NORWICH UNION English Closed Also for Other T.T
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FOR RUBBERS AND BLADES RING OR W'R-ITE ~ose ~ank Sports NORWICH UNION ENGliSH ClOSED also for other T.T. eqUiipme,nt/c'lothing at Discount P,rices RECORD EQUALLED NOW AT: 119 WITTON STREET by George R. Yates NORTHWICH, CHESHIRE Te'iephone: 0606-48989 (day) In equalling the record of Denis Neale in was an affray, which started on a practice 0978-760249 (after hours) winning the Norwich Union English Closted table, involving Kent players Joey Kennedy men's singles title six times, Warwickshire's and Paul Beck, which ended up with Beck Desmond Douglas showed his undoubted in hospital and Kennedy charged with class, over the period Feb. 24/26, in cruising grievous bodily harm and due to make an LITTLE KUDOS to a final 3-1 win over Graham Sandley. appearance before Woking magistrates in early March. Notwith-standing the extraordinary Only twice, in six sets, did Douglas drop a game - the other to John Hilton - in One further controversy was the threaten events that took place at Woking disposing of Glenn Baker, Alan Cooke, Dave ed withdrawal of the men's quarter-nnalists Leisure Centre during the peri-od of the Barr, Hilton and, in the semis, Carl Prean. following the scratching of Kenny Jackson Norwich Union English Closed little Last year it was Sandley who stretched when he fai led to report for his set against the English champion to a fifth and deciding Prean. His subsequent reinstatement, follow kudos was attaching to the champ,ion game in a nail-biting finale at Basingstoke, ing young Carl's agreement to play, took ships themselves, more especially the but on this more recent occasion it was the heat out of the matter but what carryings on and a black mark to Kenny for his match fin,als. Douglas who was in command even allow ing for Sandley's third game success albeit was timed in the programme. It was no time to be in the cafeteria! Poss'ibly because of there being no 22-20. Karen Witt won the counterpart women's Douglas and Paul Day won the men's play at all - other than a knock-out event, adding to her five 3-Star successes doubles for the third consecutive time beat competition for umpire's - on the this season, by ousting the defending cham ing the surprise finalists Mick Harper and Peter Taylor who, on paper at least, beat Saturday morning most of the non pion, Carole Moore (nee Knight) in the semis and seven times winner, Jill Sandley and Nigel Eckersley in the semis, committed players had taken their leave Hammersley-Parker, in the final but neither the latter being due to fly off to Federal of Woking on the Friday night. without great effort. Germany on the Saturday morning. Expecting a baby in October, Jill On the Friday evening Eckersley renewed C,o,nsequently their' p'resence at the Hammersley-Parker, now aged 31, could Commonwealth acquaintance and success final session on Saturday afternoon was well have co'nte'sted her last final at this with Joy Grundy to win the mixed doubles leve,1 and, if she carries out her intent, Mrs. title with a final victory over Skylet Andrew sadly m'issed and so ilndeed was the Moore will no longer bring her power play and Carole Moore whilst the women's atmosphere that had been so prevalent into action following her retirement doubles title was claimed by Jill Hammersley-Parker and -~ Karen Witt who, at Basingstoke twelve months pre announcement to the press. Rather sad this! Not all the action at Woking Leisure viously. Centre was confined to match play for there Could it be that the Secreti-n/Purkart frolic added that extra incentive for spectators at Basingstoke for certainly the ingredients of this mor'e recent occasion produced little to enthuse an audience. Mo,re iin keep'ing with a cathedral atmosphere the play itself, apart from the intermi-nable interrup'lions, was in the main, uni'nspiring. What can be done to improve this supposed showpiece of our 'season must rat'e high pr'iority being in need of a powerful stimulus. ENGLISH TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATION Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. President: M. Goldstein, O.B.E. Life Vice-President: Hon. Ivor Montagu. Ch.airman: T. Blunn. Deputy Chairman: G. R. Yates. Hon. Treasurer: A. Drapkin. General Secretary: A. W. Shipley. Management Committee: Sorry about that wouId appea,r to be the' (Vice-Chairmen) unspoken