The last three League KO Cup Finals have now been played and reports and pictures can be found below. 

The cup always holds some surprises, and perhaps none more so this year than the 4Down KO Cup. Featuring the teams placed second and third in Division 4 and billed as the final match in a long and distinguished playing career for Writtle player Barry Lummis, it had all the hallmarks of a classic, as Excalibur C took on Writtle B. 

At 71 Barry Lummis is not quite the oldest player in the League! But he had announced that 2003/04 would be his last playing season, so it was fitting that a KO Cup final should provide the stage for his final match. And who should take to the table first, why Barry of course. With his team mate and long time friend Chris Hibbitt alongside to take on Steve Cheesman and Ian Butler. On paper both for the match as a whole and this opening doubles Excalibur were clear favourites. But maybe on this special occasion Cheesman showed just a little too much respect to the man who had coached him into table tennis some 30 years earlier. Allowing Lummis and Hibbit to steal a close encounter 11,7,9 and set a patter for the evening. Matthew Brown, a former 4Down Singles champion, featured next in perhaps the best game of the evening an all action encounter with Michael Rostoft. The Writtle player recovering from 1:2 down to steal a second game for his team 8,-7,-9,5,7. Chris Hibbitt, another funny bat player these days, has been enjoying something of an Indian Summer in table tennis. Cheesman had no answer going down 4,4,8. A great start for Writtle. Butler was the first to hit back for Excalibur, not tainted by Cheesmans respect for his former tutor, he despatched Lummis but only by the narrowest of margins 9,10,10. Hibbit and Brown struck back to keep the 3 game margin seeing off Cheesman and Rostoft 8,9 & 4. It was not looking good for Steve Cheesman. if he was going out then at least Barry was going to get his money's worth. Coming back to the table for his second singles and third game of the night only to be defeated by Rostoft. It was left to Hibbitt to settle the evening and end unbeaten, disposing of Butler 8,9 &6. game set and match Writtle 5:2. The evening finished fittingly with a presentation by the Excalibur players to Barry, and pleasingly to his No.1 fan, his wife Val, who had been able to come and watch the match in the hall where they held their wedding reception. In a note to the League Chairman, Val writes: "Would you please pass on our grateful thanks to all those who had a hand in the presentation made to Barry and myself after the match, especially to Steve who made the presentation. It was a lovely surprise to us both. Barry is really pleased with the picture and is showing it to all our visitors. And the flowers were beautiful. Once again many thanks." A fitting end to a fine table tennis career.

Competitions Secretary Rod Maclennan (left) presents the Writtle side of Barry Lummis, Matthew Brown and Chris Hibbitt with their winners trophy in the 4Down KO Cup

The 4 Down KO Cup Runners-Up Excalibur, Michael Rostoft, Ian Butler & Steve Cheesman with Rod Maclennan

The all first division Veterans KO Cup final, which the Danbury Club have won for the past 9 seasons, promised to be another top class match. And it didn't disappoint. Again featuring Danbury A - who have won the trophy 7 times now - the current holders, pitted against Hatfield Peverel, including their new star the combination bat player Fred Dove. Peverel made a great start with Dove, strangely playing in the No.2 spot, combining with John Parodi in a thrilling opening doubles to edge out Stuart Gibbs and David Jacobs -13,5,9,-3,6. David Bowles, who had an excellent evening, evened the score with a 2,-10,8,5 win over John Gagg and followed that later with a comprehensive three straight win over Parodi. Parodi suffered a similar fate at the hands of Jacobs. Doubles however was a different kettle of fish. Peverel keeping themselves in the match when Gagg and Dove combined for a splendid 8,7,8 victory over Gibbs and Bowles. Dove then pulled it back to 3:4 with a straightforward win over Jacobs. It was left to the legendary Gibbs to complete the match three straight over Gagg 8,8,7. Game set and match Danbury A 5:3.

The last of the finals was the Junior KO Cup, which has only been outside of the ECC Club once in its 14 year history. And again it featured the top ECC side of Simon Webber, Thomas Hill and Lorna Staff. Surprisingly against the C team of Baddow Village, featuring Adam Pitt, Hannah Pitt and Matthew Skeoch - all players from CLICK. Try as they might the Baddow side were no match for the more experienced ECC players, even though Adam inflicted a rare 9 in the fifth defeat on Tom Hill in a game in which 4 of the five sets were 11:9.   But it was Tom who had been the hero in the semi-final where ECC had disposed of the top Baddow side of Martyn Charttey, Steve Clift and Laura Pyman, in a match that might have gone either way, with dramatic wins over Steve and Laura. So it was game set and match to ECC A once more, 5:1.