Tense finish in table tennis

Press, 12 July 1980, Page 22

Tense finish in table tennis

A nail-biting finish to the contest between Riccarton I ana 11. which resulted in Avonside I taking a clear lead in the competition, highlighted the eleventh round of the A grade table tennis championship on w ednesday evening. Before the round, Avonside I and Riccarton I were level at the top of the table with tb points. Now. by virtue o£ Avonside’s comfortable win over Avonside 11, and the drawn match between the two Riccarton sides. Avonside holds a onepoint lead. However. Riccarton I has a match in hand, against Linwood Riccarton 11, ably led by the nimble veteran. John Armstrong, was ahead, 5-4. but then Peter de Boer had perhaps his best win of the season when he beat Armstrong to level the scores. Both teams had also won 11 games, and when Stuart Armstrong beat Graham Lamb in straight games, de Boer and Thelma May had only to win one game off John Armstrong and Colin Tipper. Armstrong and Tipper won the first game fairly comfortably, but trailed. 17-20. In the second. The pair battled back to level at 20-20.

Then followed an agonising period of play during which each pair had chances to take the game before Armstrong and Tipper won through, 29-27. Meanwhile Avonside was untroubled to beat the club's No 2 side and Linwood beat Avonside 111, 9-3. Points after 11 rounds: Avonside I 18, Riccarton I 17. Linwood 12, Riccarton II 9, Avonside II and Avonside HI 3. Linwood 9, Avonside 111 3 Singles. — S. Dixon beat N

Brightwell. 8-21. 21-17, 21-19; lost to B. Radford. 6-21. 22-20, 17-u--lost to T. Flint, 18-21. 15-21. St* Hamel beat Flint, 21-14, juj. beat Brightwell, 21-5. 21-14; be at ' Radford, 21-9. 21-15. M. Prisk beat Radford. 21-11. 21-14; beat Flint 21-9. 21-11: beat Brightwell, 15.'?; 23-21. 21-18. Doubles. — Prisk and Hamel beat Radford and Brightwell 21-17, 21-17; Dixon and Hamel beat Flint and Radford. 21-14 21-12; Dixon and Prisk lost to Brightwell and Flint. 18-21, l 7 .’t Avonside I 11, Avonside l| ) Singles. — W. Scott beat B Wilson. 22-20. 21-15: beat Thompson, 21-12, 21-19; beat Stisj J. Morris, 19-21. 21-9, 21-15. J Richards beat Thompson. 21-IS--16-21, 21-8; beat Miss Morris' 21-10, 21-14: beat Wilson, 21-3’ 21-9. M. Burrowes beat Mbs' Morris, 23-21, 21-11; beat Wilson 21-8. lt-21, 21-8; beat Thompson.* 18-21, 21-8. 21-18. Doubles. — Burrowes and Richards beat Wilson and Thompson, 21-18. 21-18; Scott and Richards beat Wilson and Miss Morris, 21-14. 21-19: Scott and Burrowes lost to Miss Morris and Thompson, 19-21. 19-21. Riccarton I 6, Riccarton II 6

Singles.—S. Armstrong beat J. Armstrong, 21-17. 21-19; beat C? Tipper, 21-10, 21-9; beat G. Lamb? 21-11. 21-12. P. de Boer lost to Tipper, 17-21. 16-21; lost to Lamb, 13-21, 12-21; beat Armstrong 18-21, 21-18. 21-18. Mrs T. May lost to Lamb, 21-17, 15-21, 8-21-lost to Armstrong. 13-21, 18-21-lost to Tipper, 16-21, 17-21. ’

Doubles. —Mrs May and S. Armstrong beat Lamb and Tipper. 21-18, 21-8; S. Armstrong and de Boer beat Lamb and J. Armstrong, 21-18, 21-13; Mrs May and de Boer lost to J. Armstrong and Tipper. 12-21, 27-29.