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(Picture Credit - Competive Table Tennis by tsor)

Clee. Tues. 27\11\12. 11.50.

From Facebook Note on the Scunthorpe One Star Tournament, played Saturday 24^th November:

“How did everyone do? Sean, Jack, Jon and Brian were still going strong when I left 1 hour b4 sunset. As for me, I didn't disgrace myself. In the Vets Group I played Hon Kau Choy (?) (Nottingham) and of course lost 5-11, 4-11, 5-11. He was an unusual player: a pen-holder using short pimples with very thin sponge yet still using lots of spin. Fortunately for me he started in first gear...

Then Clive Mitchell (Scunthorpe) beat me 3-11, 3-11, 7-11 with some more orthodox loop-play. Only the top player went through from the group and

that was Hon. He played Brian Allison at one point.

In the Men's I played 14 year old Will Hornsey (Scunthorpe D2). 10\10 for aggression from him! He got some lucky edges etc. but frankly outclassed me: 2-11, 5-11, 11-8, 7-11. Then I beat 13 year old Lloyd Pearson (Wakefield) 11-2, 11-7, 11-5.

The "Consolation" saw me face our own Brian Allison! As usual I could not handle his weird long-pimpled spins and I lost 3-11, 3-11, 7-11, just like against Clive Mitchell.

When I left, Jack had reached the semi finals of the Juniors and Sean and Jon were still going in the Men's. John Aberra was maybe still in the Consolation. Brian and Eileen were still going, and Eileen was umpiring a lot. Eileen of course won the SCREAMING competition. lol

PS Eileen later told me that Sean's Semi should have been the Final! He was very unlucky. He says he lost 13-15 in 5th! Jack tells me he was Runner-Up in the Junior Boys event.

Eileen was happy to beat a GOOD woman and finish 2nd in her group. Brian I think reached the Vet's Final and the Consolation Semi or something. He might have beaten the Chinese guy. Something like that.

PPS the Scunthorpe Club website confirmed that Sean's semi with eventual Winner Reece Lo (Hull) was the highlight. Reece beat Hon 3-0 in The Final. Hon won the Vet's. Eileen lost the Women's to Rachael Codd (Hull). Mark Firth from Derbyshire beat Jack in the Juniors from 0-2 down. Tomaszi Chabowski (Scun) won Consolation Final against Brian 11-9 in the 5th."

Think that’s everything.

From Facebook today:

“After doing so well this season, and bragging about it as usual (!), my team Nemesis met its Nemesis last night. Clee Sports C (Marland, Spencer, Saywell) beat us 10-0. I led Tom Marland 2-1 in games and 8-4 but he came back to beat me about 11-6 in the 5th. I had a similar defeat to Tom Spencer and had little left against Sam. And I came nearest in my team to winning any matches. That's me back down to 61% :( .

Sadly I checked those old results I have kept. This was my 10th 10-0 defeat in Grimsby since 1990.

The others: 12th November 1990 to Stones B (D1) (including Pete Calvert!); 25th Oct 91 to Caistor A (D2) (Pete Taylor et al); 1st Dec 92 to Parkside D (D2) (Fred Watson et al); 21st Oct 95 to Parkside A (D1) (Mick Corry, John Hancock, John Lilley); 21st March 96 to NALGO A (D1) (John Bray et al); 11th April 96 to Tetney A (D1); 7th Oct 97 to Parkside G (D2) (Tony Roberts, Ian Woodford, Malcolm Gregory); and 20th April 2000 to Police (D2). John Whitfield featured in Both the NALGO and Police defeats!

Another titbit: I beat Kev Cooper (then in D2) TWICE in season 91-92: 21-16, 21-15 and 21-14, 21-18!!!”

That covers everything for now. Out. 

Grimsby Table Tennis League 2012-13 Season First Third

(Picture - Mickael Maze by speculos, wiki)

We are just about a third the way through the main table tennis winter season in Grimsby. This is a personal take on proceedings.

Last table tennis season Brian Lomas, Dennis Burgoyne and I entered a new team into Grimsby League Division Three. I personally titled us “Nemesis”, once again showing I watch too much “Star Trek”. Anyway, we did very well, finishing second in the league to “Urban Juice”. We also reached the Cup (Handicap) Semi Final.

Now in the 2^nd Division, our objective is to avoid finishing bottom. The second objective is to keep out of the bottom two and escape being relegation candidates completely. Well so far so good. We are 5^th out of 9 teams, 8 points above Parkside C (surprise bottom markers) and 7 ahead of Pipefit. Way above our expectations.

