MALDON CLUB DOMINATE THE WEEKEND’S ACTION

The Maldon Club dominated the Mens Singles event at this weekend’s 2010 M&G Investments Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League Closed Table Tennis Tournament providing three of the four Mens Singles Semi-Finalists. Older players will remember when such Maldon dominance was expected with the likes of Dave Newman, Dave Bowles and Steve Whiteley challenging for the title.

Finals Night takes place on Monday 15 February 2010 at Old Chelmsfordians Association, Lawford Lane, Chelmsford at 19.30 hours - admission is free and all spectators will be welcome.

2008 Mens Singles winner Neil Charles qualified comfortably for the Semi- Finals powering his way past Robert Burton (11-7, 11-6, 11-3) and Kevin Read (11-7, 11-5, 11-4). Charles will play team-mate Keiran Lally (the 2003 Champion). Lally was an impressive 11-8, 11-2, 7-11, 11-6 winner over Anthony Grenwood and he beat Gary Young with a very clever and controlled display (11- 7, 11-9, 13-11) to book his Semi-Final appearance. Young had ousted fourth seed Steve Kerns 3-0 (11-9, 11-9, 11-6) having earlier fought back determinedly from 2-0 down to beat Greg Green 4-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8. There was a surprise in the first round when Robert Burton ousted Bradley Hudgell 12-10, 11-3, 6-11, 3-11, 11-8.

Joining Charles and Lally on Finals Night will be four times Champion and the Holder David Cole, who never looked comfortable in beating defender Duncan Taylor 13-11, 13-11, 11-7, having earlier disposed of Hamish Innes 11-5, 11-8, 11-6. Cole will play impressive newcomer Mindaugas Sinkus, the third seed, who beat Ian Whiteside 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 and then overcame Peter Hayden 15-13, 11-8, 12-14, 4-11, 11-8 with a really gutsy and focused display, in what was arguably the best match of the Saturday evening.

The Ladies Singles Competition was more clear-cut. The top two players - sixteen times Champion Julie Vansertima and Debby Auvache both qualified comfortably for the Final. Julie had few problems beating Linda Attridge (11-6, 11-6, 11-2) whilst Debby was equally dominant as she beat Jean Chasmer 11-5, 11-5, 11-4. The surprise in this event took place in the Group stages where Linda Attridge beat Debby in four ends but had earlier lost 11-4, 7-11, 9-11,13-11 to Nicola Pippen. In a three way-tie Debby topped the group with a games differential of 7-3, with Linda (7-5) finishing second and Nicola (6-6) missing out by a whisker.

Debby Auvache capped her first season in the League by capturing a title.
Paired with Linda Attridge they beat Julie Vansertima/Jean Chasmer 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 in a closely fought Ladies Doubles Final.

The Mens Doubles Final will be contested by top seeds Dave Cole/Anthony Greenwood, an event in which Dave Cole will be bidding for an amazing eleventh title. They had to survive stiff challenges from Brandon Crouchman/Scott Dowsett (11-8, 14-12, 14-16, 11-5) and Charles Sweeney / Duncan Taylor (10-12, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8) as well as fourth seeds Neil Charles/John Cleasby (11-7, 11- 8, 11-6). They will meet Maldon pairing Mindugas Sinkus/Keiran Lally, who beat David Evans/Michael Copleston 11-6, 11-2, 6-11, 11-9 and second seeds Peter Hayden/Steve Kerns 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9. The big shocks in this event took place in the early rounds when Simon Webber/Alistair Hill beat Gary Young/Greg Green and Scott Dowsett/Brandon Crouchman ousted Kevin Gowlett/Hamish Innes.

Top seeds Julie Vansertima/Dave Cole are on course to take the Mixed Doubles title for a fifth time as they beat Trevor Carter/Debby Auvache narrowly 5-11, 11-6, 11-5, 13-11 and Ian Whiteside/Nicola Pippen 13-11, 11-3, 11-8. They will meet Melanie Bonnett/Steve Kerns in the Final. Melanie and Steve fought back from 2-0 down to beat David Evans/Jean Chasmer 11-13, 12-14, 11-5, 11-9, 11-4 after Jean and David had beaten second seeds Anthony Greenwood/Linda Attridge 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5.

The Under 21 Singles Semi-Final featured another absolutely cracking match when the Holder and three times Champion Bradley Hudgell was stretched to the limit by Brandon Crouchman. This match ebbed one way and then the other before Bradley snatched victory 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 13-11. Bradley will play second seed and current Colchester Mens Singles Champion Greg Green in the Final. Greg beat Scott Dowsett 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 in their Semi-Final.

Rik James - Veterans Singles Champion in 2006 and 2008 will be bidding for his third title on Finals night. He beat Peter Hayden 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5 in a gruelling Semi-Final after Peter had ousted Paul Sayer 12-10, 11-7, 11-8 a round earlier. Rik will face Steve Kerns (runner-up in this event in 2005 and 2009) in the Final after Steve had produced the big shock of Friday night by getting the better of last year’s Champion David Cole in five very fluctuating ends : 4-11, 11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 11-4 .

