This week saw the inaugural running of the Eastern Valley Closed Hard Bat Tournament, played at Cwmbran Stadium. There were 24 entries which were split into 6 groups of 4 playing best of 3 games up to 15 points. Winners of groups A to D had byes to the Quarter-Finals and the remaining qualifiers advanced to Round 1. The group matches went generally as per seedings with the exception of Group F where Geoff Strangeway played very well to overcome David D Lloyd and Mark Edmunds to win his group. This new event proved very popular and provided some exhilarating table tennis despite the use of unfamiliar equipment.

Round One Results:

Andrew Ryder beat Ben Allen 15-9,15-11.

Roger Grech beat Iestyn Howells 15-3, 15-11

David D Lloyd beat Jon Allen 15-13, 15-13

Geoff Strangeway beat Ray Goulding 8-15, 15-14. 15-9

Quarter - Finals: 

Lee Thomas beat Andrew Ryder 15-8, 15-13

Mark Farrow beat Roger Grech 15-12, 15-7 

David D Lloyd beat Tony Collins 15-0, 12-15, 15-8

Lyndon Jones beat Geoff Strangeway 15-8, 15-12

Semi - Finals: 

Lyndon Jones beat Lee Thomas 15-11, 15-4

Mark Farrow beat David D Lloyd 15-13, 15-12

Final: 

Lyndon Jones beat Mark Farrow 15-12, 15-13.

This new event proved very popular with the players and provided some exhilarating table tennis.