Division 1 Roundup - Weeks 18 and 18+ (Cup Last 32)

The Rise of the Phoenix !?

A slightly belated update on League week 18, as things turned a bit busy for me (including the League's Closed Championships last Sunday), so I've combined that week with last week's efforts in the Challenge Cup for the three Division 1 teams that had made it through the Group stage.

League week 18 saw one match called off (at the last minute), two 5-5 draws, and a 7-3 win, meaning no changes in positions, but the battle for second place has got a little bit closer.

Leaders, Milton Keynes Sasaki, had their match called off by Leighton Buzzard Spitfires, shortly before the match, so the actual result will need to be determined by the League Committee, so it might be declared a 7-0 result, although, had it been played, one might have expected Sasaki to win very comfortably, so we'll have to wait and see?  Sasaki stay top, despite no points yet for the match, whilst Spitfires remain in seventh spot.

Second-placed Leighton Buzzard Avengers were held to a 5-5 draw by sixth-placed Milton Keynes Sharks, with five sets going the full distance of five games, of which four were won by Avengers.  All three of Mateusz Browarnik's singles for Avengers were five-game wins, with scores of 11-9 against both Sarah Hudson and Derek Rodrigues, plus 11-8 against Rupert Greyling, however, he did lose out with Dave Broome in the doubles, as Derek and Rupert took it in four games - Sharks' first doubles win after eight losses in a row.  Steve Jordan added the other two wins for Avengers, only losing out to Derek, but coming through in five games against Rupert and a close four games against Sarah.  For Sharks, it was one singles win each for Sarah and Rupert, with two for Derek, as the match spoils were shared.

Third-placed Milton Keynes Phoenix were the only winners of the week (on the table), as despite going 2-3 down early on, they battled through to a 7-3 win against eighth-placed Mursley Hawks, which moves them to within six points (with a match in hand) of second place in the League Table.  Leading the way for Phoenix was Alan Bolding, who won his three singles without dropping a game, although he did lose out when partnering Ivor Howard in the doubles, against Ian Spanswick and Martin Johnson.  Gerald Ridgway and Ivor picked up two singles wins each, whilst for Hawks, Ian and Martin won one singles each.  The two closest sets of the night both featured Ivor, who just lost out 11-9 against Martin in his second singles, but he reversed the result against Ian, eventually winning the fifth 12-10, after having been 4-9 down a couple of minutes earlier!

The final match of the week saw fifth versus fourth, as Milton Keynes Pumas took on Chackmore Hasbeens, with the result a 5-5 draw.  No-one was able to win all their singles sets, with two singles win for both Andy Smith and Neil Riddy for Pumas, and also by Bub Burman for Hasbeens.  It was one singles win each for the three other players, Adam Snowdon for Pumas, plus Sam Willett and Andy Whitehead for Hasbeens.  The ever-reliable Bub and Andy doubles pairing collected the final point of the night with their win over Neil and Adam, to leave the match all-square.  Closest sets of the night were mainly involving Neil, who went the full five legs in all his singles sets, winning out against Andy and Sam, but losing out to Bub, whilst Bub also got the better of Adam in another five game set.

Meanwhile, the Challenge Cup continued this week, with just three Division 1 teams through to the last 32 stage.  Hawks trio of David Bartlett, Martin Johnson and Ian Spanswick, were well beaten by Division 2's Little Horwood Wooden Tops, despite the match being off scratch, as Wooden Tops pulled away early on, and Hawks were never able to make any headway, ending up losing by 85 points.  Next up were Avengers, who had to give away 170 points to clubmates, Division 4's bottom team, Leighton Buzzard Buzzards.  The handicap eventually proved just too much, as despite a gallant effort by their threesome of Dave Broome, Steve Jordan and Division 3 reserve, Richard Hardy, which saw them get very close, they eventually fell nine points short.  Also giving away 170 points were Phoenix, as they faced Newport Pagnell Vanquish, who are seventh in Division 3.  A fine all-round performance by their three players, Alan Bolding, Ivor Howard and Gerald Ridgway saw them not drop a single game and consistently narrow the advantage, finally coming through by 15 points, to be the sole Division 1 survivors into the last 16 of the Cup.

Next week is back to League action again, with the third last week of League fixtures.  Leaders Sasaki visit bottom team, Hawks, whilst second-placed Avengers play seventh-placed clubmates, Spitfires.  In mid-table it's fourth versus third, as Hasbeens entertain Phoenix and it's sixth against fifth as Sharks are at home to Pumas.

Player of the Week: Mateusz Browarnik.
Team of the Week: Milton Keynes Phoenix.