Tennis: Double delight as both Essex teams go up in Aegon Winter County Cup

The men were unbeaten in Norwich as they returned to Group One as Group 2A champions, while the ladies also did not taste defeat on the way to winning Group 3B at Redbridge.

Five of the eight-strong men’s team came from south Essex and they started their campaign in fine style by beating North of Scotland 9-0, with singles wins for Southend players Rob Carter, Ryan Penistone, David Wright and Edward Pudney, and doubles wins for Carter and Richard Wire, Peniston and Wright, and Pudney and Marshall Tutu.

Tom Pudney was brought in for the singles on Saturday against Middlesex and he did not disappoint as he joined brother Edward, Penistone and Wright in winning their singles as Essex recorded an 8-1 win, with Carter losing his singles match.

That result left the men in a winner-takes-all match with Hertfordshire to decide who would be playing in the top flight next year.

Peniston, Wire and Westcliff Hard’s Sam Bayda ensured the singles finished 3-3 before Essex won all three doubles matches to secure a 6-3 win.

“This was a fantastic overall win for Essex and I am absolutely delighted to report that we are in Group One in both summer and winter county championship events for the first time in nearly 20 years,” said Essex men’s non-playing captain Jamie Willson.

“Obviously the primary objective will be to stay up in both in 2016, although I have to say that the calibre of players and the team’s spirit from this summer and winter, nothing is impossible.

“They are without doubt the finest group that I have had the pleasure of working with.”

Essex’s ladies also made a winning start to their campaign with a 6-3 win over Leicestershire on Friday.

They followed it up with an 8-1 thumping of Berkshire the next day before wrapping up promotion with a 5-2 victory over Berkshire.

Olivia Sofroniou, from Steeple View, Basildon, was among the ladies team and won all three of her singles matches and two of her three doubles matches.