Danbury will require Greenwood’s services regularly

Danbury A look as if they will need to utilise the services of their top player – Antony Greenwood regularly if they are going to avoid relegation from the first division of the Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League. Greenwood played in their match against OCs A and his three wins went a long way to securing his team’s 5-5 draw. Terry Dowsett and Brandon Crouchman both won twice for OCs A and in the top game of the evening Greenwood just prevailed against Chelmsford Junior Crouchman 11-13, 8-11, 11-1, 11-4, 11-8. OCs A jumped above Elmtree Graphics A after beating them 7-3. Terry Dowsett’s hat-trick was the difference between the two sides. Maldon A were the week’s big winners and their 9-1 win over Chelmsford A leaves the Chelmsford team cast adrift at the bottom of the table. Keith Adams and Minda Sinkus were both undefeated for Maldon whilst all-round player Waseem Qureshi picked up Chelmsford’s sole success – a fine five game win over John Poysden.

In the second division Chelmsford B impressed by beating Hatfield Peverel A 7-3. Neil Gooday won his three singles and Alastair Piper won twice. ECC C picked up their third win of the Season by beating Hatfield Peverel C 6-4. James Hicks’ hat-trick left ECC in the ascendancy. Hatfield Peverel B are the Season’s surprise package and they remain in second place. They drew with ECC B in a match where no single player remained undefeated. Chris Buer and Steve Buer (Hatfield Peverel) and Gary Brignall and Ken James (ECC) all won twice. Ken James came through a real nerve-tingler 12-10, 11-7, 10-12, 7-11, 13-11 against Chris Buer. ECC B had fewer problems against Hatfield Peverel A and they ran out convincing 9-1 winners. Simon Webber (three wins) and Debby Auvache (three wins) were on top form. Debby beat John Parodi 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 5-11, 11-9 in the closest game of the night.

Third-placed Danbury C recorded their fifth win of the Season in division three, defeating Danbury D 6-4. Dave Richardson led from the front with three wins. Elmtree Excalibur D stay in second place and they beat Danbury F 8-2. Steve Cheesman led the way with three victories and he received excellent support from Tony Hallett and Rod Maclennan who both won twice. There was good news for the draw specialists – OCs C – they picked up their first win of the season. Adrian North and John Watts both won twice as they beat Chelmsford D 6-4. Adrian North secured his side‘s victory in the last game by getting the better of Dave Parker 8-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-6, 11-6. ECC D did well to beat Elmtree Excalibur D 6-4 – good going as none of their three players were able to get the better of Steve Cheesman. Peter Layzell and Neil Thompson both won twice for ECC to redress the balance.

Chelmsford E are top of the table in division four but they had to work hard to get the better of Danbury J. Adam Pitt’s hat-trick gave them the advantage and Bob Francis picked up two wins. Danbury J were also involved in a tight game with second-placed ECC E. This one finished tied at 5-5. ECC’s Allan Thompson was the most successful player with a hat-trick of wins over  Ken Sheard, Robert Kneale and Chris Hancox. Writtle C emerged as 6-4 winners against ECC F although it was ECC’s Allison Barker who won her three singles. She completed an excellent evening‘s work with a quick-fire 3-0 win over Frank Neill.  ECC F also drew 5-5 with Hatfield Peverel E. Dave Carter almost inevitably won his three singles for the Hatfield Peverel side whilst Mohammed Mohseni and Peter Sun both picked up two successes for the County Council team.

The leaders Chelmsford F made it six wins out of seven in division five by overpowering Highwood 10-0. Mark Brown, Richard  Upson and Richard Baxter were all undefeated.  OCs F follow next and they beat OCs E 10-0. Nat Ravlic, Tom Barker and Frank Hodge were the unbeaten players on duty. The match between Elmtree Excalibur F and OCs H was a much closer affair. No single player remained undefeated and Daniel Berry and Charlie Mariner (OCs H) and Keith Pallett and Keith Fitzjohn (Elmtree Excalibur) all won twice. OCs G had George Mastin on form as they beat Chelmsford H 7-3. George beat all three Chelmsford players – Jacqui Smith, Ryan Gooday and Adam Brown. OCs’ Josh Watts defeated Ryan Gooday 11-6, 9-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-9 in the closest game of the night.

ECC G lead the way in the CLICK League but they were made to fight hard by fourth placed OCs J. Ben Clifford won his two singles beating Both Harvey Russell and Steven Turner. In a grand Doubles finale Cifford and Nathan Rose defeated Russell and Turner 7-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 13-11 to secure the victory. Writtle D ran out comfortable 5-0 winners against Chelmsford M. Peter Windley, David Meah and Alex Warway were all undefeated.

Top class table tennis comes to Essex over the weekend of 17/18 December 2011 when the BATTS Club, The Norman Booth Centre, Elderfield, Mulberry Green, Old Harlow, CM17 0EY hosts the second weekend of British League Premier Division action. Admission is free and the action kicks off at 11.00 am on the Saturday and at 10.00 am on the Sunday.  Among the top players likely to be taking part are Welsh International Ryan Jenkins (Drumchapel Galsgow), Scottish no. one Gavin Rumgay (Barrow), English International Chris Doran (Drumchapel Glasgow), former M&G Investments Chelmsford Mens’ Singles Singles Champion Lorestas Trumpauskas (Fusion) and two-times Olympian Sule Olaleye (Fusion).

Trumpauskas (the Winner in 1999, 2000 and 2001) and Neil Charles (victorious in 2008, 2010 and 2011) fought out a thrilling Over 40s Mens’ Singles Final at the VETTS Eastern Masters Tournament at UEL, Norwich at the weekend. It was Trumpauskas, the 2011 European Doubles Veterans Champion and the current England no. one who came out on top but only after five games of pulsating and ultra-attacking table tennis. Trumpauskas finally pipped Charles, newly ranked as England no. three veteran at 13-11 in the fifth end of a truly outstanding game.

Another former Chelmsford player – Marilyn Bawden had a magnificent run in the Ladies Over 40s Singles at the same tournament. Bawden made a mockery of her current no. 37 National Veterans Ladies ranking by scoring a superb five game win over leading Irish player Teresa Devaney and then she brought ‘the house down’ by defeating English no. one veteran Sue Collier in five games. Bawden’s magnificent run was finally ended at the semi-final stage when she lost to the eventual winner – Jane Cohen (Yorkshire) in five hard-fought ends.

Steve Kerns

Press & Publicity Officer

Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League