at the start
of the year, won a three-game thriller to square the match.
Back
came England and world No 9 Tracey Hallam, the 2002 Commonwealth silver
medallist, outplayed Tine Hoy in straight games in 29 minutes - the
shortest match of the night.
But
Denmark weren't going to give in without a fight and Niels Christian
Kaldau used his court craft to get the better of England No 1 Aamir
Ghaffar in straight games.
And
so the stage was set for Robertson and Emms to give the England team
the perfect send-off to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne later this
month.
They
outplayed Laybourn and Juhl in straight games 21-11 21-16 to the
delight of the crowd to give England a spring in their step when they
fly out from Heathrow tomorrow night.
Head
coach Ian Wright was delighted with England's first win over Denmark in
a full international since 1986 season at this same Preston venue.
"It
was a good win and a good workout," he said. "It was important for us
to get a good contest under our belts using the new scoring system,
especially in the mixed. We only played level doubles at the Thomas and
Uber Cup campaigns in Greece last month.
"The Danes sent a strong team and made it tough for us."
Carlton International (Preston Guidlhall)
England v Denmark
(England names first)
Women's doubles: Gail Emms (Herts) & Donna Kellogg (Derbyshire) bt Lene Frier Kristiansen & Kamilla Juhl 21-18 14-21 21-14 (48 mins)
Men's doubles: Robert Blair (Leics) & Anthony Clark (Notts) lost to Jens Eriksen & Martin Lundgaard Hansen 21-13 14-21 21-17 (49 mins)
Women's singles: Tracey Hallam (Staffs) bt Tine Hoy 21-19 21-12 (29 mins)
Men's singles: Aamir Ghaffar (Middx) lost to Niels Christian Kaldau 21-18 21-12 (32mins)
