EFA League: Berkhamsted the team to beat
The change in selection policy of the Old Olavians this year was always going to have a profound effect on the dynamics of Division 1, and the additional introduction of new teams from Berkhamsted and Mill Hill has meant that the top division of the EFA League is turning out to be thrillingly unpredictable and nail-bitingly competitive.
In the last few weeks, Berkhamsted 1 have built on their terrific start and now sit proudly on top of the table with four wins out of four and only one pair dropped out of twelve. Recent wins against Olavians 2 at Orpington and Olavians 1 +at Berkhamsted mean that they are now most definitely the team to beat. The Berkhamsted formula is a simple but effective one: a high quality and experienced core of players at the top of their game - Doug Foster, George Campbell and Ant Theodossi - and an improving group of youngsters with Jeremy O'Neill and Charles Holroyd showing up particularly strongly in recent matches. The question is how are they going to respond to the pressure of being front-runners now that they are top of the pile with a big target on their backs?
The Old Millhillians 1 have also been finding life in Division 1 to their liking, completing an early season 3-0 double over the Old Westminsters at the start of the month before suffering their first defeat since joining the top flight against a strong Old Olavians 2 outfit, who reaped the benefits of having Seb Cooley in the side for his first league outing of the season, with Peter White and Dave Mew also lending the defending champions some strength in depth. The standout result of the night, however, was the 12-6, 12-3, 12-2 demolition of Luke Stradwick and Billy Dennis at the hands of Mill Hill's Joe Coakley and Sunil Tailor, part of a young team going places.
The one team yet to reveal their hand in Division 1 is the Old Harrovians, although a 2-1 defeat with a pair conceded at the hands of the Westminsters in their only outing so far and a postponement of their Orpington double header against Olavians 1 and 2 do suggest that Nick Shaw needs his squad to rally round and get themselves on court if they are to mount a credible challenge this year.
In the last few weeks, Berkhamsted 1 have built on their terrific start and now sit proudly on top of the table with four wins out of four and only one pair dropped out of twelve. Recent wins against Olavians 2 at Orpington and Olavians 1 +at Berkhamsted mean that they are now most definitely the team to beat. The Berkhamsted formula is a simple but effective one: a high quality and experienced core of players at the top of their game - Doug Foster, George Campbell and Ant Theodossi - and an improving group of youngsters with Jeremy O'Neill and Charles Holroyd showing up particularly strongly in recent matches. The question is how are they going to respond to the pressure of being front-runners now that they are top of the pile with a big target on their backs?
The Old Millhillians 1 have also been finding life in Division 1 to their liking, completing an early season 3-0 double over the Old Westminsters at the start of the month before suffering their first defeat since joining the top flight against a strong Old Olavians 2 outfit, who reaped the benefits of having Seb Cooley in the side for his first league outing of the season, with Peter White and Dave Mew also lending the defending champions some strength in depth. The standout result of the night, however, was the 12-6, 12-3, 12-2 demolition of Luke Stradwick and Billy Dennis at the hands of Mill Hill's Joe Coakley and Sunil Tailor, part of a young team going places.
The one team yet to reveal their hand in Division 1 is the Old Harrovians, although a 2-1 defeat with a pair conceded at the hands of the Westminsters in their only outing so far and a postponement of their Orpington double header against Olavians 1 and 2 do suggest that Nick Shaw needs his squad to rally round and get themselves on court if they are to mount a credible challenge this year.