Full strength for shield final

Martinborough are taking a positive mindset into their Gawith Shield Wairarapa regional one tennis grade final match with Pirinoa at the Masterton Tennis Centre tomorrow.
Buoyed by the fact they will be at full strength for one of the rare times this season, Martinborough are intent on securing what would be an upset win over the powerful Pirinoa line-up. One of their experienced campaigners, Marco de Groot, is confident they can achieve the ultimate prize.
"Yes, we can win. It will be a close go, but we can do it," de Groot said.
"It's a final, so we're not interested in any other result but a win."
Pirinoa, of course, see things rather differently. Spokesman Luke Atkinson expects Martinborough to offer stern opposition but is "very optimistic" that Pirinoa will have enough depth to stave them off.
"There won't be a lot in it but I think we will get there," he said.
The news that Pirinoa will be fielding their strongest possible squad is welcomed, as regional one matches throughout this season have been blighted by defaults and had some people wondering whether there will be enough players of sufficient quality around to even have a premier grade in 2011-12.
On the face of it, Pirinoa have every right to fancy their chances of dominating the women's section, where the talented Atkinson sisters - Sade and Georgia - make them a formidable unit. Sade is one of the best in the country in her age-group, while Georgia set tongues wagging when at the tender age of 10 she won this season's Wairarapa closed singles title, a tournament Sade missed.
In Martinborough's favour, however, is that their two women's players, Rhona Lovell and Libby Paterson, have experience to burn and will relish the prospect of testing the tactical nous of their younger opponents. Even if they pick up just the one win from the three matches in their section, two singles and one doubles, it could prove vital in the end result.
There is no question though that the best chance Martinborough has of claiming the overall honours will come if their men's combination of Steve Chapman, de Groot, plus Nicholson brothers, Matt and Dan, come to the party in singles and doubles play.
They will be up against a strong Pirinoa unit comprising Bruce Holybone, Tim Pickering, Luke Atkinson and Andy Darling. The likelihood is that several of the battles will go to the maximum three sets. Martinborough's test will to be win most of those battles ... watch this space.