Their campaign got off to the best start with an 8-1 victory over Northamptonshire on Friday at Les Ormes and their 6-3 win over the South of Scotland on Saturday meant Sunday’s match, against Gloucestershire, transformed into a promotion play-off – which they won 5-4.
‘It’s unbelievable,’ said CI coach Andrew Evans.
‘They’ve played so well as a team and we really deserved to go up.
They had to fight for it as there were a lot of tight situations but they got themselves out of it where previously they might have folded – it’s a great feeling to win and they did it together, as a team; it’s fantastic.’
Charlie Cohen, Scott Clayton and James Faudemer proved to be a consistent package as they won all three of their singles matches and Cohen and Faudemer combined to win all their doubles games.
Clayton played with Guernsey’s Nick Thibeault, who in the singles had some tough matches against higher rated players as No 1, and they brought in two doubles wins as did James Connelly and Jordan Roberts.
They are now promoted from Division VI up to Division V and will play in the A group next year.
‘We’ll lose Jordan Roberts and James Connelly for next year because of their age and playing in Division V is going to be another challenge to see if we can consolidate our position but it’s a really good challenge,’ added Evans.
‘It’s incredible,’ said CILTA officer Hugh Raymond.
‘The boys were quietly confident but to win on the last day, and it’s against my old county, was great.
The atmosphere was incredible; I’ve never seen so many people up here for this.
‘It’s another great boost for CI tennis and great to show everyone what you can achieve – it’s a real positive.’
The girls’ team, with a weakened side due to holidays, didn’t fare as well but their 5-4 victory over the South of Scotland on the opening day ensured they finished in third with Suffolk winning the promotion spot.
On Friday there were wins for Katie Gouyette, Sarah Jones, Natasha De Freitas and Eleanor Ross before Gouyette and Jones combined to win their doubles encounter.
Against Northamptonshire they struggled, losing 9-0, and yesterday they lost 8-1 to Suffolk – Gouyette and Jones again playing well together in the doubles to pick up one result.
‘I’m happy for the girls that they won one match, I just wish I had the same commitment from everyone to play as we had a lot of people missing for this competition,’ said Evans.
‘It was still a good chance for the younger girls to get some match practice but the older girls were under more pressure and after they lost the game on Saturday they didn’t really have anything to play for on the last day.’
CI team: Nick Thibeault, James Connelly, Charlie Cohen, Scott Clayton, Jordan Roberts, James Faudemer, Nico Robinson (reserve); Katie Gouyette, Sarah Jones, Octavia Lamb, Natasha De Freitas, Nicole Dubras, Nicole Moir, Eleanor Ross, Emma Zambon, Emily Hurley, Lobna Yakout.