There was consolation for Cole when he won the Veterans Doubles for the third time with Rik James (a fourth title for James) with a Final win over Steve Kerns/Peter Hayden after a very open and free-flowing game. Cole and James triumphed 4-11, 14-12, 11-5, 12-10 having to pull out all the stops to prevent the game going to a fifth end. Paul Cuming/Debby Auvache upset the seedings by beating third seeds Trevor Carter/Gary Ward 3-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-8.

Ian Whiteside retained his title in the Over 60s Singles. His Final opponent was again the hard-hitting and aggressive Bill Smith and again the Final went to a fifth end. Whiteside triumphed 9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 5-11, 11-5. Smith had been hard-pushed in his Semi-Final, eventually beating Michael Johnston 11-8, 4- 11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7.

As expected Brandon Crouchman dominated the Junior events. He had that little bit extra when he needed it. James Austin did well to take a game off him in the Junior Boys Semi-Final but Brandon ran away with the fourth end, winning 11- 6, 11-3, 10-12, 11-3 and Brandon took the Final 3-1, beating team-mate Scott Dowsett 11-9, 11-5, 12-14, 11-6. The same two players contested the Under 16 Final and this time Brandon ran out a more clear-cut winner. Brandon beat Scott 11-5, 11-5, 11-7. Scott had beaten James Austin 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 at the penultimate round whilst Brandon didn’t have it all his own way as he beat the improving Robert Shrimpton 11-7, 11-5, 11-9.

Sarah Austin became the Under 14 Singles Champion. She had to pull out all the stops to beat Chris Denyer 7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 12-10 in her Semi-Final and in the Final she beat Josh Watts 15-13, 11-6, 11-3 with a very impressive display. Watt’s passage to the Final could not have been closer. He beat Martin Hiskey 11-7, 9-11, 15-13, 8-11, 16-14. Quite a battle.

Brandon Crouchman / Scott Dowsett were heavy favourites to win the Junior Doubles, perhaps the clearest favourites of the whole weekend. They did not disappoint although James Austin/Adam Pitt made them fight in the Final. Brandon/Scott eventually pulled through 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 11-8.

Rebecca Denyer took the title in the largest of the Junior events, beating Josh Watts by a last gasp 7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 12-10 margin in the Handicap Singles Final. Denyer had to overcome an equally dogged Daniel Thomas 12-10, 11- 13, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6 in the Quarter-Final.

Sarah Austin became the 2010 Girls Singles Champion by beating both Emily Knight and Rebecca Denyer although the battle for the runners-up position was one of the most hard fought of the weekend. Emily Knight pipped Rebecca Denyer 11-2, 6-11, 0-11, 11-8, 14-12 after a hugely fluctuating game.

Sunday’s events are traditionally wide open but this year’s Two-Down Singles produced more upset results than perhaps ever before. The top seed and most people’s favourite Gary Ward was ousted 3-0 (14-12, 11-9, 11-7) by the inform Simon Webber who proceeded to beat Mike Johnston 11-6, 11-5, 11-5. On this showing you might have fancied Webber to take the title. It wasn’t to be, he missed out 3-0 to Duncan Elloy who had also recorded an excellent 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6 win over Nigel Lamb. In the bottom half of the draw unseeded Robert Burton wreaked havoc. The only player to beat Writtle’s Paul Cumin in the League he was clearly on good form. It showed here. He beat Richard Storey (3- 0), Trevor Collin (3-1), Richard Jennings (3-0) and Martyn Green (3-2) to make the Final. He turned in a top class display in the Final to subdue Elloy 11-3, 13-11, 11-2.

The Four Down Singles trophy stayed with the Smith family from Clacton but it passed from Father - Phil to his son Mark. Mark produced some fine play to beat Lee McHugh (3-1), Allan Thompson (3-2) and very impressively second seed Richard Hiskey 3-0 and he captured the title with a very well executed 11-7, 11- 6, 11-2 success in the Final against last year’s runner-up Rod Maclennan. In the Semi-Final Maclennan had beaten Steve Cheesman 11-1, 13-11, 12-10 - good going as Cheesman had ousted the Holder Phil Smith 12-10, 9-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-3 a round earlier.

The Six Down Singles also saw the two favoured players perish before the Final. Robert Shrimpton beat the top seed Charles Eaton 11-4, 11-7, 11-2 in the first Semi-Final and David Newman ousted the second seed Ian Austin after fighting back from 2-0 down in the bottom half of the draw. Newman recorded a narrow 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 win in the Final.

Lee Mc Hugh followed Rik James into the League‘s record books as only the second player to retain the Handicap Singles title. He faced players from five different divisions in the League and proved equally adept at coping with the techniques of all of them. He left in his wake second divisioner Simon Webber, first division player Steve Kerns, the fourth division’s Dave Moles, sixth division Robert Shrimpton and fifth division player Mohammed Mohseni who he beat 22-20, 22-20 in the Final. Mohseni had done well to beat Robert Burton 22- 20, 21-18 to book his Final appearance.

The weekend’s action concluded with the Handicap doubles (played with partners drawn from the Hat) and Richard Hiskey/Scott Dowsett fared best, taking the title after three very hard fought matches. They beat Robert Burton/Martin Hiskey 21-15, 16-21, 21-18 and then Trevor Carter/Tony Hallett 22-20, 19-21, 21-15 and finally Jean Chasmer/Peter Barrett 21-15, 17-21, 21-15.

Steve Kerns

Press & Publicity Officer

Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League