Table-tennis report
1st March 2013
Leamington’s growing reputation as a table-tennis centre of importance was emphasised by age-groups at both ends of the spectrum last weekend. The Leamington Junior (under 19) squad emphatically won the Midland Junior League despite the inclusion of 3 cadets (U15). Timmy Cooper, Solomon Hayes, Lee Dorning and Sam Weaving, all hailing from Lillington Free Church TTC, were crowned Champions at Kidlington after winning all 5 matches against Coventry, Oxford, Birmingham, Gloucester and Newbury, claiming 20 out of a possible 25 games. Three players played in each match, further demonstrating Spa’s strength in depth. Coventry, who included Aaron Riley (Potters Green) and Eathorpe’s George Allison, were runners-up winning 3 and drawing one. Cooper went on to finish runner-up in the knock-out competition, losing to Tiefiou Chamberlain of Newbury.
Lemington’s Veterans A side continued their unbeaten run in Midland League Division 1 with an impressive 7-3 victory over a strong Stafford team. Mark Jackson of St. Georges posted an outstanding treble including a win over the formidable Andrew Dixon. Club-mate Earl Sweeney added two, as did County Council’s Simon Griew.
Leamington’s Ladies were not to be outdone and several featured with distinction at the Women’s British League, which was organised splendidly by Spa’s Dot Macfarlane. Colebridge’s Kate Hughes, guesting for Burton Uxbridge, played in Division 1 and recorded notable wins over Caroline Hallows (Draycott), Karen Shepherd and Sporting Bet Guernsey’s Dawn Morgan.
Rugby’s Rachel Pilgrim, former Spa champion Sam Meredith, now based in Cardiff and St. Georges’ Charlotte Spencer all played in Division 3 with Spencer returning the best results as she helped her guest club (AICES) to the title.
Jo Outhwaite, of Rugby posted two superb victories in Division 4 over Val Murdoch and Gillian Skilbeck.
The biggest upset in the League came in Division 3 where promotion hopefuls Free Church E were done no favours by their H side who beat them 6-4. H were inspired by 15 year old Kit Turner who won his 3. Harry Purewal won 2 and 13 year old Andrew McIlvaney 1. Nomads B climbed well clear of their C team with a 9-1 success. Steve Poole and Ian Stevens were unbeaten and Darren Hadley won twice. Leaders Snitterfield A were taken all the way by Rugby D who finally conceded 4-6. Danny Orr recorded an outstanding treble for the town and partnered Jo Outhwaite for a doubles win. Stuart Ayres, Graham Poole and Robert Poole all won twice for the villagers. Whitnash A clobbered Free Church F 8-2 . Len Coonan and Greg Swan took maximums and the doubles with Jayne Fitton adding one.
In Division 1 Wellesboune lost narrowly, 4-6, to St Georges C in a match where 5 rubbers went to 5 games. Alan Cotton and Gary Stewart won for the home team with Mick Allsopp’s treble allied to singles from Paul Smith and Gary Webb, plus the doubles, seeing Georges home. Rugby A did not have it all their own way when entertaining their B team. Adrian Pilgrim took his three, Matthew Outhwaite two and reserve Anshul Satsangi one but B kept in it with two from Ryan Lines and one from Danny Ricks. Free Church A drew with WCC B in a match where all players tasted defeat. Deepak Chandrababu (2), Chris Mulligan (2) and Luke Hobbins (1) were denied a win by Nilton Green (2), Simon Griew (2) and the doubles.
Leaders Free Church B romped to a 9-1 victory over St Georges E in Division 2, Jeff Harris and Hugh Matthews taking trebles. Free Church D overcame Whitnash A 6-4 with Timmy Cooper recording yet another triple. Lee Dorning joined him for a doubles win and won one single, as did Scott Delday. Whitnash responded with two apiece from Paul Riman and Richard Smith.
Rugby E continue to improve in Division 4 and only a Mark Bridgeman hat-trick denied them victory as they succumbed 4-6 to WCC D. David Dunn and Carl Morgan added single wins and Dunn joined Bridgeman for the doubles. Newcomer Graham Harvey and Emma Kilpatrick took two each in reply. Free Church J blitzed their K team 9-1 as Tom Harris and Roger Palmer refused to concede. Adam Pulman added two and took the doubles with Harris with Olivia Fletcher having an excellent success to avoid the whitewash.
Other result:
Enigmas B 3 (Phillip Donner 3) Rugby E 7 (Millie Bradshaw 1, Karen Buckby 1, Emma Kilpatrick 1 +D +3 conceded).
Free Church L lost their unbeaten tag in Division A, going down 2-3 to Topspinners for whom Russell Smith won twice. Bradley Matthews added the vital winning point. Snitterfield C prevailed 3-2 over Eathorpe C with Henry Lu maintaining his unbeaten record and partnering Peter Vale-Humphries to the doubles. Richard Freeman and Dave Hawker took Eathorpe’s two. Eathorpe D, in the guise of John Ablett (2) and Jon Ablett (1), nailed FISCC 4-1 with Mark Jones stemming the tide.
The top two met in Division B but Free Church N made short work of their M team, Tom Fletcher and Jay Virdi taking all 5 points. Ashorne B edged Free Church P 3-2 with the improving Steve Handsley grabbing two wins plus the doubles with Tony Philpott. Daniel Shaw and Mark Singleton replied.
In Division C Alice Todd’s impressive double could not prevent Free Church T losing to their O team who took the other 3 points through Ashley and Jeremy Knott. Eathorpe H defeated their F team by a similar scoreline to record the team’s first ever League win. Shaun Martin won twice and George Miller posted his first victory.
