Division 1 Roundup - Week 5
Sasaki Surge to Supremacy?
The fifth week of fixtures in Division 1 has been completed, and a few gaps are starting to open out in the League Table, although most matches are still very close, with 17 of the 20 results being 5-5, 6-4 or 7-3, with just three being 8-2.
One of those 8-2 results came, perhaps unsurprisingly, when top placed Milton Keynes Sasaki visited bottom placed Mursley Hawks, and came away with the victory (once they'd found the Hall)! There were trebles in singles for both Michael Wilkins and for Minesh Pitamber, backed up by two wins for William Kit Liang. However, Michael and Minesh did not have things all their own way, as they were downed in four games in the doubles by Mick O'Mahony and Martin Johnson, for the Sasaki pair's first doubles loss in Division 1. Earlier on, Mick had won in straight games against William, who was struggling a bit with his serve, although in turn he caused Martin and Ian Spanswick problems with his serve in his two singles wins. After the doubles the score was 2-2, but Sasaki powered through the rest of the evening, despite a few close games, to open up a four point gap to second place, in their quest to return to the Premier. One other casualty of the night was Martin's bat, which started to disintegrate in set 1, and by set 6, fell apart enough that Martin had to change bats! The loss also leaves Hawks two points adrift at the bottom of the table, and still seeking a first win at this level.
Leighton Buzzard Avengers have moved up to joint second place following their 7-3 win at Leighton Buzzard Spitfires. Fabrice Spelta and Dave Broome both picked up relatively comfortable trebles for Avengers, with reserve Richard Hardy also picking up one win against Spitfires reserve, Bernie Raffe. For Spitfires, there was one win apiece for Andy King and Graham Silversides, and they also combined well to take a straight games win over Fabrice and Dave. The result leaves Spitfires down in seventh place, two points ahead of their fellow promotees, Hawks, and like them, still looking for that elusive first win in the higher Division.
Moving up to fourth place are Milton Keynes Phoenix, who also collected a 7-3 win, against Chackmore Hasbeens. Hasbeens were weakened by the absence of Sam Willett, with reserve Freddie Burman finding Division 1 rather too strong for him, but dad, Bub Burman won twice in singles, plus won the doubles with regular partner, Andy Whitehead, against Mervyn Phillips and Alan Bolding, although Bub lost out in a close set against high flying Mervyn, who recorded his third treble in succession, and has thus extended his winning run to 10 singles. Alan and Gerald Ridgway each grabbed two singles wins, although Alan was pushed to five games by Andy. Hasbeens drop to fifth place, although the gap from second to fifth is still only three points.
The final match of the week was Milton Keynes Pumas against Milton Keynes Sharks, with Pumas coming out 6-4 winners, thanks to a treble in singles for Andy Smith, plus a fine couple of wins for Paul Tompkins, playing up from Division 2, although it took until 12-10 in the fifth to just edge out Abhay Tijare. Andy was denied a maximum, though, as he and Adam Snowdon lost out in straight games in the doubles to Sarah Hudson and Rupert Greyling. Adam's one win rounded out the scoring for Pumas, whilst for Sharks, in addition to the doubles, it was two wins for Sarah, plus one for Rupert. The result leves Pumas in joint second spot, whilst Sharks stay sixth, but the gap to the bottom two has extended slightly to six points.
Next week is the penultimate round of matches in the first third of the season, and it features leaders, Sasaki, against fifth placed Hasbeens, whilst joint second placed Pumas take on fourth placed Phoenix. Fellow joint second placed Avengers face eighth placed Hawks, and finally, seventh placed Spitfires entertain sixth placed Sharks.
Player of the Week : Minesh Pitamber.