Fusion are the 2011/2 British League Premier Division Champions
The South London Club claimed the title in a thrilling finale to the Season by beating Sycamore 6-2, which was precisely what they needed as B-BATT Pavilion defeated Wymondham Grantham by the same score-line. It was without doubt one of the most dramatic finishes ever to a British League Premier Division campaign.
Tied on points Fusion won the title by a single match. This was a real team-effort from the Fusion side – with Sule Olaleye, Lorestas Trumpauskas, Kazeem Adeleke and Tommy Cutler all playing their part. Peter Musko won twice for Sycamore but if any one else was going to take the scalp of a Fusion player you got the impression that they would have to play out of their skin to do so. All-action England no. 29 Kevin Dolder gave it everything against Tom Cutler and Lorestas Trumpauskas – yet he had to settle for two 3-1 defeats. Tom beat Kevin 11-7, 12-14, 12-10, 11-8 to give Fusion a vital 3-1 lead and Lorestas defeated Kevin 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9 to seal the 5-2 victory. Kazeem Adeleke, the team’s “Rock” won twice and in fine style as well. He beat Sam Perry 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 and Damien Nicholls 11-6, 12-10, 14-12.
B-BATT Pavilion fought ferociously to beat Wymondham Grantham 6-2 and they deserve huge credit for taking the battle all the way to the last rubber. Filip Szymanski and Michael O’Driscoll both won twice whilst Eli Baraty and Da Shuai Zhang picked up single wins. B-BATT won the three five enders as well. O’Driscoll beat Peter Graham 12-10, 9-11, 11-4, 5-11, 11-7 whilst Da Shuai Zhang showed great resilience amidst considerable pressure to battle back from 2-1 down to get the better of Peter Graham 5-11, 11-4, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8. Eli Baraty also won in five ends against Mattias Ekberg and he fought back from 2-1 down to win 8-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-7, 11-8. The big shock was Ian McLean’s superb 3-1 victory over England no. 34 – Eli Baraty. An inform McLean barely put a foot wrong winning 11-6, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7.
The other two matches ended in 4-4 draws. There was some stirring Table Tennis as Drumchapel Glasgow’s Chris Doran fought back from 2-1 down to get the better of Barrow’s Gavin Evans 8-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9 whilst Barrow’s Scott Crawford showed up well against Scott Barton. He won 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5. Scott Barton was in turn unlucky not to take a game off Craig Bryant and just missed out 5-11, 10-12, 13-15.
“Down but not out” the two relegated sides – London Progress and Westfield drew 4-4 with each other. Again there were some dramatic battles with London Progress’s Po Huang “Barry” Chen outlasting Richard Andrews 10-12, 11-6, 12-10, 10-12, 11-9 whilst the all-action Niall Cameron also finished his Season on a high. He beat England no. three Junior Igor Morais5-11, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8. England no. four Junior Lewis Gray impressed against Ashley Willetts and ran out a 8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8 winner.
Player of the Round – Any of the following – the whole Fusion side / Peter Musko / Filip Szymanski and Michael O’Driscoll.
Player of the Season – Loic Bobillier-Monott or Filip Szymanski.
Steve Kerns