Reinvigorated Tornados begin title charge

Tutshill Tornados - 340 vs Ballycastle Bats - 290*

	Bats	Tornados
Keeper	Alford	Stainwright (C)
Chasers	Quigley	Culberry
	Prod	Birch
	Thomsonicle	Entwistle
Beaters	Nutter	White
	Smeek	Fitzpatrick
Seeker	Shettigar (C)	Muntz

Given more recent history, it is astonishing think that this encounter involved two of the very topmost teams of 2011. The reigning champion Tutshill Tornados entered this Friday night starting at the prospect of a fourth consecutive defeat, while the Ballycastle Bats, second on the ladder in 2011, were tenth in 2012 and had to win to retain any slim finals hopes.

Coming off last week’s bye, Bats manager Marcus Montgomery felt confident his well-rested seven who had so nearly beaten the Harpies two weeks earlier could be trusted.

Jolyon Ancrum’s life was more difficult though. When a supposedly top team loses three straight, something must be done. It was the Tornado Chaser line-up in particularly which needed work, so two changes were made. 2011’s great revelation Salvatrix MacFarlan has been poor all year, falling well and truly into the common second year curse. Rookie Odette Hastings has impressed but more experience is needed at the business end of the season. English internationals Colwyn Culberry and Calliope Entwistle returned to support Blodwen Birch.

The infusion of experienced talent reinvented the Tornados, who dominated the Quaffle contest. Blodwen Birch was first-rate as usual, but for once did not have to do the bulk of the goal-scoring. Culberry used his size to outmuscle Ballycastle’s experienced but diminutive Chasers and take his side well clear, despite continuing Beater problems. For the second match in a row Nobby Nutter and Rubens Smeek looked more like their impressive 2011 selves and were more than a match for Cepheus Fitzpatrick and Andros White, who are still struggling to gel having not worked together before last week.

When it became immediately clear that the Tornados had the comfortable run of play, concentration turned to the Seeker battle between England’s two foremost snitch catchers as they fight for the starting place in the national side. Ajax Shettigar is the deserved incumbent, but his side has struggled in spite of his efforts this year. Promoting Aurora Muntz over Shettigar may seem harsh, but the gap between them is small and the harsh fact of the matter is that a losing habit can be developed, even within a gallant Seeker.

The smart money was on Shettigar though, who despite his team’s lack of results this year had still managed to catch six of ten snitches, compared to six of eleven for Muntz.

Shortly before the completion of the second hour Shettigar swooped and predictably snapped up the snitch in mere seconds. There was nothing the hapless and frustrated Muntz could do to react.

But for the sake of this match, and the Bats entire season, it was yet another case of too little too late. Tutshill were 200 clear and finally returned to the winner’s circle.

Tutshill Tornados - 340: Culberry 14, Birch 13, Entwistle 7

Ballycastle Bats - 290: Quigley 8, Prod 3, Thomsonicle 3, Shettigar Capture

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: COLWYN CULBERRY (TORNADOS)