Test
CURRENT OVERALL SCORE - Lancaster 20 - 6 York
Currently playing: Mens 2nd and Mixed Badminton
Coming up: Golf at 10.45 - Ultimate Frisbee at 11.00 - Equestrian at 11.00
10:47
The Golf is about to tee off over at the Lancaster Golf Club. Two teams of pairs over 18 holes will fight for the 4 points. Let’s face it, York need them.
10:43
Comedy moment in the Mixed event. In their second match, a Lancaster player from their 1st pair got so angry with his performance that he smashed his racquet into the ground, and now it looks “like a pretzel”. I’m guessing that means it’s pretty fucked then.
10:40
In the Mens 2nd Badminton, all three pairs are playing their third round of fixtures. In the 2nd round, the 1st and 2nd York pairs won, while the third pair lost. It all hinges on the third round matches.
10:37
SCAN Editor Joe Beech is happy that Lancaster are currently on top. He just revealed to me that he has already got ROSES VICTORY on his front page. There’s nothing like pride coming before a fall though.
10:29
Right, I’m back. Almost got lost in the labyrinth that is the LUSU office. Makes YUSU look a little shabby to be honest. Right, back to the Badminton. We’re in the 2nd of 3 rounds, and our third pair are going into their 3rd set, with the score level at 1 set all. Basically, each pair plays three matches, and the team that win the most pairings take the 2 points for their University. Simple, right?
10:25
Anjli here. Henry’s popped out for a toilet break. Nice. York’s Mens Mixed 2nd Pair have just beaten Lancaster 21-17, 21-13 with Lancaster losing their structure and form in the second set.
10:19
The phone never stops ringing here - more results from the Badminton. Lancaster have swept the board in the Mens 2nd Events, winning all of the three first-round matches. Are these points slipping away?
10:13
Victory for York in the first mixed badminton pairs. The third set falls to York 21-18, so all eyes turn to the 2nd and 3rd pairs. 4 points at stake here boys and girls.
10:10
In this weekend’s other - though slightly less important - contest, it’s looking pretty tight between Red Ken and Boris the Buffoon. Muse Editor Nicky ‘Lenin’ Woolf is a wee bit scared that Boris might snatch it.
10:08
From what I have heard on the sporting grapevine, Skiing should be a dead cert for York - that kicks off at 3PM at the Rosendale Ski Centre, and is worth 6 points across the 2 disciplines - but apparently Lancaster are strong favourites in the Rugby 7s.
10:07
It’s even stevens in the Mixed Badminton event though. The first set went to Lancaster 21-18, but York have taken the second 20-22. Tense.
10:05
Pairs 2 and 3 in the Mens 2nd Badminton Event have lost their matches, 21-12 21-17 and 21-19 21-15 respectively. Pair 1 are also losing, so it’s looking like 2 more points going to Lancaster.
09:58
To give you a bit of insight, there are around 65 points on offer today, across 29 matches. Tomorrow is the big day, with over 100 points on offer, and then there’s another 50 or so to win on Sunday. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
09:54
In the other Badminton event, the Mixed - which is worth 4 points, Lancaster are looking good for the win as well. Criss Noice - our badminton guru - reckons that Lancaster are stealing all the percentage points, and York are throwing points away at the back of the court.
09:50
End of the first set in the Mens 2nd Badminton event. Lancaster took the spoils 21-15. Apparently York are wearing pink, and the atmosphere is pretty boisterous. The event is worth two points.
09:46
So what are we all playing for here then? Well, aside from bragging rights and pride, there’s a 44-year-old trophy, which both universities have won 21 times. York have been chasing Lancaster in overall wins since 1972, so if our sportsmen and women can win this weekend, it’ll be the first time in 36 years that Lancaster have trailed. York stole an away win in 2002, but Lancaster haven’t won away from home since 1985. After last year’s emphatic 40 point win, and some impressive BUSA results this year, hopes are high for York to take the trophy back across the Pennines on Sunday night.
09:37
For those who want to get stuck into some sporting action, today’s events are: Golf, Cricket, Horse Riding, Skiing, Karate, Darts and Swimming - which run all day; more Frisbee and some Badminton - which get underway at 12 noon; the Rugby 7s and Tennis tournaments - starting around 3.30; and Squash and Indoor Hockey this evening. I’m knackered just typing all that.
09:33
We all went into Lancaster last night for a few pre-tournament drinks, and asked some of the locals what they thought of the event. A friendly bouncer told us that Lancaster would win hands down, but then he would say that. We got a bit of banter from the Lancaster Fencing team too. They told us that they had won the in last 3 years, and due to a lack of Fencing history knowledge our comebacks were a little lame. “Touche,” we piped up. Oh how funny we thought we were. I do hope that our Fencing team take them down - or whatever term Fencers use.
09:26
I’m told that it’s quite warm, with the slightest chance of a bit of sun. I say ‘told’, unfortunately the SCAN office (which is Lancaster’s Union newspaper, by the way), is a bit of a cavern, with no windows and a rather scary lack of ventilation. Still, if the predicted rains do arrive over the weekend, my cave existence will seem very preferable to standing on a rugby touchline.
09:19 - Lancaster 20 - 6 York
Not a great day for Carter yesterday, though. After winning the Frisbee event, and collecting 2 points, a rain-affected Cricket match went right to the wire, with Lancaster taking the spoils. York’s bowlers restricted the Lancaster batsmen to only 81 runs after the shortened 25 overs, but on what was a great bowling pitch, York only mustered 80 runs in reply. Still, there’s a long way to go.
09:15
AU President and York’s flag-waving captain Jo Carter has just popped into see me in the SCAN office deep in the heart of Lancaster’s Union complex. She’s looking pretty relaxed - in her blog yesterday she reckoned that her entire AU year would be judged on this result. “I’m really excited,” she says. Too right.
09:10
The Nouse team arrived here last night, to the sun setting over the rolling fields around what is quite a nice looking campus. They may not have lakes or ducks, but they certainly beat us on the architecture front. No ageing 1970s concrete slabs of accommodation here.
09:05 - Welcome to Nouse’s live Roses coverage 2008
Good morning from Lancaster, where 44 years of intense sporting rivalry is set to be re-ignited once again over 3 days of hard-fought competition. We’ll be here for every goal, every run, every shot - but who will take away the coveted James-Carter Trophy?
