Essex Press Office

Reported by Steve Kerns
Press & Publicity Officer
Essex County Table Tennis Association

Middlesex comfortable 7-3 winners over Essex

The highlight of round four of the County Championships Senior Premier Division (played at Wood Green High School, Wednesbury) was the clash between the two teams with 100 % records – Middlesex and Essex, and it was a spirited Middlesex team (Jason Sugrue, Tommy Cutler, Neil Charles, Klaudia Szadkowska and Sarah Horsnell) who came out on top 7-3. High-lights included Sarah Horsnell’s fine 15-13, 12-14, 11-6, 16-18, 13-11 success over Lucy Wang and Klaudia Szadkowska’s equally hard-fought 11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 10-12, 13-11 victory over Sarra Wang. Essex had already lost but Clive Carthy retained some “bragging rights” for the Essex side, defeating old rival Neil Charles 6-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 15-13 in the last game.

Eyebrows were raised when Cleveland included the British no. one Paul Drinkhall in their side against Sussex, but, the former European Junior and Cadet Champion came close to making headlines for an altogether different reason. England no. four Veteran Ritchie Venner – counter-hitter supreme, and an impressive winner over David Meads and Da Quin Dong in last weekend’s British League Premier Division had his eyes set on an even bigger prize, the scalp of Paul Drinkhall. Few would have given him a chance but amazingly he stood at 2-1 and 8-5 up at one stage. The alarm bells must have been ringing loud and clear, but, Drinkhall to his credit kept his cool and changed tactics and he stormed through to win in the fifth end. The scores themselves make interesting reading : 11-2, 12-14, 4-11, 11-9, 11-2 to the Double National Singles Champion. Rising Cadet star Jessica Dawson, who looks set to cut her no. 49 Senior National ranking in half, impressed by beating both Rose Rainton and Sarah Stedman 3-2. Another vastly improved player this year - Cleveland’s Andy Wilson made his mark, by fighting back from 2-0 down to get the better of his Ormesby team-mate Nigel Eckersley 9-11, 4-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 whilst Sarah Stedman also impressed. She beat Stephanie Donnelly 11-7, 12-14, 11-3, 11-9.Cleveland relieved any relegation worries by winning 7-3.

Gloucestershire’s Premier Division status looks to be in real danger, and they remain pointless after losing 7-3 to Berkshire. Dan Kolesnick’s fine 3-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 12-10 win over Hari Gehlot stood out for the Gloucestershire team whilst Berkshire Junior Megan Knowles (the England no. 40 Junior girl) scored an excellent 7-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-4 victory over Ann Barnes (ranked no. 119 nationally at Senior level). Dave Barr looked to be on fine form and some of his “Syed-esque” returns against Darren Griffin reminded you of a different era as he beat the England no. 12 Veteran 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11- 6.

Derbyshire had few problems beating Bucks 10-0. Bucks had listed England no. one Junior Gavin Evans as part of their squad and they could have certainly done with his services as they found the all-conquering Derbyshire team of Shaun Marples, Sam Perry, Allan Fullwood, Jane Vickers and Daria Dzierbicka that little bit too strong. Sue Hayes was their only player to take an end, before she missed out 8-11, 11-9, 9-11, 4-11 against Daria Dzierbicka.

Junior Premier

Sussex, the leaders of the Junior Premier Division turned in a top-class performance as they beat second placed Kent 8-2 to give themselves a real chance of taking the title. Helshan Weerasinghe, Da Shuai Zhang and Chelsea Furnival all won their two singles whilst England no. 93 Junior Mark Scutts was involved in two five-enders. He missed out against England no. 122 Aaron Smith 11-7, 4-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-13 but he hit back in his second singles, defeating England no. 36 Reece Placid 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 5-11, 11-6.

Middlesex, third with five points had few problems beating bottom-placed Devon 9-1. England no. five Cadet Victoria Smith was Devon’s only winner, and she excelled by getting the better of England no. two Cadet Tin Tin Ho 5-11, 11-5, 11-13, 11-9, 11-8. The fact that Victoria lost to Tin Tin’s team-mate Charleigh Kirby 11-9, 10-12, 6-11, 9-11 shows you how well England no. six Cadet Charleigh played. Middlesex’s boys Igor Morais, Ping Ho and William Morais gave nothing away, breezing through their six singles three-straight.

Hampshire excelled by beating Derbyshire I 7-3, no one more than England no. 31 Junior Becky House who scored a superb 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9 win over England no. 11 Abbie Milwain. Rising star Tressa Armitage, nationally ranked no. 13 at Junior Girls level and no. four at Cadet level also made her mark. She beat Isabel Ashley (none too comfortably) 11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-6 but she raised her game against Abbie Milwain, running out an impressive 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 winner.

Essex made no mistake against Yorkshire winning 10-0. Jared Patel, Matthew Mulley, Luca Mariano, Nicole Sydorenko and Evengeline Collier all played their part. Luca’s 4-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9 win over Reece Lo in the second game seems to have given the Essex side a lift and after that Yorkshire failed to extend their opponents to a fifth game.

Steve Kerns