Town table tennis teams rule
The ‘‘townies’’ took control when Marlborough table tennis held their annual Town v Country clash at Blenheim’s Simcox Stadium on Thursday.
The competition was played across seven sections, with Town prevailing in six to beat Country 55-29 overall.
In section one Town triumphed 9-3. The province’s No 1 player Nathan Watson led the way with three wins, dominating proceedings with big forehand loops and clever touch shots.
Matt Pigou backed him up with two wins, showing good control with his backhand pushes before unleashing strong forehand drives. Ping Muanwong won a single and both his doubles, including a narrow 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10 win with Watson over Ken Thompsett and Jamie Marfell.
Jacqui Wood shone for Country with two singles wins. Her match with Pigou was memorable, Wood coming from a set down to win 4-11, 18-16, 13-11, 11-9. As she has done all season, Wood looped consistently and hit winners when the opportunities arose. Marfell, who was playing in his third match of the season, beat Muanwong in five.
Jason Kennedy was undefeated as Town won the second section 8-4. Jeff Sawyer won two singles, including a 11-13, 11-1, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7 win over Billy Hebberd. Warren Haszard won a single and a double.
For the country team, Zac Cowdrey claimed two wins with some strong forehand play. Hebberd beat Haszard in five and combined with Martin Stephens for a doubles win.
John Diamanti was at the top of his game as Town won the third section 8-4. He hit some hard forehand winners and blocked his opponents shots with his anti-spin rubber. David Foley played a strong all-round game to register two wins, while Kylie Hurren won a single and a double. Jeremy Phipps won two singles for Country, including an 11-7, 8-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-7 win over Foley.
Town took out section four 11-1 with six matches going past the third set. Nathan Cross and Josh Sim were undefeated. Boe Aitchison, playing her first match of the season, picked up two wins, losing her third match to Bjorn Cowdrey 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8.
Town won section five 10-2 with only two matches being decided in the third set.
The enthusiastic Rob Honour won his three singles, his final match a 11-7, 11-13, 3-11, 13-11, 11-9 win over Peter Cowdrey. Neil Butts also won all of his singles and had a great match with Peter Wells, narrowly prevailing 8-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5, 13-11. Marion Wood won a single and two doubles. Cowdrey and Wells shared the points for Country.
Bruce Palmer, in his first match of the season, led the Town team to a 9-3 win in Section 6.
Malcolm Honour had two fourset wins and lost to Barbara Burkhart, who hit some nice forehand winners when the match got close, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7. Donald Greig, who hardly misses a club night, won a single and two doubles.
Country scored their sole win in section seven, getting home 12-0 after under-11 player Peyton Ritchie starting things off with an 11-3, 11-6, 9-11, 6-11, 11-8 win over Bruce Naylor. Hannah Smit, a senior Marlborough rep, had comfortable wins in her matches while fellow junior Alex Loo was also in good touch. Stacey Williams came close to getting Town on the board, losing tight five-setters to Ritchie and Loo.