Personally I have punched well above my weight so far. All season I have trialled my fastest bat: a carbon-fibre attacking blade covered by fairly thick Butterfly Tenergy rubber. I say “trialled” because I still prefer my “Goldilocks bat”: Stiga All Round (wood) blade with Butterfly Sriver L (medium thickness sponge). Bats are extremely important in table tennis and I can get obsessive about them. These days I’m simply trying to “take it to my opponent” more by attacking as early as I can. Having won 11 out of 15 personal matches played (73.3%) I have excelled myself so far at this level.

Actually our season started very slowly. Kingsway Printers dropped out of the league through player-injury etc. before we could meet them, and our “first” scheduled opponents Pipefit requested a postponement owing to holidays. So our first match saw us beaten 3-7 by Parkside B. We were happy that this gained us a point in the league table (you get 2 points for a draw, 3 for a 6-4 or 7-3 win, 4 points for 8-2 or better).

Personal highlight against Parkside was a rare win for me over Stewart Dean. He too is on 73.3% now. I came charging out of the blocks and blew him away. He reckoned I hardly missed a hit! The ever-winning Kev Cooper put me in my place however with his well placed spin serves and mighty hits. Kev can hit a winner from almost anywhere. Earlier I beat Stewart’s son Sam, but he went on to defeat both my colleagues. Captain Brian and I beat the Deans in the doubles to snatch a point.

Next up we beat Pipefit 6-4. Highlight here was our Dennis beating the ever strong Pete Calvert. Pete clearly did not relish being “lobbed”. Tom Garrett had flu yet was far too clever for me. But for once I beat high topspinner Les Gagg. Overall a very valuable win for us.

NALGO B shared a tight draw with us. I beat Dorothy and Angela but the legendary Mick Corry was too clever for us all. Dennis got another key win over Angie and Brian refound his usual consistency against the girls.

Our next opponents were YMCA, including my old captain Ryan Wadham. But the highlight for me was beating his Dad Duggie for the first time ever. Duggie was a top first division player for many years. Against me he tried using anti-loop on his backhand, instead of long pimples. Against Brian he reverted to pimples. Okay so I beat Duggie 11-9 in the 5^th with an edge, but I did lead most of the way. I handled Ryan’s serves better too, but Ryan seems to have found some consistency. Beating Mike Twidale of vicious forehand loop was another good scalp for me. We gained another point, losing 3-7.

Early in November we went to Oasis Academy, Immingham to play “Wild Birds Direct” (AKA Immingham TT Club) in the Cup (Handicap). This is their first season in a league. We played each other 2 games first to 21 and overall they had 200 start. In other words we had to keep them down to 21-8 to win comfortably. Scott Dimbleby lost about 16-21, 19-21 to Dennis so we had to be even meaner. We won by 35. It felt like a Championship football team playing an FA Cup tie at a Conference North Club. They get kicked out at 9PM so have to play most of their individual matches on two tables.

A highlight for me was when one of them asked, “Why is the ball going dead on me and dropping into the net?” Afterwards I explained about my use of “chop”...

On the 12^th November we beat Parkside C 8-2! Luckily their best player Pete Heys was on a cruise but even he couldn’t have saved them. I beat Tony Roberts, whom I usually lose to, very well. Also I beat heavy chopper Dave Roberts (no relation) and big hitter Neil Drewery. Hard to think such a solid side are now bottom. Dennis bamboozled Tony completely with his swirling lobs. And Brian kept winning consistently.

Last Saturday I took part in the Scunthorpe One Star Tournament. Both looper Clive Mitchell (in the Vet’s) and long pimple expert Brian Allison beat me 3-11, 3-11, 7-11 (the latter in the “Compensation” event). Brian went 9-0 up in the first game! In the Vet’s Hon Kau Choy (Nottingham) beat me 5,4,5. Will Hornsey (Scunthorpe), a very fast 14 year old, thrashed me 2-11, 5-11, 11-8, 7-11 in the Men’s Group. I did better when I realised he was left handed and served to his backhand. I came second in the group by beating Lloyd Pearson (Wakefield, 13) 11-2, 11-7, 11-5.

In this tournament our Jack Blyth was runner up in the Junior Boys and Sean Ward reached the Semi Final of the Men’s. I think Brian at least reached the Semis in the Vets, where he played Choy. Jon Corry and Eileen Allison had good runs in their events. John Aberra had a similar day to myself: mixed fortunes.

