DUE to the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak, the North Cornwall Table Tennis League committee decided to bring an end to the 2019/20 season at the end of last week.

With just over 20 league matches still to be played, it was agreed that the League Committee would adjudicate on the unplayed matches, so that teams would be awarded the number of points they were likely to have won if the matches had been played. Full league tables will be published next week when the adjudication process has been completed.

The Handicap Team Knockout (semi-finals and final) and the Individual Championships which were scheduled for April 2 and 9 at Budehaven, have all been deferred until the current situation is over.

Two Division One matches were played last Tuesday, with North Hill’s 7-3 victory over Crackington meaning Torridge were able to retain their title. With Torridge’s final match at second bottom Budehaven D likely to be adjudicated as a 10-0 win, North Hill couldn’t catch them.

Frank Barnes was North Hill’s nemesis on the night, beating both Martin Hynes and Shirley Luckhurst while Ross Paynter produced a fine upset against Hynes. The rest of the evening went the way of the hosts as Michael Briggs won all three along with the doubles with Luckhurst, who beat both Paynter and Ross Wilmshurst.

The other Division One match was held at Sutcombe Village Hall as Budehaven A beat Budehaven B 6-4. Mark Beaumont dropped just two ends all night on his way to a treble, while he was well supported by an in-form Owen Salisbury who weighed in with a brace. They also won the doubles together. Budehaven B’s points came from Ashley Taylor (2) while David Sillifant and David Ewen both beat youngster Tom Venn.

North Hill A and Budehaven A agreed to bring forward their Division One Knockout Cup final to last Thursday at North Hill, with Budehaven A claiming the title, 5-3.

On paper it always looked as if it would be a close match, and that’s how it proved. With the match finely poised at 3-3, it looked like it would go the full distance.

The next set saw North Hill’s top pairing of Shirley Luckhurst and Mike Briggs play Budehaven father and son combination, Dave and Owen Salisbury, who had already lost their two earlier contests in straight games.

However, the Salisbury family had other ideas and somehow refused to be beaten, winning a thrilling contest 15-13, 12-10, 11-6.

It was then left to the pairing of Mark Beaumont and Owen Salisbury to finish the job. Having never been beaten in a doubles set, Budehaven confidence was high. And so it proved as they beat Shirley Luckurst and Martin Hynes 11-6, 11-9, 11-9.

In a match that was impossible to predict until that seventh set, it was the brilliant attacking play from Budehaven’s number one, Mark Beaumont, that was the difference between the two teams.

The Division Two league and knockout cup were already decided with Crackington B claiming the double. They won all 14 of their league fixtures before beating Altarnun A, North Hill B and Launceston in the final to take the knockout cup.

In Division Three, Altarnun B were left with three unplayed matches. The adjudication process is likely to deem they would have won all three, which means they would win the title to go alongside the Division Three Knockout Cup they won against Budehaven F a fortnight ago.

The Handicap Team Knockout, which has got to the semi-final stage with Helland taking on Budehaven E and Torridge welcoming Budehaven F, will be played before the start of next season, which gets underway in October.