British No.1 Susan Hughes was in outstanding form as she led Scotland to a comfortable 4-1 win over Wales in the opening Group 8 match at the European Badminton Championships in Liverpool.

Imogen Bankier, a world top 10 player, and Watson Briggs had set Scotland on the road to victory in the mixed doubles, and Briggs and Andy Bowman put the result beyond doubt by taking the men’s doubles.

In between, Hughes had demolished Welsh youngster Caroline Harvey 21-10 21-5 in the women’s singles, while Kieran Merrilees dropped a point in the men’s event, going down in two close games to the Indonesian-born Inwansyah, a former Bank of Scotland International Champion. 

Briggs and Bankier’s 21-9 25-23 win over Harvey and Martyn Lewis was vital. In the second set, they saved five game points before claiming the rubber on the first match point.

“If we’d lost that second set we could have been in trouble,” suggested Scottish coach, Dan Travers. “It’s a pity Kieran couldn’t win, but at least he put in a good effort.”

In the dead rubber, Bankier and Jillie Cooper were always in control and won the women’s doubles in straight games against Harriett Johnson and Kerry Ann Sheppard.

Scotland meet the Czech Republic today and should win to set up an intriguing group decider against No.2 seeds England tomorrow. The group winners go through to the quarter-finals. 

Group 8
Scotland 4 Wales 1
Men’s singles: Kieran Merrilees lost to Inwansyah 19-21 19-21
Women’s singles: Susan Hughes beat Caroline Harvey 21-10 21-5
Men’s doubles: Andrew Bowman and Watson Briggs beat Martyn Lewis and Matthew Hughes 21-18 21-19
Women’s doubles: Imogen Bankier and Jillie Cooper beat Harriett Johnson and Kerry Ann Sheppard 21-11 21-10
Mixed doubles: Briggs and Bankier beat Lewis and Harvey 21-9 25-23
England 5 Czech Republic 0