Let’s not forget that on a Thursday morning I’ve regularly had good practice with the likes of Ray Simpson (D1), Steve Carter (D1), Ken Harrison (D1), Stewart Dean (D2), Brian, Dennis, Tom Marland (D2), Brian and Jean Ashwell (D3), Trevor Broughton and a whole host more players too good for divisions three and four.  Not forgetting ex D2 player Phil Wressel and stalwarts like Val Wilmore, Alf Evardson and Don Ellis.

Tonight we play Clee Sports C: Tom Marland, Tom Spencer and probably Sam Saywell – a good side. Which will make all this history of course.

Paul Butters

Tags:      Grimsby Table Tennis, ping pong if you must, table tennis bats, Scunthorpe One Star, Immingham Table Tennis, Nemesis, Paul Butters table tennis

© Paul Butters 26\11\2012 in Humberside.

New Season

(Picture by Magical World)

Long Lee. Wed. 10\10\12. 19.20. (Last Entry 6\9).      The Season is nearing the end of the second week, yet I last picked up a bat on Thursday 13^th September. Since then I’ve mainly stayed in Long Lee looking after my convalescing Mum. I have had no chance to leave Mum to go practice. Our first league match with Pipefit was called off because Les Gagg was on holiday. Then our second opponents Kingsway Printers pulled out when Phil Bodsworth broke his ankle!

So our first match will be against the powerful Parkside B at home next Tuesday. I will travel back on Monday for that. Out of practice but at least back in action. After that we will soon have two matches in a week, when we finally play Pipefit. Otherwise there is nothing to report. Out.

PS on 19\9 I cut my right hand open on a dog-tin lid! The mark is still there. Just hope it doesn't cause me any problems when I play again. At least the break has given it chance to heal.

End of a Fine Season: 2011-12

That’s the winter season over, just about. Only the Veterans’ Tournament and Third Division Individual Championship to go for me. Plus maybe the end of season handicap.

In the league my team Nemesis (named by me!) finished a creditable second. We will apply for Division Two for next season. However, there is talk of a new six team premiership, so we might remain in the third tier. Selfishly half a promotion might suit me perfectly.

In The Cup we beat Keelby B (D4) to reach the Semi Final. We had to keep them down to 21-8 on average and just made it. It was like a premiership football team playing at a non-league ground: white walls, slow table, settee against one wall... Without being unsporting, they got lots of nets and edges. Personally I only conceded 40 points in 6 games, but that was not easy. They were decent players actually but so lucky! Still, we won.

That semi final was our nemesis! NALGO D (Roger Deboick, Brian Ashwell and Mo Kayali) were really up for it and played well above their league form. They look like finishing 3^rd or 4^th in D3 but received a 20 start. In the event they piled on a further 39 points... If our Dennis doesn’t mind me saying, they really had his number. Well, Brian and Mo did. Their big hitting was perfect against Dennis’s lob. Brian beat him 11 and 11, Mo mowed him down 14 and 14. Mo beat me about 17 and 15 too. Our Brian beat their Brian game 7 on one occasion but it made little difference. I led Roger 6-0 in the first game but only won about 21-17. I told NALGO they were magnificent, and I stick to that.

If you’d have said to me last September that we’d finish second in the league and cup semi finalist I’d have bitten your hand off. So, a very good season.

Paul Butters

New Year!

A belated Happy New Year to everyone. It's been relatively quiet for me. We were lined up to meet "Spare Team", which gave us a blank week. Then my team-mate Dennis went to Scotland, so our Cup game was postponed. Having rested my sore back before Christmas, I had to take a week off with a dodgy knee.

When we DID play, my team Nemesis beat Clee Sports H 8-2 and NALGO D 6-4. We seem to be established in second place in the table, a promotion spot. If we do go up, I picture us coming straight back down, to become a "yo-yo" side.

Clee Sports player Pete Dyson beat me for the first time. I fought back from 0-2 down in ends, only to fall apart 2-11 in the decider. Frankly I couldn't hit a barn door in that last game.

Last night Mo Kayali beat me, and I don't recall him doing that before. This time he frustrated me with solid chop\push play (his new style for the season). Every time I opened up, I missed the target. That after taking the first end 11-3! Our Brian Lomas had to work very hard to beat Mo and again take the Man of the Match tag.

On the 20th February we travel out to Keelby to take on the league's bottom team in the Cup. Don Ellis will reserve for us as Dennis is away again. Brian and I will play together in the Grimsby Doubles two days later. The Lincolnshire Closed is on that Sunday. Nuff Said. Out.