PREMIER/DIV 1 ROUND-UP WEEK 17

Published 15/02/2020 at 13:48:57 by David Wackrill.

 
PREMIER DIVISION
POWERS AND TOPSPIN DOOMED FOR THE DROP
 

At the foot of the table MK Phoenix saved themselves from relegation while condemning last season’s fellow promotees MK Topspin to  a rapid return to the lower levels.  After their joint biggest win of the season, an 8-2 thrashing, Phoenix move on to 56 points, which will be enough to ensure another season with the local elite.  Ioan Constantin and Mervyn Phillips were in fine form for maximums but it was Gerald Ridgway’s sets that were the most interesting.  He started with a 4-game defeat to Nicolas Wong, playing up from Div 2 on debut for Topspin, then forced a deuce in the 5th success over Russell Penn for only his third win all season.  “I threw it away” confessed a distraught Russell, who had led 2 games to nil and by 5-0 in the decider.  But, saving the best till last, Gerald got entangled in a 50 minute epic with Mervyn Kelly which went to deuce in the 5th and incorporated a massive total of 132 points before he lost.  Gerald won enough points in that last set alone to win a conventional one twice over!!
 
Premier newcomers Greenleys Warriors, in only their second year in the top flight and with the core of their Div 1 side, are making a spirited bid to finish in 3rd place.  They thumped MK Powers 10-0 this week with maximums all round for Ricky Taiwo, Ollie Horswell and Cazacu Valentin.  Ricky, in particular, was devastating with a couple of 11-1 scorelines to his credit.  Powers featured Peter Tillotson, Minesh Pitamber and, playing up from Div 1, Keith Carrington.
 
 MK Spinners hold on to 3rd spot for now, but only by a point, after drawing with 2nd placed Greenleys Monarchs. The only set to go to a 5th game, where Tim Cheek beat Martin Hall 12-10 in the decider, proved decisive in Spinners share of the spoils.  Ian Johnston was in sparkling form for Monarchs, on the back of his World Championship of Ping Pong exploits, with a straight games maximum plus the doubles win with Tomek Nowakowski.  Tomek picked up the other Monarchs win while Alan Cherry and Neil Massa took a brace each for Spinners.
 
Champions in waiting Greenleys Kings overcame 5th placed MK Kingpins 9-1 to extend their lead to 22 points. The ‘one that got away’ being a straight games Dave Alison success over Guy Sparrow, although the lowly Kingpins outfit were close on occasions in a match where 4 sets went the distance. None more so than Mark Purcell against Nick Howard.  Undaunted by losing the opening 2 games on deuce, Mark fought back strongly to square the contest and hold a 3 point advantage in the decider.  But he couldn’t hang on as the wily Kings' skipper found a way to win.  No such problems for Matt Haynes however, who as usual was never taken out of his comfort zone.  Pete Banister was the other Kingpin.
 
Player of the week is Ian Johnston.
 
 
DIVISION 1
DATA’S DARREN THE ONE TO BEAT
 

The Van Hire juggernaut steamrollered Chackmore Hasbeens 9-1 this week to extend their lead at the top to 7 points.  As in their last match St. Christophers’ let slip a 9-0 advantage when David Broome lost the last set of the night.  His victor this time was Bub Burman, while Andy and Chris Whitehead competed the Hasbeens’ side.  Fabrice Spelta and Biao Wang each scored hat-tricks for Van Hire.  It has proved to be a case of the ‘commentator’s curse’ for me when praising the Hasbeens’ Bub/Andy duo for their 9 doubles wins inside 12 weeks before Christmas as they haven’t won since, crashing here to a pairing they had previously beaten for a remarkable 5th consecutive doubles defeat.
 
Tough night for Julie Snowdon at bottom team Newport Pagnell Vantage as pre season favourites MK Pumas attempt to chase down that growing Van Hire lead.  Julie was defeated twice over in Pumas 8-2 win, providing a big ‘scalp’ for both Sue Lewis and Mike Howard while her team-mates Andy Smith and Chris Belton enjoyed maximums.  Steve Paice from div 3 filled in again for Vantage who have used more substitutes (9) than any other team this season.  Full credit though to Vantage for always ensuring their opponents on the night have a full side to play against. Pumas face Van Hire next week in what could turn out to be a title decider.
 
4th placed Woburn Sands Data’s Darren Ward is fast making a name for himself with another explosive performance, this week against Greenleys Glory. After seeing off Ian Brown and Jacob Midson he went head to head with the then other unbeaten player of the night, Danny Sedgwick, to win 11-5, 11-2, 11-3.  If this is a true reflection in the difference in their capabilities then the Van Hire lads could be in for a real contest in a few weeks time.  James Molloy and Rob McPheat picked up a win each and combined for the doubles in Data’s 6-4 success.  Ian and Jacob both took a win a-piece for Glory, ensuring all players got on the scoresheet.
 
Previous leaders Greenleys Eagles have been on the ropes lately but they scraped a last ditch victory this time round when Dave Plumb beat James Zeng in the final set of the evening at Open University Primes on Thursday night.  Dave and life long pals Barry Bishop and Geoff Callaway were all back together again for the first time in a long while with Barry scoring a hat-trick and Geoff one, while also combining for the doubles.  The winning sets for Primes came from the bats of Martin Lok twice over with Andy Tan and James one each.  Another match where everyone contributed.
 
Player of the week is Darren Ward.