HEREFORDSHIRE COUNTY TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Report from Cicely Palmer – 01684 540595 16 The Crescent, Colwall, WR13 6QN

At Whitecross School, Hereford on Sunday 19th February the Veteran County Table Tennis events were held. Four competitions were played and the finals of each will be played in the evening of March 24th – again at Whitecross School.

22 men and women had entered in the main event, for over 40s, and initially they played in seven groups with the winners and runners up going into the last 16 whilst all the losers played a repechage to fill the last two places in the knock out stages.

It was then that the title holder, Mike Wheatley, beat Carol Milnes, Paul Coleman beat Trevor Davies, Roland Close beat Richard Owens, Dave Hamer beat Richard Maddrell, Steve Halford beat Dave Knowles, Bob Trimble beat John Hunt, Harry Jutle beat Paul Smyth and Colin Dolding beat James Palmer.

In the quarter finals Paul Coleman beat Mike Wheatley 12, 7, and 5; Roland Close – a newcomer to the county – beat Dave Hamer 4, 8, -9, -4 and 9; Bob Trimble beat Steve Halford in a very tight match 9, -13, 6 and 12 and Harry Jutle beat Colin Dolding 10, 9 and 2. In the semi finals Roland beat Paul 5, 9 and 5 and Harry beat Bob by 9, 7 and 9 so Roland and Harry will play the Final.

The restricted event was played in the same format and the group winners were Roland Close, Colin Dolding, and Richard Maddrell with Steve Halford, Dave Knowles, Paul Smyth, Carol Milnes and James Palmer filling the other places. The match between Roland and Steve ended with Roland winning by -10, -5, 11, 8 and 5, Colin won by 5, 2 and 6 against Dave, Carol won by -10, 10, 5, -9 and 5 against Paul and Richard beat James by 7, 8 and 11.

Roland won his way to the final by beating Colin 7, 9 and 6 but when Richard played Carol he had to fight back after losing the first two games by 8 and 3 to take the next two by 4 and the last game by 13.11.

The Super Veterans event for over 60s was in three groups of three and the winners played another group of three. In this, the players, Bob Trimble, Dave Hamer and Mike Wheatley each won a set so the finalists had to be decided on points and Bob had 85, Dave 77 and Mike 72.

The Doubles event was a straight knock out competition with 8 pairs entering. In the first round title holders, Harry Jutle and Mike Wheatley beat Richard Owens and Trevor Davies 9, 7, 9, Dave Gough and Roland Close beat Steve Halford and Bob Trimble -6, 9, -14, 9 and 8, Paul Coleman and Colin Dolding beat Richard Maddrell and James Palmer -3, 3, 10 and 12 and Dave Knowles and Dave Hamer beat Carol Milnes and Paul Smyth 10, 0, 6. The semi finals saw Harry and Mike win by 8, 7, -8 and 3 and the two Daves by -13, 9, 8, -6 and 12 in possibly the best match of the day.

Again at Whitecross School on March 19th the senior competitions will be played – twelve titles being at stake and 50 competitors taking part. Play will be continuous from 8.30. Spectators will be welcome and admission is free.

.Hereford Table Tennis Club