London: Team England and MK Badminton star Peter Mills believes the structure of the brand new National Badminton League (NBL) will make for some “intriguing” matches when the inaugural Monday match-night starts on 6 October.
Mills will face his former doubles partner, Chris Langridge on the opposite side of the net in MK Badminton’s opening NBL fixture against Surrey Smashers – a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 3.
Mills and Langridge won Commonwealth Games bronze in Glasgow and have risen up the world rankings to a career high 20th during 2014 but both will join up with new partners – Mills with Andy Ellis, Langridge with Marcus Ellis – in the lead up to Rio 2016.
“After the highs Chris and I have enjoyed as a doubles pair over the last 12 months or so, it will be a very weird experience to face Chris across the net,” said Mills. “We don’t even do that that often in training.
“We spend so much time together both on and off court that not to have him on the same side is going to feel odd.”
The two NBL team captains will lead strong squads on the opening night which will also see Birmingham Lions play Team Derby at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham.
And Mills, 26, believes the format and structure, as well as top-level partnerships going head-to-head will give the NBL championship title chase an exciting edge.
Mills said: “That’s the beauty of the NBL as it will throw up some different partnerships and pairings and that is going to set up some really intriguing matches.
“Both myself and Chris have been named as captains for our teams as well which adds a bit of extra spice to the opening fixture and knowing Chris, neither of us will want to lose to one another so it’s certainly going to set the season off with a bang.”
The NBL teams will play each other on monthly Monday evening match-nights from 6 October until April 2015.
Tickets are on general sale for all 15 NBL match-night fixtures with prices starting at £5 for children and £8 for adults.
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