Premier Division

With the top three premier teams within one point of each other the race to be number one has never been so close. This week Assassins move joint top following a 10-0 win over a two man Game Changers team. Hang Em High suffered a disastrous 6-4 loss to Bullets and Ping Panthers defeated Dynamos 8-2. This puts Assassins and Hang Em High equal at the top with 29 points with Ping Panthers third on 28 points.

This week Assassins with two wins and a walkover for the three juniors Keigo Burnham, Ben Worley and Charlie Hough followed by a win in the doubles for Keigo and Ben over Jim Skinner and Costas Kyriacou meant a 10-0 win for over Game Changers for Assassins.

Hang Em High in a very close competitive match went down 6-4 to Bullets with most games four and five sets.
For Bullets two apiece for Fred Bodeau and David Champneys and one for John Burnham with Fred and David defeating Andrew Sharland and Graham Carter in the doubles. For Hang Em High it was two singles wins each for Andrew and Graham. Steven Hoad was the third player making his season debut and was unlucky to lose all three going down 11-9 in the 5th in two of his matches.

In the third premier match Ping Panthers defeated Dynamos 8-2.  This win was all the more significant as Panthers were without their number one Marc Burman. For Ping Panthers trebles for new signing Sam Clarke and also Alan Stone with two from John Strang. For Dynamos a singles win for Dennis Hayden who combined with Matthew Caddy to defeat Panthers Sam Clarke and Alan Stone. It is pleasing to see the increase in strength and depth and with it competiveness in the premier division.


Division One

Leaders St Andrews back to their winning ways this week defeating Spin Masters 8-2.
Trebles for Terry Dean and Stuart Vincent and two from Darius Mayhew. Terry and Vincent also defeated Spin Masters Claudio and Riccardo Bagaini in the doubles. For Spin Masters, a win apiece for Claudio and Riccardo Bagaini 

Dark Horses in second place went down 6-4 to Lindfield Thunderbolts and in doing so opened up a battle for the divisional runners up spot. For Thunderbolts it was three for Jim Griffin, two for John Bridger and a win in the doubles for Jim Griffin and Vincent L’Estrange over Steve Ive and Ben Treman of Dark Horses. For Dark Horses two wins for Ben and a win apiece for Steve Ive and Ross Knowlson 

A tough match of four and five setters saw Paddlers and X Men drawing their game five all.
Paddlers Samantha Stoner and Lyle Cyster with a pair and Phil Harvey with one.
For X Men it was two each for Peter Caddy and Tom Christophersen then a hard fought five setter doubles win for Peter and Tom over Samantha Stoner and Lyle Cyster to clinch the draw.

Division Two

An easy 10-0 win over a two man Blade Runners team allowed leaders Magiks to extent their lead at the top to eight points. Trebles for Tony Turk, Alistair Blue and Kevin Deacon with the doubles going to Tony and Alistair.

Pingwins keep in second place despite losing to Cutting Edge 6-4. For Cutting Edge it was two for both Oscar Wiseman and Dave Polhill with Freddie Wiseman winning one. Oscar Wiseman and Dave Polhill won the doubles 11-9 in the fifth against Adam Wiseman and Paul Lewis. For Pingwins Adam Wisemans treble still left him on the losing side with team mate Paul Lewis winning one. On a note of interest nine year old Oscar took a set off his father Adam, how long before the rolls are reversed?!

The team of Burning Rubbers with Gavin Pitts, Steve Lee and Blake Davis are a dedicated and enthusiastic group of players who could make it to the first division next season. This week they defeated a two girl Swifts team 10-0. But for a sport it was more about the way the match was played than the result. This win takes Burning Rubber to just one point away from the team above them. Dangermen defeated Smashing Pumpkins 9-1 with Colin Cooper and Ron Bailham getting trebles and guest player Peter Vincent winning two against his own team. Colin and Ron also won the doubles. For Pumpkins Prevesh Ramnath was the player avoiding the whitewash.

Brian Taite