Two Westcliff teams are set to battle for county cup glory this weekend in Essex finals.

Westcliff Hardcourts will be going out to triumph in the Essex Senior Cup and Westcliff Lawn's ladies third team will be in action in the Essex Junior Cup.

The Hardcourts booked their place in the final - to be held at Woodford Wells on Sunday - after playing Wells in the semi-final.

Vince Ranson, Lance Owen, Simon Bonham and Richard Barham were the successful Hardcourt team who defeated Woodford 3-1. Wells included county player Simon Harston.

The Hardcourts will now be facing Gidea Park in the final. Park are expected to field a strong team including Tom Higgins, who has a world ranking.

The Westcliff Hard team will be in good spirits for the match after they came away with a 9-0 victory over Gidea Park in the Essex League Division One.

Vince Ranson, Simon Chesher, Steve Cockell, Richard Barham, Nick Plappert and Simon Bonham made up the winning side.

The expected clash of the titans in the Inter-county Over-45 Championships failed to materialise when UK number two Phil Siviter did not appear for the match between Essex and Hereford &Worcester.

Tennis fans were relishing the chance of seeing Siviter up against national over-45 number one Robin Drysdale when the teams met at the David Lloyd Centre in Basildon.

Drysdale and his team-mates Phil O'Leary and Westcliff Hardcourts pair John Handelaar and Ashley Compton Dando won 5-0.

Thorpe Bay look set for promotion from the County National Singles League to the regional league after a five events to one win over Redbridge gave them 60 points at the top of the division.

The successful team comprised John Lee, Simon Cuthbert, David Tubbs and Graham Bloomfield, while Redbridge featured Steve Russell.

Thorpe Bay met Westcliff Hard in the Essex League Over-55 Division and won five sets to three.Bay pair Jack Wharfe and David Gordon won their team's three sets, while Dennis Rayner and Brian Watts failed to get a win. Ian Pitt, Bob Sharpe, Barry Tite and Martin Jefferies were the successful Hardcourt players.

There was more success for the Hardcourts in the Men's Veterans Over-45s where Jamie Willson, John Handelaar, Trevor Stone and John Harris beat Westcliff Lawn seven sets to one. Bryan Rivers, Taiser Rahman, Ian McDonald and Gary Reynolds were the losing team.

Alan Rayner, Keith Palmer, Graham Ray and Geoff Burdett did the business for Thorpe Bay as they beat Great Baddow eight sets to nil in the Essex Over-45 Championships.

Westcliff Lawn had a good win in Essex Ladies Division One when Karen Rivers, Lindsay Watt, Diane Carradus, Jill Sanderson, Hazel Wynn and Sarah Ball beat Mountnessing 14 sets to one.

League clash - Peter Beckwith (right) and Brenda Lincoln in action for Kent Elms in their The League Division Two clash with Westcliff Hardcourts.

They drew their match 7-6 6-1 with Hard pair Martin Liu and Gill Byford, but Elms won overall by four sets to two

Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

Racket trials at Southend centre

If you are in the market for a tennis racket, head down to Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre on Saturday between 2pm and 5pm.

The Eastern Avenue venue will have a selection of rackets from leading manufacturers available for trial. Contact Jamie, Luke or Katie on 01702 442902 for more information.

Double joy for Westcliff teams

Westcliff Lawn was celebrating this week after two of its teams took over at the top of their respective leads.

The ladies' second team ousted Rayleigh's seconds in Division Three after a 6-0 win in the derby match with Westcliff Hard.

And the Lawn seconds also pushed Thorpe Bay into second spot in The League Division Three thanks to a 6-0 victory over last week's leaders.

Men's results

Division One - Westcliff Lawn v Thorpe Bay: 2-6 6-3, 3-6 6-0. 6-3 6-4, sets 4-2; Kent Elms v Rayleigh: 6-2 6-2, 6-3 6-4, 6-3 6-2, sets 4-2.

