Brentwood & District Table Tennis League

Tournament Reports

Tournament - Season 2007-8

For the second season running the Brentwood & District League broke with tradition and changed the standards that have been the forerunner for many years of Individual Tournaments.  Last season they were the first local league to allow lady competitors to enter what had previously been all male events - these events became known as Mixed Competitions and became overnight successes.    This season due to various comments received at local events and matches a Management Committee decision was made to discontinue with the Annual Closed Individual Tournament - entries from ladies and juniors were few and far between, many players entered for one of the two days only - and with limited entries the seeded players were perhaps only playing three or four games per event.  Tournaments of the future as far as the Brentwood League were concerned appeared dead and buried.   A late proposal was made however which saw the League introduce a "one day event only" - which was held at the usual Peniel Academy in Brentwood.   A recently enlarged sports hall which could accommodate up to 10 tables, more space for competitors  etc, space for a trade table and an added room for refreshments to be taken away from the playing areas - plus the added pleasure of playing in a venue within a lush 70 acre park complete with a herd of deer.     The tournament began with 9 tables available for a half hour practice from 9.00 am with the veterans Over 40 singles commencing prompt at 9.30 am with 8 groups of 3 players,  from which the winners and seconds went into the next round  - again groups of 3 players joining the seeded players (another change from routine). This Veterans Over 40 event was won by George Reeves (Billericay TTC) who defeated Paul Cuming (Brentwood TTC) 11/8 11/7 11/3 Reeves having come through against Ken James and Keith Spicer with Cuming knocking out Trevor Carter and Steve Muth on his way to the final.                                   The second event, Veterans Over 60 saw Ray Eldridge (Billericay Sports TTC) defeat last year's winner Dave Finlayson (Mountnessing TTC)  in a closely contested final which saw both players almost down on their knees (coming near the end of a very long day) 11/5 12/10 11/9 - both nearing exhaustion following but still giving every ounce of effort in order to become title holder.                               Hutton's Kevin Read was number one seed in the Mixed Singles with George Reeves at number two with Paul Cuming and Hamish Innes (Mountnessing) at three and four with other top names lower down including Keith Spicer and Steve Muth.  Read made up for his disappointment at losing in the semi - final last year by getting the better of Reeves in the final 11/5 11/5 11/5 - not as easy as the score suggest but a match of top class attacking and defensive play from both players, applauded off the table by those watching.  Kevin Read has now added the titles of Brentwood Mixed Singles Champion to the other honours he has won this season - quite apart from his unique League Champions title and Handicap and Knock Out Cup winners with his team Hutton "A" - he took the Basildon Singles Title with a first class win over Stuart Gibbs and has also collected  men's doubles titles in the Southend and Basildon Leagues - he is also Hullbridge TTC Club Champion.  Excellent all round performances from Kevin Read.                          The final event the Mixed Doubles saw the favourites Kevin Read and Hamish Innes knocked out at group stage by John Parodi and Dave Carter who went through to meet George Reeves and Steve Muth in the final - unfortunately not a fairy tale ending for Parodi and Carter as they went under 7/11 5/11 3/11.  Completed by 6.20 pm - most competitors were pleased on two main counts - 1) Played on one day only and 2) Initial Group Winners and Runners Up going through to 1st Round groups - extra games for all concerned including the seeded players.  A total of over 150 games played and our thanks go to Esther Coleman and the Peniel Academy staff for making the facilities available for our "one day only event".         

