Rain and storms stop tennis semi-finals in their tracks

Narrabri District Tennis Association’s 2021 October-December four-person teams doubles season’s semi-final matches became the latest sporting victim of the persistent wet weather Narrabri has been subjected to across recent weeks.

There were eight teams in action at the Dangar Park Tennis Centre courts across the two grades on Wednesday, which were battling it out for the chance to contest tomorrow night’s grand finals.

Dark clouds began to roll in when the matches got underway at 7pm, and then strong winds had begun to hamper play by 7.30pm.

Several teams attempted to play through the tough conditions while others took a break to wait for the wind to settle. However, heavy rain followed next which forced players from the courts.

Lightning and thunder weren’t far behind and eventually, at 8.15pm, all four semi-final matches were called off.

NDTA president Rod Kirk advised The Courier the next day that those matches would not be replayed.

This Wednesday’s grand finals, in both A and B-grade, will feature the sides which were ranked first and second on the respective ladders.

That will see Rod Kirk, Erica and Josh Campbell and Paul Bushby, who finished on top of the table, take on Warwick Moppett, Scott Castlemaine, Brock Heideman, Michael Smith and Rob Eaton, who placed second, in the A-grade final.

Those two teams both scored three wins, suffered one loss and had a bye during the regular season which saw them finish locked on 17 points at the top of the ladder.

Kirk’s team downed Moppett’s team 28-26 during the regular season, which meant it claimed top spot on the head-to-head tie-breaker.

With only that two-game victory separating the two sides going into the grand final, Wednesday night’s decider is expected to be a tight and entertaining contest between some of Narrabri’s best and most entertaining tennis players.

The B-grade final will be contested by Big Apples and ADDA.

Big Apples, which includes Kasey Hilderson, Dannielle Baker, Angie Knox and Tom Holland, finished first on the regular season ladder with 19 points following four victories and a draw.

ADDA, which is made up of Alistair Dowdell, Damian Murphy and Dean and Alexis Holland, placed second just one point behind Big Apples after winning four games and losing once.

ADDA’s only loss was a 27-19 defeat to Big Apples.