Division Two - Invicta v Southend Lawn: 6-3 6-3, 6-4 6-4, 6-3 7-5, sets 6-0; Hockley v westcliff Hard II: 6-4 4-6, 6-4 6-2, 4-6 7-5, sets 4-2.

Division Three - Kent Elms II v Westcliff Hard III: 6-3 6-2, 3-6 4-6, 6-2 6-4, sets 4-2; Westcliff Lawn III v Leigh Road Baptist: 4-6 2-6, 6-1 4-6, 6-3 6-0, sets 3-3; Thorpe Bay II v Invicta II: 6-1 6-2, 6-0 6-2, 6-1 6-2, sets 6-0.

Division Four - Rayleigh II v Hadleigh Park: 4-6 7-6, 5-7 3-6, 7-6 7-6, sets 3-3; Thorpe Bay III v Rochford: 2-6 3-6, 6-4 6-2, 0-6 0-6, sets 2-4.

Division Five - Crowstone v Kent Elms III: 1-6 3-6, 6-2 6-2, 6-3 6-4, sets 4-2; CE Heaths v Wickford II: 3-6 2-6, 5-7 6-3, 6-2 4-6, sets 2-4.

Ladies' results

Division One - Hockley v Kent Elms: 2-6 7-5, 5-7 1-6, 1-6 3-6, sets 1-5; Leigh v Westcliff Hard: 3-6 1-6, 3-6 3-6, 0-6 2-6, sets 0-6; Thorpe Bay v Hadleigh Park: 6-3 6-3, 6-4 6-0, 7-5 6-2, sets 6-0.

Division Two - Southend Lawn v Kent Elms II: 6-4 3-6, 3-6 0-6, 1-6 2-6, sets 1-5; Rayleigh v Thorpe Bay II: 6-1 6-0, 6-0 6-2, 4-6 6-3, sets 5-1; Westcliff Hard II v Westcliff Lawn: 7-5 1-6, 3-6 6-2, 3-6 1-6, sets 2-4.

Division Three - Westcliff Lawn II v Westcliff Hard III: 6-4 6-2, 6-3 6-2, 6-0 6-0, sets 6-0; Leigh II v Hockley II: 6-6 1-2, 2-6 6-7, 6-7 6-4, sets 3-3.

League results

Division One - Southend Lawn v Rayleigh: 0-6 0-6, 4-6 6-2, 2-6 4-6, sets 1-5; Kent Elms v Westcliff Hard: 6-2 6-0, 5-7 1-6, 6-2 7-6, sets 4-2.

Division Two - Westcliff Lawn v Westcliff Hard II: 0-6 6-1, 6-1 6-0, 6-4 6-4, sets 5-1, Hockley v Hadleigh Park: 3-6 6-2, 6-2 6-2,6-3, sets 5-1; Westcliff Hard II v Hockley: 6-2 6-3, 4-6 2-6, 7-6 6-4, sets 4-2; Kent Elms II v Westcliff Lawn: 6-2 6-2, 7-6 6-1, 6-7 4-6, sets 4-2.

Division Three - Rayleigh II v Hockley II: 6-0 6-2, 6-2 7-5, o-6 1-6, sets 4-2; Thorpe Bay II v Westcliff Lawn II: 4-6 6-7, 4-6 4-6, 3-6 2-6, sets 0-6.

Division Four - Hockley III v Leigh Road Baptist: 6-0 6-1, 2-6 3-6, 1-6 4-6, sets 2-4; Hadleigh Park II v Southend Lawn II: 6-1 6-2, 4-6 3-6, 5-7 6-4, sets 3-3; Thorpe Bay III v Wickford: 6-1 6-1, 2-6 0-6, 2-6 0-6, sets 2-4.

Division Five - Wickford II v Crowstone: 1-6 6-1, 0-6 4-6, 6-0 6-2, sets 3-3; St Peters v Kent Elms 4: 1-6 6-4, 0-6 0-6, 1-6 0-6, sets 1-5; Rochford v Westcliff Hard III: 0-6 2-6, 3-6 1-6, 6-2 6-4, sets 2-4.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.