The Brentwood & District Table Tennis League Tournament for Season 2007/2008 at Peniel Academy proved to be yet another successful weekend of table tennis - the three entries in the Ladies Singles were allowed to compete in the main singles event (renamed Mixed Singles instead of Men's Singles) - and the semi-finalists were as expected Arthur Rybakas, Ryan Savill, Kevin Read and George Reeves.  Rybakas had remained unbeaten in the League matches and had been crowned Chelmsford Men's Singles Champion earlier in the year - Reeves had taken the Southend Men's title and had also been crowned Burnham champion in April - he was also the Brentwood champion from 2006 - Savill, a former junior England international had recently returned to the table following a spell out of the game while Read had shown his ability with an appearance in the Burnham League Men's final where he lost in four ends to Reeves. He had also paired up with Reeves in the Southend doubles final against the formidable John Monk and Pete Saunders.      The day was set fair and the four seeds duly took their places in the Mixed Semi Finals.  The first saw Arturas Rybakas come up against George Reeves with the number one seed calmly taking the first two legs but Reeves showed his class by bringing the encounter level - taking the next two ends to set up a storming final end with Reeves taking a 9 - 5 lead only for Rybakas to draw level at deuce - Reeves held his nerve and took the fifth end to record an excellent win and move into the final -8, -7, 9, 11, 10.         The second Semi Final between Read and Savill was an equally tense affair with the match also going to a final end with Savill coming out on top 8, -10, 6, -8, 2.      The final between Reeves and Savill could not quite live up to the Semi Finals with Savill becoming Champion for 2007 - 11- 5, 11-9, 11-9.     The Ladies Singles winner was Debbie Auvache who was unbeaten against her two opponents which included Carolyn Cole (Southend Ladies Champion for 2007) and Mary Nicholls.    Debbie had also defeated a number of high profile Premier Division players in the Mixed Singles.       Veterans Over 40's winner was Keith Spicer who had to overcome a first end loss against Keith Phillips before taking the next three ends -4, 10, 6, 8.   Spicer started in uncertain mode and seemingly unable to cope with the hard bat ability of Phillips but  settled down after losing the first end and took a close second end posing problems for Phillips - Spicer's fierce attacking play getting the better of Phillips over the four ends.                     David Ramsey won the Junior Singles title in a depleted field - defeating his Final opponent Jake Winter 4, 4, 8.                  Veterans Over 60's victor was Dave Finlayson who got the better of Keith Ashton 7, 6, -10, -7, 6.         Ashton found Finlayson's determined approach to the match difficult to control and resorted to an attacking game in the first two ends which cost him dearly but playing a more defensive encounter in the next two ends he took the game to a fifth end - Finlayson coming out on top in a very entertaining final.                With Savill not entered in the Mixed Doubles it was left to the remaining three Singles Semi Finalists to go through to the respective Semi Final matches - surprisingly Kevin Read and Keith Phillips were defeated by Keith Spicer and Trevor Collin  -8, 5, -13, 8, -6 in the first Semi and Arturas Rybakas and George Pavitt came safely through their Semi Final against George Reeves and Charles Sweeney 5, 6, 9.   The final did not quite live up to expectation with the Rybakas/Pavitt combination needing four ends to defeat Spicer/Collin 7, -9, 7, 6.               The Handicap Singles saw Debbie Auvache (-7) reach the final where she came up against Keith Cullen (-4) a player she had beaten in two ends in an earlier group encounter but on this occasion Cullen used his knowledge gained in the earlier match and stifled a lot of the attacking threat of Auvache  - Cullen's defence being the key to success  21-16, 18-21, 21-17 - the final end saw Cullen take a five point lead only for Auvache to level at 17-17 from when Cullen collected the next four points necessary for victory.   Debbie Auvache  (-7) also featured in the Final of the 2 Person Handicap Team Competition - in partnership with Keith Ashton (-13) they defeated Kevin Worthington (-16) and Steve Northcott (-12) in the first Semi Final  - Ashton defeating Worthington and Northcott defeating Auvache - the doubles result deciding which pair would make progress Auvache/Ashton winning the doubles 21-14.   Up to and not including the Final these matches were for "A" player versus "A" and "B" player versus "B" to compete in one singles only up to 21.      Nigel Lamb (-12) and Alan Arnold (-7) won the second Semi Final against Keith Spicer (-15) and Trevor Collin (-11) and won their way through to the Final which was played to the best of three. Lamb overcame Ashton 21-15, 15-21, 21-17 and with Arnold getting the better of Auvache 14-21, 21-14, 21-18 the title went to the BAE combination of Lamb and Arnold.

 

A fitting climax to the season came with the completion of the League's Annual Closed Tournament at The Peniel Academy Sports Hall on the weekend of Saturday 22nd April 2006 and Sunday 23rd.  The Men's Singles winner George Reeves enjoyed a fairly comfortable run to the final, defeating Mark Mulley, Nigel Lamb, Paul Cuming in the rounds and Charles Sweeney in the final.   Cuming took the first end in their Semi-Final 11/9 but Reeves took the next three to progress to the final where he again lost an end to team colleague Sweeney who had reached the final with wins over Trevor Carter, Trevor Collin and Dave Finlayson.           The Veterans Over 40's was a second title for Reeves as he defeated Dave Kirston, Keith Spicer and George Pavitt in the Semi-Final before claiming a four end win over John Gagg 11/9, 10/12, 11/7, 11/4.  The Handicap Singles provided a win for Trevor Carter (-15) who came through a difficult half defeating Joyce Bassett (-2) 21/18, 16/21, 21/9  followed by victory over Alan Arnold (-15) 21/16, 21/18  Carter then met and defeated Nigel Lamb (-16) in the Semi-Final 14/21, 22/20, 21/12 and proceeded to win the title by inflicting a three end defeat on Keith Spicer (-17) 8/21, 21/13, 21/10. - Spicer had reached the final with wins over Caroline Cole (+1), Keith Ashton (-14) and Sue Hickman (-9).   The Veterans Over 60's winner was George Pavitt who reached the final by defeating last years titleholder Eva Lucas 8/11, 11/6, 11/8, 13/11 - Pavitt then defeated Dave Carter in three before overcoming Keith Ashton in the final.  Ashton having forced his way past two club colleagues Alf Fox 4/11, 11/5, 10/12, 11/9, 11/7 and Dave Kirston in the Semi-Final.       The Ladies Singles winner was Sue Hickman whose win was her third success, having previous wins in 1996 and 1997 - Sue defeated Caroline Cole to claim her title.     The Doubles event was as expected won by the pairing of  Reeves/Sweeney but not before a number of ends had slipped through their grasp. Their win over Kirston/Fox 11/7, 11/6, 9/11, 14/12 was followed with victory over Carter/Gagg and in the final over Arnold/Lamb - having to come from two ends to one down 4/11, 11/4, 4/11, 11/4, 11/7.           The Team Handicap Event was almost a complete Mountnessing Club affair with Mark Alloway and John Hickey facing Dave Finlayson and Buttsbury's Caroline Cole.  Alloway (-1) faced Finlayson (-12) in the first singles and was successful 21/16, 21/10 - Hickey (-1) then played Cole (+1) and found his opponent in fine form with Cole winning 19/21, 21/10, 21/19 which left the title to be decided by the doubles encounter. Alloway/Hickey played off (-1) with Finlayson/Cole on (-6) - Alloway/Hickey prevailing in three ends 16/21, 21/15, 11/21.     An excellent occasion, well organised and presented by Sue and Phil Gower with all the facilities and comforts provided by the Peniel Academy courtesy of Mrs. Esther Coleman.