FIFTEEN players from Essex head to the Technifibre British Junior Championships in Manchester this weekend.
Last year’s Under-15 champion Elise Lazarus has stepped up an age-group and opens her U-17 campaign against Yorkshire’s Charlotte Jager with 3-4 seed Amy Jones from Bucks awaiting the winner.
Billericay’s Alice Green is bidding to add the Under-15 title to the U-13 trophy she won two years ago and is seeded one. She begins her programme against Surrey’s Natalie Chak. Chelmsford’s Eleanor White is seeded 9-16 and faces a qualifier in round one. That could well be Essex team-mate Amy Aspinall who faces Bridie Tennant from Cheshire in tomorrow’s (Thursday) only qualifying match.
Dedham’s Ellie Hewes flies the Essex flag in the Under-13’s where she is seeded 3-4 and faces Natasha Baker in her opening sortie.
The boys’ under-13 challenge will be spearheaded by Oliver Green (3-4) and Joel Braddock (9-16). Both lads are in good form and should have no early problems with the pair opening up against qualifiers. Harry Martin will go through qualifying.
His brother Charlie Martin will go scalp hunting in the U-15’s. He opens against 9-16 seed Perry Malik of Surrey and will get a crack at one seed Jared Carter if he wins through. Harry Kitchens has 5-8 seed Lewis Anderson in round one while Sujan Srindon and Tommy Bacon go through qualies.
Essex has three lads in the Under-17’s. 9-16 seed Aaron Allpress has a qualifier in round one while Haydon Smith and Joe Blackmur are in action on Friday through qualifying.