Lydia helps Sussex clinch promotion

Lydia Powell was part of the Sussex senior badminton first team which celebrated promotion in the Inter County Championships.

The 16-year-old from Hastings helped fire Sussex into Premier B after coming second in the three-way Division One Play-offs at High Wycombe last weekend.

Division 1D winners Sussex began with a narrow 6-5 defeat against a very strong Mid Glamorgan side which won Division 1C.

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Mid Glamorgan convincingly beat Lothian 8-3 on Saturday afternoon to make sure of top spot which meant Sussex needed at least five games against the Scottish outfit on Sunday morning to secure promotion.

Sussex got off to a great start against Division 1A runners-up Lothian, going 3-1 up in the singles thanks to Dean George, Olympic hopeful Heather Olver and Powell, who beat Hannah Laing 21-15, 21-15.

Steph Pound and Olver, and Powell and Arscott were triumphant in the women’s doubles to clinch the five points Sussex needed. Powell and Arscott saw off Carolyn Young and Kim Atkinson 21-12, 21-15.

Sussex went on to win all three mixed doubles ties to complete an 8-3 victory which left them one point behind Mid Glamorgan. Powell and Jones overcame Peter Hockey and Atkinson 21-11, 21-14.

See Friday’s Hastings Observer for the full article.