North Cornwall Table Tennis League 2018/19 latest round-up

TORRIDGE will take on North Hill A in the Team Handicap Knockout Cup final after both teams won their respective last four ties on Thursday night.

Torridge, who cantered to the Division One title without losing a game, won 5-2 at Crackington B.

With leads ranging from six to 11 in the best of three races to 21, the home side who finished bottom of the top-tier started well with Robin Evans and Ross Paynter beating David Streak and Peter Freeburn.

However, skipper David Stone’s handicap was a lot less and he used his excellent chopping game to full effect to win all three of his matches with Streak and Freeburn winning their second contests.

They’ll take on North Hill in the final after they won 5-4 at Budehaven A.

With four players unavailable, Budehaven called in C team captain Anthony Ward as he wasn’t cup-tied, to play alongside David Ewen and Owen Salisbury.

Ewen and Salisbury overcame Bob Thompson and Martin Hynes respectively to go 2-0 up before Shirley Luckhurst and Thompson made it all square.

The home side then won the next two to move within one of the final, however North Hill rallied to win the next three and go through.

North Hill also confirmed themselves as runners-up of Division One 24 hours earlier as they won 8-2 at last year’s champions Helland A.

After Luckhurst defeated Ingus Abolnieks, Ritchie Bartlett levelled it up at 1-1 after beating Thompson 3-0.

But from there on in, it was all one-way traffic besides Bartlett beating Iain Oxenhame and a couple of close games as they ensured they ended five points clear of Budehaven.

Helland’s poor week continued on Thursday night as they lost 6-4 at Crackington A.

The Bodmin-Moor based club could only bring two players in Abolnieks and Mike Fisher.

Frank Barnes got the better of both men while Ross Wilmshurst edged a thriller against Abolnieks.

However, Fisher won his clashes with Wilmshurst and Judith Cook before the Helland duo won the doubles to keep the scoreline close.

In Division Two, champions Budehaven D reached the 100-point mark with a game to spare as they won 7-3 at Altarnun A on Thursday night, only a week after they secured the league and cup double by beating Altarnun 5-3 in the Division Two Knockout Cup final at Crackington.

Skipper Tim Orchard led from the front to beat Paul Burden in the night’s opener before Alex Whitfield made it 1-1 by getting the better of Robin Worden.

Budehaven then extended their lead to 4-1 before Burden and Whitfield won the doubles.

However, with Sam Jennings and Orchard undefeated in each of their three singles contests, they extended their lead to 7-2 before Burden rounded off the night by beating Worden.

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