Twelve-year-old Alec Ward of Middlesborough who plays for the Ormesby Table Tennis Club was the star of the Cramlington 2 Star Junior Tournament with a hat-trick of wins.

Not only did he easily win the Under 13 boys’ event but also won the Cadet Boys and then went on to capture the Junior Boys title.

It was a tremendous performance by the young player and his play in the Junior final was brilliant. In a match that was one of the best junior finals played in this tournament he beat the Northumberland top junior, Ryan Richardson over five games.

The first end went narrowly his way 13-11, the second 11-7 to Richardson but he won the third 12-10 before being pulled back again when Richardson took the fourth 11-6. It looked to be Richardson’s title when he led 10-8 in the fifth but the young man from Middlesborough was not finished and came back to record a 12-10 victory.

The Junior Girls’ title was won by Cleveland’s Eleanor Davidson who edged out Durham’s Eszter Soos and Cleveland’s Katie Barlow on count-back after a three-way tie in a round robin event.

Results:

Junior Boys: Alec Ward (Cleveland) beat Ryan Richardson

(Northumberland) 13-11, 7-11, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10

Junior Girls: Round Robin winner: Eleanor Davidson (Cleveland) Runner-up Eszter Soos (Durham)

Cadet Boys: Ward beat Dean Richardson (Northumberland) 11-3, 11-8, 11-3

Cadet Girls: Davidson beat Katie Barlow (Cleveland) 4-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6

Under 13 Boys: Ward beat Joshua Harland (Cleveland) 11-6, 11-4, 11-4

Under 13 Girls: Round Robin Winner; Katie Barlow (Cleveland) Runner-up Devonne Allison (Cleveland)

Under 11 Boys: Will Dobinson (Cleveland) beat Cameron Elcoat

(Cleveland) 13-11, 11-9, 11-4

Under 11 Girls; Sophie Barlow (Cleveland) beat Allison 11-13, 11-6,

11-7, 11-2

Junior Boys Consolation: Harland beat Adam Barlow (Cleveland) 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9

By Aubrey Drapkin