Can anyone stop Oxford Fireplace Centre ?

 

Oxford Fire Place Centre I lead the table by two points and eight times Champions DHS London Progress I will be praying that Ellenborough I can do them a favour on their home table when they face the Oxford side in session one of the British League Premier Division matches on Sunday 21 January 2007.  However, without their top players -  Andrew Rushton and Swedes Patrick Dahlstrom and Thomas Bennborn this may realistically be asking too much. Ellenborough will be looking for Lorestas Trumpauskas to make his mark and will be hoping that their other players - Jon Nilsson, Jimmy Walsh, Gary Tendler and reserve Joseph Chacholiades can somehow rise to the occasion and take points off of the League leaders. As the famous Ellenborough Club are also celebrating the Official Opening of their Refurbished Premises then perhaps that might be the motivation they need to spring a real surprise ? .

 

So far this season has been an unmitigated success for Oxford Fire Place Centre and they will again select their team from a squad of Gavin Rumgay, their Chinese stars - Sun Jin, Wu Yue Jiao and Zhao Jing Wei, as well as Stewart Crawford and Vytas Rybakas. They clearly have the "bit between their teeth" and are going all out to capture the title. As well as the clash against Ellenborough, Oxford also face Sycamore who having climbed into fourth place are proving to be the season's "Surprise package". Sycamore will choose their team from Michael Marsden, Shaun Marples, Kevin Dolder, Adam Frost and Jason Ramage.

 

DHS London progress cannot afford to drop any more points and they will be relying on their "British contingent" this time in their clashes against Sycamore and BATTS Team Peniel I . Progress Team Manager Jon Kaufman expects them to field a team of Colum Slevin, Terry Young, Jason Sugrue and Darren Blake with up-and-coming Junior Ashley Stokes most likely to fill in if the need arises. BATTS will again be looking to use their tried and tested squad and you can expect to see John Holland,  Ritchie Venner, Neil Charles, Clive Cathy and Sean Gibson representing the Essex side. No surprises there !.

 

Ormesby I are further down the table than is customary but you can expect them to do better this weekend and the addition of a leading Chinese Junior Boy player - Wang Zheng (Johnson) at number two gives them an added strength in depth. With a squad comprising Craig Bryant, Wang Zheng, Nigel Eckersley, Steve Bailey, Damien Nicholls and Martyn Clarke (non-travelling reserve) they will be hoping to beat both BATTS Team Peniel I and bottom side DML Woolwell I.  

 

The action takes place at Ellenborough TTC - Kimberley Gardens, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 3SN, kicking off at 12.00 hours with the second round of matches scheduled to start at 15.30 hours. Admission is free.

 

Steve Kerns

Press & Publicity Officer

British Table Tennis League