Herts Ladies claim second place behind five-star Yorkshire

English Counties' Championship

Long Ashton Golf Club in Gloucestershire

TRIUMPHANT Yorkshire completed a clean sweep in the English counties championship when they defeated Dorset 71/2 -11/2 on the last day of the finals at Long Ashton in Gloucestershire.

It was their fifth win from five matches and it confirmed their victory in the championship. They couldn't be caught after winning their first four matches but they were determined to complete the week with a full set.

The battle for second place ended in success for Hertfordshire who beat Sussex 6-3 and scored 31/2 points from the week. Warwickshire moved up into third place when they beat Leicestershire and Rutland 5-4 and overtook them in the table.

Yorkshire's victory was their fifth consecutive win in the championship and they are the first team to achieve that feat.

The fight for second place was fiercely contested. Hertfordshire and Leicestershire & Rutland started the day on level terms, half a point ahead of Warwickshire.

The honours eventually went to Hertfordshire while Leicestershire were overtaken by a battling Warwickshire side.

Hertfordshire captain Jaki White said: "I am so pleased and so proud of my team. They knew what they had to do and they went out and did it. It was fabulous."

Final placings

Yorkshire 5pts

Hertfordshire 31/2

Warwickshire 3

Leicestershire & Rutland 21/2

Sussex 1

Dorset 0

Fifth day result

Hertfordshire 6 Sussex 3

(Hertfordshire names first)

Foursomes

Lucy Williams & Charlie Field beat Aileen Greenfield & Chloe Court 6/5

Jackie Foster & Tina Jeary beat Emma Fields & Katherine Russell 1 up

Charlie Douglass & Steph McEvoy lost to Hannah Ralph & Karen Sykes 2 down.

Singles

Alison Franklin beat Jo Galway 7/5

Harriet Key beat Chloe Court 5/4

Williams beat Clarissa Bushell 5/4

Field lost to Russell 2/1

Douglass beat Fields 2/1

Jeary lost to Ralph 2/1