Week Commencing 11th April 2005

Swindon Table Tennis: The Pickett Trophy

Final: GWRSA 423 / Sanford Link A 413

After a battle lasting several months between 19 teams, GWRSA A finally met Sanford Link A to decide the winner of this year's Pickett Handicap event on Wednesday. One of the reasons both teams have got this far is the improved performance of players from both sides over the season.

Sanford's Dave Morgan of Division 3 has been playing so well he has regularly helped out other teams in his club higher in the league; where as 12 year old Ethan Gunton has quickly become a talented player and won the Wiltshire Closed under 13 boys singles  in Trowbridge this year. On the other hand, GWR's Nat Richardson has been going through the averages at a rate of knots this season, and is now in the top 4 of the league.

As GWRSA A are currently top of Division 1, it came as no surprise that they were heavily handicapped on the evening, and started a massive 219 points down. Winning each game would not be a problem, but they needed to ensure that Sanford A averaged 8 points or less per set to win the match.

First up were GWRSA's Glen Freeman vs Sanford's Dave Morgan. Slow to start, Morgan managed only 4 points against Freeman, but in the second set gained an impressive 13 by asserting his style despite the odds.

Next GWR's Nat Richardson played Ethan Gunton. Mainly due to Richardson's strong chops, Ethan lost 21-7 and 21-4. But the scores conceal some impressively long rallies, and when Gunton converted the ball's spin to his favour, he produced some good attacking play.

In the third game GWR's Ray Powell played Ashley Hilton. Hilton had the advantage of being the only player in the Sanford side to come from Division 1, and therefore had experience in playing GWR A before. That said, Powell was not going to make things easy and stopped Hilton from opening his attack, until, with the score in the first set at 15-5, Powell lost concentration and Hilton seized the opportunity to claw back 12 points by the time Powell won. In the second set Hilton did even better gaining another 14 for Sanford, and this turned out to be Sanford's best points win of the evening.

The next game was to prove an interesting one as the two most improved players, Division 1's Richardson versus Division 3's Morgan, faced each other. Again Morgan was slow to start, but with the score standing at 12-3, he  got a lucky return in deep to the back corner of the table. Richardson reacted as quickly as he could,  backing away from the table and instinctively doing a chop back just over the net... but in doing so, he dropped his bat! Morgan managed to return the ball, and with nothing to hit it with, Nat swiped at the air, conceding the point to Morgan. That turned out to be Morgan's last point of the set but he improved significantly in the second and gained a further 10 points.

Richardson stayed at the table for the next game, playing Hilton. Tactics were to the fore as Hilton played to Richardson's weaker forehand, while Richardson ensured Hilton had to move his feet constantly to get into position, making forced errors more likely. In the first set Hilton secured 10 points for Sanford, but in the second only 7, as Richardson started to return balls closer to the net, forcing Hilton to move in closer and making it easier for Richardson to put balls passed Hilton by hitting down the line.

After five games GWR had halved the gap from 219 to 94, and sure enough, over the remaining 4 games, GWRSA A climbed up their handicap to catch Sanford Link A up. In the last game between Freeman and Gunton, Sanford could still have won, but Gunton would have to play exceptionally well to make up the 14 points necessary each game. By opening up the game ad allowing some fast a furious rallies, Freeman gave Gunton the opportunity, but the score required turned out to be out of reach and in the end GWRSA A won the Pickett final 423 to 413.

The winning team of GWRSA A.
Left to right: Nat Richardson, Glen Freeman and Ray Powell.

 

UPDATE: This article was subsequently edited and published by the Evening Advertiser on Tuesday 19th April 2005.