England men are through to the next stage of the World Team Championships at the expense of second seeds Germany – and take on Poland for a place in the quarter-finals.
England today beat hosts Malaysia 3-0 in Kuala Lumpur, while Germany beat Sweden 3-2. It left England, Germany and Sweden with records of three wins and two defeats, with only two countries able to go through behind group winners France.
And on countback, it was Sweden who finished in second place, with England third and Germany languishing in fourth place.
Poland now await as England begin their play-off quest in the top 12 positions. The match is at 5am UK time tomorrow and will be on Table 1 – you can watch live coverage by clicking here. The winners will face France on Friday.
Poland, ranked 12th in the competition to England’s 18th, finished second to Japan in Group C, beating fifth seeds Portugal along the way.
Meanwhile, England women suffered their first defeat after four straight wins, going down 3-1 to group winners Serbia.
Their next match is at 8.30am UK time tomorrow, when they face Puerto Rico as the play-offs begin for positions 25-36. The Caribbean island finished third in Group G, behind India and Croatia.
Of the other home nations, Wales women (Charlotte Carey, Megan Phillips, Chloe Thomas) finished second in the Third Division, Group I, beating Laos, Norway and Finland and losing to Macao and Indonesia. They next play Venezuela in the 49-60 play-off bracket.
Scotland men (Gavin Rumgay, Craig Howieson, Calum Main and Christopher Wheeler) were third in the Third Division, Group J, beating Guatemala, Cyprus and Algeria and being beaten by Luxembourg and the USA.
Ireland (Paul McCreery, Ashley Robinson, Gavin Maguire and Owen Cathcart) are in Group L of the same division and have beaten Lebanon, Congo-Brazzaville and Sri Lanka, while losing to Indonesia and Estonia. That put them second in the group behind Indonesia.
Scotland next play Chile and ireland face Finland in the play-offs for 49th-60th positions.
Results
Men’s Championship Division
Group B
England 3 Malaysia 0
Paul Drinkhall bt Muhamad Ashraf Haiqal 3-0 (11-6, 11-5, 11-9)
Liam Pitchford bt Chee Feng Leong 3-1 (9-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-1)
Sam Walker bt Muhd Shakirin Ibrahim 3-1 (6-11, 16-14, 11-9, 11-8)
Women’s Second Division
Group E
England 1 Serbia 3
Tin-Tin Ho bt Andrea Todorovic 3-2 (3-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8)
Gabriela Feher bt Kelly Sibley 3-0 (11-8, 11-4, 11-9)
Anamaria Erdelji bt Karina Le Fevre 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-8)
Todorovic bt Sibley 3-2 (11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 5-11, 11-7)