THE SHAKERS PRESIDENTIAL VICTORY
They may
have got off to a shaky start but the Lowestoft Community Church team steadied
themselves to come through as winners in the in the final of the Presidents Cup
last Friday. David Willis initially struggled against the fast moving and smooth playing Jonathan Block, dropping the first two sets
to the Misfit opposition. Simon Landles quickly
cleared the deficit with two controlled sets against Jeff Drayton. But Ashley Sonnex then put the Shakers into the lead when he plucked
the final point from the first set against David Etheridge and then got into
his stride in the second set with his accurate looping forehands. Willis then
had a mountainous task to overcome the 14 point handicap start for Drayton but
managed to pull back from 11-20 to win 21-20 in the first set, and while
frustration took revenge with missed opportunities in the second, a more
focused Willis tidied up the final set. While Sonnex
then extended the Shaker lead further in a scratch start game with Block,
Etheridge clawed two back for the Misfits team against Landles.
But it was Sonnex who put the result beyond question
with two straight wins in his game against Drayton giving the Shakers an
unassailable 5-10 lead with only a possible 4 left. Misfits however would make
the most of the remaining games when Etheridge chipped away at Willis and Block
got into his groove smashing forehands past Landles
in the final game. The eventual score was a very respectful 9-11 to the
Shakers.
In the
first round Blue Riband Cup, Sidewaves beat Waveney
Hits thanks to three straight games from Terry Shetliffe.
The Critters went through to the next round after they defeated the Misfits,
despite Oliver Bailey’s 3 set win over Chris Trindall.
Bob Knights and Ian Ruddock made sure of the Merlins progressed with both
unbeaten against the Kites. The Spartans made the most of their Tomas Baxter
and Colin Fortescue strike force to conform their
place in the next round at the expense of the Kites. Trimwise’s
Barney Garrod and Debra Faulkner beat off all three
Oddbods and the first division Terminators made light work of the Arrows in
their face off.
The
Lowestoft championships start this Sunday at the Waterlane
Leisure Centre with the mens singles at 10.30am.
For further
information on League Table Tennis in
Presidents
Cup Final
Misfits 9
Shakers 11
Blue Riband Round One Results
Sidewaves 6 Hits
3
Terminators
9 Arrows 0
Merlins 6 Kites 3
Shakers 3 Spartans
6
Conservatives 2 Tables 7
Misfits
4 Critters 5
Oddbods
2 Trimwise 7
Blue Riband Q/F Draw
Spartans v Terminators
Merlins v Trimwise
Sidewaves v Critters
Tables v Beacons / Dominators
(To be played by