Division 1 Roundup - Week 10

Avenged versus Avengers!

With the League schedule almost half way through, matches went to form this week, with the top four beating the bottom four, although there were some closely fought matches.  As such, the positions remain the same, with just the gaps between teams slightly affected.

Leaders, Milton Keynes Sasaki, took on equal fourth-placed Leighton Buzzards Avengers, the only team to have beaten them this season, and with a full line-up this time, they triumphed 7-3, although no-one was able to win all their singles matches.  Top of the Averages, Michael Wilkins, suffered only his third singles defeat of the season, and second time to Fabrice Spelta, but won his other two singles, as well as the doubles with William Kit Liang against Fabrice and Dave Broome, and there were also two singles wins apiece for William and Minesh Pitamber, to complete their points haul.  For Avengers, Fabrice picked up his second singles win against Minesh, but was denied the treble, losing in three deuce games to William.  Mateusz Browarnik was the third Avenger, and he picked up his one singles win against William.

Second-placed Milton Keynes Phoenix managed to close one point on the leaders, with their 8-2 victory against Leighton Buzzard Spitfires.  Two maximums here for Phoenix, as Mervyn Phillips and Alan Bolding went the night unbeaten, including a hard-fought doubles win against Barry Hammond and Graham Silversides, finishing 16-14 in the fourth.  Phoenix captain, Gerald Ridgway gained the final point for his team with a battling five game victory over Andy King, eventually coming through 11-7 in the decider.  For Spitfires, Barry and Graham each picked up one singles win, with Barry also going incredibly close against Alan, before finally succumbing 12-10 in the decider.  The win takes Phoenix to within five points of Sasaki at the top of the table.

Third-placed Chackmore Hasbeens had the closest score of the week, but managed to record a 6-4 win against sixth-placed Milton Keynes Sharks.  Bub Burman once again lead the way for Hasbeens, with a maximum of three singles plus a tight doubles win at 11-9 in the fourth with Andy Whitehead, against Sarah Hudson and Rupert Greyling.  Andy and Chackmore's reserve, Colin Beckett, playing up from Division 3, managed one win each, with Andy going closest to another win, as he twice lost out at 11-8 in the fifth, whilst for Sharks, it was two wins each for Rupert and Sarah, with Abhay Tijare unable to add to their tally on the night.  The result leaves Hasbeens in third place, but now eight points adrift of the top two.

The final match of the week saw equal fourth-placed Milton Keynes Pumas entertain Mursley Hawks, who are eighth.  Martin Johnson started in great fashion for lowly Hawks, running out 11-3 winner in leg 1 against Andy Smith, but Andy worked his way back into the set, before finally taking it in five games, subsequently going on to score a treble, although he was also taken to five games by Ian Spanswick.  Adam Snowdon and Julie Snowdon both lost out to Mursley's Mick O'Mahony in singles, but they did win two singles each, whilst for Mursley, Mick and Ian also won a good doubles against Adam and Julie, to add to Mick's two singles successes.  The result leaves Pumas still tied for fourth spot with Avengers, whilst Hawks edge just one point nearer to Spitfires, above them.

Next week will feature the top two playing the bottom two, plus two mid-table clashes, as Sasaki are away at Spitfires, Phoenix are hosted by Hawks, Hasbeens entertain Pumas and Avengers visit Sharks.

Player of the Week : Andy Smith.