thoughts of John Hilto,n in p,la, C. J. Clemett, R. J. Crayden, against Desmond Douglas. A. E. Ransome, N. K. Reeve, Carole Mo,ore's victory salute after her win over E. G. White. Lisa Bellinger. (continued on page 5) Page 3 THE VICTORS - KAREN WITT AND DESMOND DOUGLAS somewhat embarrassingly at times, beat with Carole coming back from a 0-2 de'ficit J. HHton (La) bt S. Mills (Y) -16:~15, 23, 20; D. Wells (Mi) btt P. Day (Ca) 14, 12, -19, 19; Mandy Reeves and Helen Williams. to beat the Dunstable girl 18 in the fifth. K. Jackson (E) ot A. WeHman (Bk) 19, 11, 12; J. Sourter (Mi) bt M. Francis (Sx) 5, 4, 5; Overall the finals were disappointing with Again, in the semis, against Karen Witt, C. Prean (lOW) bt M. Crimmins (Sy) 7, -10, 14, 15; the audience hardly being roused and far the Cleveland girl clawed her way back to a G. Sandley (Mi) bt D. Newman (E) 13,11,9; P. Taylor (He) bt A. Moore (Sx) 12, 17,23; too many inte,rruptions both in play and 2-all situation from being 1-2 down but her I. Horsham (E) bt C. Wilson (Mi) 18, 15, -19, 16; betwee,n sets. Not a particularly go'od ad stamina ran out in the decider. In the other D. Park,e'r (La) bt R. Jermyn (He) 21, 19, 11; S. Andrew (E) ht B. Johnson (Wa) 16, -16, 8, 11; ve,rtisement for the game in general and the half of the draw Jill Hammersley-Parker had B. Hayward (Wa) w.o. J. Ke,nnedy (disqualified); finals in particular. Where was the enthu it all very easy in disposing of Gail Davies C. Rogers (Le) bt I. Ken.yon (K) -18, 13, -14, 20, 18; siasm, so evident at Thornaby but so lacking (5, 6, 6), Mandy Reeves (19, 14, 5) and M. Oakley (Sy) bt R. Bole (Sy) 12, 18, -14, 19. Jackie Bellinger (13,12,5) before dropping Round 3: at Woking? Douglas bt Barr 6, 12, 2; But back to the men's singles in which her first game -21 to Joy Grundy in the Hilton bt Tan -19, 16, 21, 20; semis. Jackson bt Wells -17, 11, 16, 14; the three main seeds present - Douggie Prean bt Souter 19, 12, 17; Johnson, the No.2, being absent with 'flu Notable absentees in the women's event Sandley bt Taylor -18, 18, 9, -20, 18; Parkelr bt Horsham 11, 19, -11, -16, 12; - all reached their allotted semi-'final were Anita Stevenson, Melody Hill (broken Andrew bt Hayward 11, 15, 14; placings. Chris Rogers was the player to arm - jousting with her husband (!)) Rogers bt Oakley 9, 16, 10. come through in Johnson's quarter and and Jean Parker. But there were few Quarte,r-finals: asbentees in the veterans' singles with Douglas bt Hilt,on _21, 8, 7, 12; what an impressive run he had. Prean bt Jackson 17, 8, 17; the holder, Peter D'Arcy, beaten by Matt Starting off with a win over Alan Fletcher, Sandley bt Park,er 18, 15, -17, 16; Sheader who lost, in the quarters, to the Rogers b't Andrew 15, -14, 10, 20. the Leicester player - victor over Prean in beaten 'finalist Stan "The Bat" Battrick. Semi-finals: the Martin Essex 3-Star - subsequently Douglas bt Prean 19, 12, 10; beat Ian Kenyon, Mark Oakley and, in the Kent's Henry Buist was the ultimate victor Sandley bt Rogers 13, -17, 17, -20, 15. quarters, Skylet Andrew - a player striving bringing a little more respectability to the Fi:nal: for a place in the English squad bound for county of Kent after the antics of Messrs. DOUGLAS bt Sa1ndley 16, 16, -20, 9. Kennedy and Beck. Women's Singles Round 2: Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo! K. Witt (Bk) bt S. ColHer (Bk) 11,10,15; The championships coincided with the S. Sa1ndley (Mi) bt J. Bare,lIa (Sy) 16,11,11; RQgers went out in the serrlis to Sandley C. Moore (Cv) bt A. Mitchell (Mi) 18, -10, 5, -19, 18; but riot before the Middlesex boy had been impending retirement of John McDonnell, L. Bellinger (Bd) w.o. M. Hill (Y land J. Parker (La) Public Relations Manager of Norwich Union scratched; taken to a fifth game decider. In the A. Gordon (Bk) bt M. Smifh (Bk) -17, 7, 13, 17; counterpart women's event much interest Insurance Group whose last championships J. Grundy (La) bt J. Harris (St) 13, 14, 16; these were in his present capacity. A suit J. BelHng,er (Bd) bt L. Goldsmith (Mi) 14, 16,20; was taken in t11e progress of Carole Moore, J. Hammers.ley-Parker (La) bt M. Reeves (Mi) 19, 14, 5. the unseeded title holder, intent on making a able presentation was made to John by the ETTA Chairman, Tom Blunn, at the after Qua,rter-finals: comeback. WiU bt Sandley 13, -21, 11, 8; finals reception, and a bouquet of flowers Moo,re bt L.