Yorkshire make it five out of five at County Finals

Triumphant Yorkshire completed a clean sweep in the English counties championship when they defeated Dorset 7½ -1½ on the last day of the finals at Long Ashton in Gloucestershire.

It was their fifth win from five matches and it confirmed their victory in the championship. They couldn t be caught after winning their first four matches but they were determined to complete the week with a full set.

The battle for second place ended in success for Hertfordshire who beat Sussex 6-3 and scored 3½ points from the week. Warwickshire moved up into third place when they beat Leicestershire and Rutland 5-4 and overtook them in the table.  

Yorkshire s victory was their fifth consecutive win in the championship and they are the first team to achieve that feat.

Yorkshire training officer Joy Hunter commented: It s a fabulous result and especially because we have now won the championship five times in a row. I am just so thrilled for the girls who have all worked so hard all week.

The match was probably the last appearance for Yorkshire by former English champion Naomi Edwards. She s going to Tour School in the New Year and she said: I hope this is my last time in the nicest possible way!

She signed off in style, teaming up with Sara Garbutt for a 9/7 victory in the foursomes, which they completed with a winning birdie.

Meanwhile, the fight for second place was fiercely contested. Hertfordshire and Leicestershire & Rutland started the day on level terms, half a point ahead of Warwickshire.

The honours eventually went to Hertfordshire while Leicestershire were overtaken by a battling Warwickshire side.

Hertfordshire captain Jaki White said afterwards: I am so pleased and so proud of my team. They knew what they had to do and they went out and did it. It was fabulous.

Warwickshire s Bev Belcher was jubilant after her side bounced back from losing the foursomes 2½- ½. They responded with 4½ points from the six singles and she said: It was just absolutely awesome.

Final placings

Yorkshire 5pts

Hertfordshire 3½

Warwickshire 3

Leicestershire & Rutland 2½

Sussex 1

Dorset 0

Fifth day results

Hertfordshire 6 Sussex 3

(Hertfordshire names first)

Foursomes

Lucy Williams & Charlie Field beat Aileen Greenfield & Chloe Court 6/5

Jackie Foster & Tina Jeary  beat Emma Fields & Katherine Russell 1 up

Charlie Douglass & Steph McEvoy lost to Hannah Ralph & Karen Sykes 2 down.

Singles

Alison Franklin  beat Jo Galway 7/5

Harriet Key beat Chloe Court 5/4

Williams beat Clarissa Bushell 5/4

Field lost to Russell 2/1

Douglass beat Fields 2/1

Jeary lost to Ralph 2/1

Warwickshire 5  Leicestershire & Rutland 4

(Warwickshire names first)

Foursomes

Claire Howells & Charlotte Dalton halved with Chloe Dexter & Jamie-Leigh Voss

Lauren Taylor & Ashley Cramond lost to Tracy Bourne & Jo Morris 4/3

Lisa Barton & Abby Gittings lost to Kym Larratt & Helen Lowe 3/2

Singles

Barton beat Voss 3/2

Tracy Atkin lost to Larratt 3/2

Gittings halved with Morris

Dalton beat Dexter 3/2

Howells beat Bourne 2/1

Hannah McLoughlin beat Lowe 3/2

Dorset 1½  Yorkshire 7½    

(Dorset names first)

Foursomes

Hayley Davis & Marketa Mann lost to Nikki Dunn & Ellie Robinson 2/1

Melanie Buxton & Harriet Legg lost to Naomi Edwards & Sara Garbutt 9/7

Georgia Hall & Melissa McMahon halved with Kim Crooks & Laura Harvey

Singles

McMahon lost to Emma Brown 4/3

Davis beat Helen Searle 1 up

Hall lost to Robinson 1 down

Legg lost to Harvey 2 down

Mann lost to Crooks 1 down

Ilona Davidson lost to Dunn 1 down