Xala the difference in win over Bengoetxea VI and Apraiz

Sunday 5th February, Gernika

XALA – LASKURAIN beat BENGOETXEA VI – APRAIZ 22-12

The stage was set fair for Oinatz Bengoetxea and Alexis Apraiz to continue where they left off in beating Irujo and Barriola the previous week. They seemed very much a pair on the up, growing in confidence after a brace of disappointing losses and although the same could be said of Xala and Laskurain, the game promised to be fascinating and closely matched. They also had hometown advantage of a sort, for Apraiz is a native of Gernika. However, further proof of their clear potential failed to materialise, as Xala and Laskurain never looked in the remotest of trouble. Xala alone was the difference; neither defender had a great game and Bengoetxea, the bane of Irujo, was totally out of sorts.

Right from the start, the red pair put their best feet forwards, winning the first three points through a mixture of Xala’s skill and Bengoetxea’s carelessness. The blues picked up their early points thanks to Laskurain’s errors but these were not numerous enough to prevent Xala propelling his pair to an 11-3 lead. He hit some searing winners in this passage, notably his gantxos on 4-2 and 10-3 which Bengoetxea appeared barely to see and he moved his opponents into positions of weakness with minimal effort. On 5-2, his placement succeeded in getting both blues out of position, which led to a miscue from a flummoxed Apraiz. He also put telling pressure on Apraiz, something which Bengoetxea largely failed to do to Laskurain. Apraiz’s error on 8-2was borne of Xala’s persistence and also Bengoetxea’s total inability to get anything past his opposite number, despite trying visibly with all his might.

Xala, potent force though he was, was not immune to errors and lapses on 11-3 and 11-6 gave Bengoetxea and Apraiz fleeting hope of a comeback. They came within four points at 13-9, in the one period of play where Bengoetxea really showed his considerable talents. On 13-7 he bombed Laskurain until he blew it and in the next point, he brilliantly pulled off a txoko winner after being forced right to the back by Xala. However, any window of opportunity was dispelled by Apraiz, who made two errors in the next three points. These, along with another fabulous crosscourt winner from Xala, restored the red advantage to seven points. The one moment of drama occurred at this juncture when Laskurain accidentally struck his partner in the head. The injury was clearly not as serious as that to Arretxe II who was recently hurt in similar circumstances, but as he left for treatment, Bengoetxea and Apraiz must have wondered fleetingly whether the misfortune of their nemesis had handed them an unlikely escape. Happily for Xala though, he returned seemingly unharmed and carried on where he left off. Two wayward hits from Laskurain were an irrelevance in the final analysis, as Xala overcame his nasty shock and a partner not entirely on top of his game, to seize the victory with a service winner.

Sunday’s result means that both pairs now sit on three points, just below the qualification spots, with Xala and Laskurain 5th and Bengoetxea and Apraiz 6th. Two pairs sit one point ahead of them and are very much there to be shot at; while Olaizola II and Beroiz appear unassailable at the top and Arretxe and Begino rooted firmly to the bottom, the fight for the other semi final berths is close. With seven rounds to go, both victors and vanquished in this particular skirmish are still firmly in the war.

Scoring sequence: 3-0, 3-1, 3-2, 4-2, 9-2, 9-3, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7, 13-7, 13-9, 16-9, 16-10, 17-10, 20-10, 20-12, 22-12.

Winners/errors: Xala 11/3, Bengoetxea 2/4, Laskurain 0/6, Apraiz 1/7

Match time: 103.22 with 26.36 on actual play

Balls hit: 534

The last laugh went to the Manomanista Champion

The last laugh went to the Manomanista Champion

(Photo: mine)

The overall standings are now as follows:

PAREJA

JUG.

GAN.

PERD.

1

OLAIZOLA II – BEROIZ

7

7

0

2

MTZ de IRUJO – BARRIOLA

7

5

2

3

BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU

7

4

3

4

TITIN III – MERINO II

7

4

3

5

XALA – LASKURAIN

7

3

4

6

BENGOETXEA VI – APRAIZ

7

3

4

7

ARITZ LASA  –  ZUBIETA

7

2

5

8

ARRETXE II – BEGINO

7

0

7

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