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SPORT ROUND-UP
A chance to learn free GOLF EVER fancied taking up golf? Well a pioneering club in Rickmansworth is offering you that chance. The author Mark Twain called golf a good walk spoiled, but if you have a passion for the fairways and have always wanted to try swinging a wood or escaping from a bunker, then the Nine of Herts Club in London Road wants to spend April showing you how. Open just a year, the club are offering 12 wannabes the chance of a free place on one-hours group coaching sessions on Discover Golf, a coaching programme designed to attract complete beginners to the sport. Discover Golf offers people the simplest possible route towards becoming a golfer, giving advice on etiquette, rules, and general golf club culture, as well as practical instruction. Director of golf Mark Tompkins said: “At Nine of Herts, we are very much of the opinion that you have to start golf somewhere, and here is the ideal place, as we are very relaxed and welcoming. “We’re delighted to have 12 places on the Discover Golf programme to give away to the first people who apply. If it proves popular, we will consider running some more courses. “People who are interested in taking up a place on the programme can relax in the knowledge that they will be with like-minded people, and will have a laugh while learning a great sport!” For more information, call Nine of Herts GC on 01923 848 636 or email 9ofH@ crown-golf.co.uk.
Clifton edges to win GOLF BARRIE Clifton was the winner of Hillingdon Golf Club’s monthly medal for April. Clifton carded a net 65 in the competition held over the weekend to finish two shots ahead of runner-up Steve Puhlhofer, with Mick Keable (68) in third.
Great Scott, he’s quick CYCLING SCOTT Holmes was fastest of Hillingdon Cycling Club’s competitors at the Veterans Time Trialling Association’s London and Home Counties 10-mile time trial last week. Holmes finished fifth overall in the event held on the Great Missenden track, recording a time of 23.54. Team-mates Paul Egan (25.09) and Graham Pettitt (25.27) also recorded excellent times. On a sad note, Graham Weeks was unable to race in what would have been his last event for the club before moving to France.
Rishi’s a star in the making NORTHWOOD Riverside tennis club starlet Rishi Wijeratne (pictured) came under the watchful eye of the UK’s top talent scout this week. The nine-year-old, already on the LTA’s AEGON Future Stars programme, impressed the association’s head of talent management,
Andrew Lewandowski, at the national talent ID finals in Roehampton. Lewandowski said: “Rishi has performed really well and shown lots of ability across a number of different tasks, testing qualities
including athletic ability, speed, co-ordination and agility and he has a real natural talent and love for the sport.” The St Martin’s School pupil was one of 100 children to take part on the day after progressing through county and regional qualifying.
Adam balances A-levels and scoring centuries Young keeper proves multi-tasking is not a problem CRICKET by Jon Batham sport@trinitysouth.co.uk
WHOEVER it was who claimed that men cannot multitask has obviously never met Middlesex’s brightest young player. Adam Rossington – who played his club cricket for Eastcote last year – his first in the Middlesex Academy – has been juggling preseason training with final preparations to sit his A-levels in business studies and IT in June. And this after he spent the winter starring for the England U19s on their tour of Sri Lanka. Yet it seems the 17-year-old wicketkeeper batsman is more than happy to rotate swotting boundaries and books for as long as it takes. He said: “I’ve got quite a bit on my plate at the minute but it is not too bad. School is quite good at allowing me to come and play cricket and giving me time to train. “The main thing is to get the exams out of the way and then pick it up from there. Obviously I still want to play cricket while the exams are going on, but really push on once they have all finished.” Rossington, who made his debut for Middlesex under nines aged just six, has shown more than once his ability to thrive under pressure.
He made 161 on his debut for Middlesex seconds last season and made 113 against Sri Lanka’s best young spinners in the first Test match in Galle this winter. He admits the latter was an innings which gave him a massive shot of confidence. He said: “It was a great feeling to score 100 in the sub-continent on a turning pitch. I had done a lot of work before I went away against the turning ball, so it was nice to get in the runs early. “It was a good batting pitch, quite slow, but offered quite a bit for the spinners. As it dried out it did seem to turn a lot more.” There is no doubting the youngster’s ambition as he stated last year he wanted to be in the Middlesex first team by the end of the 2011 season. And he knows with John Simpson and Ben Scott ahead of him in the wicketkeeper stakes, it is runs like those in Galle which may earn him a call up. He added: “Obviously I would like to challenge the wicketkeeping boys, but Simmo and Scotty are two very good players. “If I can’t get in as a keeper, I’ve got to score enough runs to warrant a place as a batsman.” Rossington made the perfect start to that quest with 111 in the seconds’ one-day win over Hertfordshire on Sunday.
■ IN THE RUNS: Adam Rossington
Photo by Action Images
Harefield aiming to be the best in Europe
Jamaican rugby league GENERAL SPORT BRUNEL University has played a part in the development of rugby league in Jamaica after hosting a four-day course recently. Not known for its love of rugby, the sport is very much in its infancy at present, but Jamaicans, including athletics director, Ventley Brown, attended the first Rugby League European Federation’s technical coaching strategy course. Jamaica’s most prominent rugby league figures found the course, covering a wide range of aspects, very useful. Brown said: “This course will positively impact the standard of our game at both club and community levels.”
TENNIS
■ TOUGH TEST: Harefield (in blue) took on a Russian youth team in a friendly Photo by Ash Magill UX050311ambask02
HAREFIELD Academy’s basketball team are aiming to make giant strides in the coming years after a promising debut season at national level, writes Will Dubey. The head coach at Harefield, Jack Majewski, has visions of establishing the institute as one of the best basketball academies in Europe after a creditable first campaign. The newly formed London United claimed notable scalps on the way to a fifth-placed finish in the league, beating national champions Westminster Warriors and runners-up Reading Rockets. Perhaps an even better
BASKETBALL achievement came at senior level, with youngsters from The Harefield Academy helping the senior team finish sixth in men’s division two. However, the real heroics from Harefield were saved for the cup competitions. In the National Cup they beat a number of division one teams on the way to a narrow semi-final defeat to eventual winners Brixton Topcats, while Harefield’s showing in the Patrons’ Cup was perhaps their most inspiring as they lost in nail-biting fashion to Hemel Storm 75-72 in the final.
Harefield’s exploits have led to coach Majewski targeting further success. “Our target is to become one of the best basketball academies in Europe, that is why we are extensively recruiting new players from the UK and abroad,” he said. Harefield’s desire to emulate top academies in Europe was evident when they invited a Russian academy team to play a friendly match as part of their European tour. The Russians just came out on top in overtime – winning 103-97 – but the match demonstrated just how far The Academy has come in a short space of time.
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