Round 12 of the British League Premier Division saw one of DHS Greenhouse Progress’s best ever players make a welcome reappearance. Step into the arena – Colum Slevin with a seemingly more defensive style. The Irish legend came close to making a winning debut but had to give way to the explosive forehand hitting of BATTS Team Peniel’s very talented Wang Zheng who fought back from 2-1 down to win 11-8, 8-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-8. Slevin had better luck in his second singles, but it was no walk in the park against Martin Kubrt either.
Slevin won 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9. It was a good match for the London team and they ran out 6-2 winners. Peniel’s Ritchie Venner, an impressive winner over Westfield’s Shaun Marples in round 11 picked up a second excellent victory here, getting the better of Da Qing Tong 11-8, 8-11, 5-11, 14-12, 11-7.
Ellenborough were given something of a shock when Sycamore announced their side. They substituted Danny Lowe and Sam Perry and brought in Gavin Rumgay and Kevin Dolder. Reserves Steve Kerns and Chris Marlow didn’t know whether to laugh or cry !. Lorestas Trumpauskas got the North London side off to a great start with a decisive 11-3, 11-2, 11-7 win over Stewart Crawford. However, that was as good as it got and Sycamore stormed through to win 7-1. Gavin Rumgay took the Player of the Match Award for his 11-3, 11-3, 11-6 destruction of Trumpauskas, a player who has give him considerable problems in the past.
The Champions – Drumchapel Glasgow I produced yet another top-class performance against Westfield winning 6-2, and remember this was without Qian Hai Song (16 wins out of 16) in their line-up. England no. 14 Terry Young produced a superb display in the number two position powering his way past England no. 11 Damien Nicholls 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 and Shaun Marples 11-3, 11-6, 11-7. Nicholls took the first game against Ryan Jenkins but by the fourth end Ryan was in full control and he stormed home 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-2. Craig Hardie also impressed and he secured a fine 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4 victory over Marples. England no. five Junior, the ever-improving Richard Andrews won both of Westfield’s games, downing the challenge of Stephen Jenkins 12-10, 7-11, 11-3, 11-6 and then Craig Hardie by a last gasp 11-6, 8-11, 12-14, 12-10, 14-12 margin.
Bottom side Derwent had nothing to show from their clash against Ormesby I, losing 8-0 and they may well feel that the score failed to do them justice. Only one game was decided three straight and the first two games were settled deep in the fifth end. If only they could have taken one of them ?. In the first game Michael Marsden had to pull out all the stops to get the better of Simon Noutch 11-6, 11-7, 7-11, 4-11, 11-7 and England no. 13 David Meads won’t have felt at all comfortable against England no. 57 Matthew Dodds. The scores show just how well the improving Derwent player performed : 11-8, 11-13, 9-11,11-7, 11-7.
Full results were as follows –
Ellenborough I 1 Sycamore 7
Lorestas Trumpauskas beat Stewart Crawford 11-3, 11-2, 11-7,
Jimmy Walsh lost to Gavin Rumgay 6-11, 13-15, 6-11,
Steve Kerns lost to Sean Cullen 8-11, 11-9, 10-12, 9-11,
Chris Marlow lost to Kevin Dolder 7-11, 4-11, 5-11,
Lorestas Tumpauskaslost to Gavin Rumgay 3, 11, 3-11, 6-11,
Steve Kerns lost to Stewart Crawford 12-10, 6-11, 7-11, 11-13,
Jimmy Walsh lost to Kevin Dolder 4-11, 10-12, 7-11,
Chris Marlow lost to Sean Cullen 5-11, 8-11, 6-11.
DHS Greenhouse Progress I 6 BATTS Team Peniel i 2
Chen Po Huang beat Ritchie Venner 11-8, 11-9, 11-5,
Colum Slevin lost to Wang Zheng 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 7-11, 8-11,
Da Qing Tong beat Clive Carthy 11-8, 13-11, 11-6,
Ashley Willetts beat Martin Kubrt 11-5, 4-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-6,
Chen Po Huang beat Wang Zheng 11-9, 10-12, 11-6, 12-10,
Da Qing Tong lost to Ritchie Venner 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 12-14, 7-11,
Colum Slevin beat Martyin Kubrt 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9,
Ashley Willetts beat Clive Carthy 11-9, 5-11, 13-11, 11-8.
Westfield I 2 Drumchapel Glasgow I 6
Damien Nicholls lost to Terry Young 7-11, 8-11, 7-11,
Niall Cameron lost to Ryan Jenkins 9-11, 7-11, 4-11,
Shaun Marples lost to Craig Hardie 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 4-11,
Richard Andrews beat Stephen Jenkins 12-10, 7-11, 11-3, 11-6,
Damien Nicholls lost to Ryan Jenkins 11-7, 10012, 8-11, 2-11,
Shaun Marples lost to Terry Young 3-11, 6-11 7-11,
Niall Cameron lost to Stephen Jenkins 7-11 11-13, 15-13, 7-11,
Richard Andrews beat Craig Hardie 11-6, 8-11, 12-14, 12-10, 14-12.
Derwent 0 Ormesby I 8
Simon Noutch lost to Michael Marsden 6-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4,7-11,
Matthew Dodds lost to David Meads 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 7-11, 7-11,
Stephen Horsfield lost to Andrew Wilson 7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 4-11,
Richard Smith lost to Patrick Thomas 9-11, m11-6, 9-11, 11-13,
Simon Noutch lost to David Meads 6-11, 5-11, 9-11,
Stephen Horsfield lost to Michael Mar5sden 11-7, 5-11, 11-13, 9-11,
Matthew Dodds lost to Patrick Thomas 6-11, 4-11, 11-8, 8-11,
Richard Smith lost to Andrew Wilson 4-11, 11-5, 7-11, 9-11.
Steve Kerns
British League Press Officer