DATELINE

5 November 
2001

You can go directly from this report to the following pages

HOME

ABOUT THE LEAGUE

AFFILIATED CLUBS

CONTACTS

LEAGUE REVIEW

LINKS

NEWS FEATURES

RESULTS

TABLES

All the latest news and features can be found from the
NEWS FEATURES
 page

Continuing our occasional series of team features, we are back in Division 4 again. This time we feature Essex Police Headquarters Table Tennis Club (EPHQ). And don't worry we will find some teams in other divisions soon; there are many unsung heroes throughout the League!

Arguably having, currently, perhaps one of the best playing venues in the League EPHQ are disappointed to nowadays be running just 1 team in the League. That has not always been the case and under various guises they have in the past featured a number of great table tennis names as part of their line up. None less so than just 4 years ago when one of their teams, then under the banner of Essex Police A, were champions of Division 1, with the likes of Cris Sladden, Steve Tilson, Simon Woods, Dave Birkett and Chris Jacob. But underneath that gloss the Police have always had a regular squad of mid division heroes who have seldom seen the limelight (or perhaps that should be the 'lamplight' for these men in blue?).

In fact Club Secretary Wayne Campbell-Harvey says, with a wry grin, of their current team "we are ahead of our time". No-one can resist asking "why"? "We are into 11up", replies Wayne. It turns out to be true. In successive encounters Wayne is matching his opponent point for point as the scores creep up to 10:10 only for the game to somehow slip away 21:11, and another 21:14 and another 21:12. "If only we could have stopped at 11" sighs Wayne as he sees another of his flashing backhands well returned.

EPHQ are however a good all round mid-division team and in team captain Ian Hockley they have one of the best current division 4 players, with a tremendous serve and loop game. The team have been strengthened this year by transfer in of ex-Highwood player  Francis Whitbread, one of just two players (we think - unless you know better?) still playing in traditional gray-flannels.  Francis has been able to fill in for George Bailey whose arthritis is not allowing him to play now as often as he would like.

Times have been hard so far this season in Div 4. But defeats of 2;8, 4:6 and 3:7 in their opening three games were followed by a tremendous 7:3 win over the much higher rated ECC H, just to show what they are capable of when it all goes well for them.

Still they appear to be enjoying their table tennis - and we wish them well for the rest of the season.

One last thing; If you have to go and play at Police Headquarters make sure you know where the venue is beforehand. Because it is certain - and recent experience has proved this as one player recently had to be guided in by mobile phone - you will never find out from asking a Policeman!