Pembroke Cup takes centre stage in Newbury Table Tennis league

The second round of table tennis’ Pembroke Cup handicap matches saw some variable results.

In a handicapper's dream outcome, Thatcham A & E Specials (Steve & Peter Blunden & Bill Bavister) gave away 73 points to Kintbury Outlaws (Steve Connors, Bradley Watson & Jemima Parrish), but still managed to win by four points.

Steve Blunden was the star performer, beating the higher-ranked Steve Connors 21-6 in the first game and narrowly losing 19-21 in the second.

Bradley Watson played well for Outlaws, losing 19-21 in the first game to Peter Blunden and winning 21-19 in the second.

Kintbury Cobras (Jenny Tanner, Richard Hudson & Ian Wu) started with 63 points against Thatcham C (Colin Price, Jack Savage & Ray Beeks), but this advantage was gradually overhauled, eventually losing by 13 points.

The standout match was between Wu and Beeks where honours were shared with 40 points apiece: 21-19, 19-21.

Wu also played well to defeat the higher-ranked Savage 21-19, 21-11.

Thatcham Spartans (Malcolm Record, Dave Wise & Eric Panting) had a head start of 68 points against Kintbury JOG (Mark Wheeler, Peter Sinyard & Denise Weller).

JOG played consistently well and ended up winning by 32 points.

Sinyard & Weller were JOG's best players and Dave Wise was comfortably Spartan's best player.

Thatcham Scorpions (Duncan Groves, Simon Barter & Bill Stamatiou) started with nine points against Woolton Hill Wolverines (Dave Barr, Sue Purton & Jonathan Hopson).

Barr played consistently well throughout all three singles matches minimizing scoring opportunities for his opponents.

Hopson played well to beat the higher-ranked Groves 21-16, 21-17 and Barter was Scorpions’ best player.

Woolton Hill Oracles (Ron Hill, Dimitrios Stemitsiotis & Robert Cox) gave away 58 points to Thatcham Dragons (Alex Rotaru, Mo Mushtaq & Anne Robertson) and ended up winning by 65 points.

Stemitsiotis was Oracles' best player, beating the higher-ranked Mushtaq 21-16, 21-10.

Thatcham Tornadoes (Daniel & Reece O'Neill and Cameron Chamberlain) started with 54 points against Thatcham Spitfires (John Panting, Christine Haines & Pat Shaw) and ended up winning by a comfortable 189 points.

All three Tornadoes played well above their handicaps and Haines was Spitfires' best player.

In the only two league matches, Division 3 side Woolton Hill Tomahawks (Masood, Daanyal & Zakariyah Begg) beat Woolton Hill Wrens (Vijay Kesarariraman, Mary Cherowbrier & Dhani Taylor) 9-1.

Tomahawks won all their singles matches 3-0 apart from Dhani Taylor taking a game off Daanyal Begg.

In the doubles, Vijay Kesariraman & Dhani Taylor beat Daanyal & Zakariyah Begg 3-0.

In Division 1, Thatcham Extra Edge (Sam Ricks, Celia Hooker & Phil Davenport) beat Woolton Hill Wolverines (Sue Purton, Dave Barr & Jonathan Hopson) 6-4.

Ricks beat Purton & Hopson 3-0 and lost to Barr 0-3, while Hooker beat Purton 3-1 and lost to Barr & Hopson 0-3.

Davenport beat Purton 3-0, beat Hopson 3-1 and lost to Barr 0-3, while in the doubles, Ricks & Davenport beat Barr & Purton 3-2.