Week 27 of the Edinburgh & Lothians League Season and we've still got Teams 3 and 4 messing around in the League and one team involved in what should have been Handicap Cup semi final action.
Club night on Wednesday was interrupted by the postponed Division 2 Team 3 v 4 fixture. Nothing really on the line for the teams involved, other than intra club rivalry and pride. James, Gary and Abby of Team 3 had already gained promotion whilst at the other end of the table Krzysztof, Chris and Sean (playing up from Division 4) had just managed to ensure safety with a win a couple of weeks ago. 22 points separated the teams at the beginning of the night but in reality, Team 4 are much better than that - their season has been ruined by the early season withdrawal of Tony Brentnall through injury and Chris' globetrotting has made that loss even more difficult. Credit to Krzysztof for managing to fulfil fixtures and he could call on the first half match between the teams to give him confidence. In that match he'd played with two players, himself and Stuart Bennet from Div 4 - not only was he undefeated in singles but remarkably won the doubles to lose out only 6-4!! Still understrength but with Chris in the ranks did Team 4 deserve to start as favourites??
Matches 2 and 9 on the night proved to be crucial. Chris lost a 2-1 advantage against James to lose deuce in the fifth whilst in match 9 Krzysztof lost a similar lead to lose out in 5 tight ends to Gary. The feeling at the Club was that a draw would have been a fair result but a win in the doubles for James and Gary confirmed another 6-4 victory for Team 3. Surely though if Team 4 could ever field a full side they would be difficult to beat!!
The next night Krzysztof brought Team 4's season to an end as he took two Division 4 youngsters, Louis McLeod and Millie Bennett (Chris galavanting again) to face Champions Haddington 1. The highlight of the night must have been Krzysztof and Louis in the doubles as they defeated Roger and Lorenas in five tight ends. Credit to Louis as well for an excellent attempt against Gordon, losing out deuce in the fifth. Krzysztof again confirmed how well a full team 4 may have done by winning two of his three singles in the resultant 7-3 defeat.
So Easter's upon us - TT season over....... hang on Team 3 still have a match to play to bring their season to an end - Really James!! And as for the Handicap Cup, we couldn't fit it in last week. Given that no one involved from the league ever reads this evidenced by their lack of action of the 36 times we've mentioned this http://www.edinburghtabletennis.com/past-winners.html ) we can also safely say without being criticised for it that we can't get it played this week coming either!! Maybe we'll be finished by June!
And so to our player of the week award for Week 27. A small pool to choose from, none of whom were undefeated. James, Gary, Krzysztof and Chris all won two in their intra club fixture - how do you pick a winner from that group? Krzysztof then won another two the next night but Gary and James won the crucial doubles?? It's a tough one this week. Arguably the most important win of the week though came in match 9 of the Team 3 v 4 fixture - it was that win which secured the victory for Team 3 and because we also love the aggression shown by the winner this week's award goes to our favourite Tyne and Wear import - Well done to Gary.
Controversy of the week - the Club President, Head Coach and Penicuik’s number 2 all attended an Umpiring Seminar at the weekend - would you believe that in service the server needs to project the ball near vertically upwards so that it rises at least 16cm after leaving the palm of the free hand?? What? You can't just serve it straight out from your clenched fist?? Who knew?? Next season PTTC are investing in electronic measuring devices for every home match to be used when our opponents are serving - only the home umpires will have access to such equipment!!
Club night on Wednesday was interrupted by the postponed Division 2 Team 3 v 4 fixture. Nothing really on the line for the teams involved, other than intra club rivalry and pride. James, Gary and Abby of Team 3 had already gained promotion whilst at the other end of the table Krzysztof, Chris and Sean (playing up from Division 4) had just managed to ensure safety with a win a couple of weeks ago. 22 points separated the teams at the beginning of the night but in reality, Team 4 are much better than that - their season has been ruined by the early season withdrawal of Tony Brentnall through injury and Chris' globetrotting has made that loss even more difficult. Credit to Krzysztof for managing to fulfil fixtures and he could call on the first half match between the teams to give him confidence. In that match he'd played with two players, himself and Stuart Bennet from Div 4 - not only was he undefeated in singles but remarkably won the doubles to lose out only 6-4!! Still understrength but with Chris in the ranks did Team 4 deserve to start as favourites??
Matches 2 and 9 on the night proved to be crucial. Chris lost a 2-1 advantage against James to lose deuce in the fifth whilst in match 9 Krzysztof lost a similar lead to lose out in 5 tight ends to Gary. The feeling at the Club was that a draw would have been a fair result but a win in the doubles for James and Gary confirmed another 6-4 victory for Team 3. Surely though if Team 4 could ever field a full side they would be difficult to beat!!
The next night Krzysztof brought Team 4's season to an end as he took two Division 4 youngsters, Louis McLeod and Millie Bennett (Chris galavanting again) to face Champions Haddington 1. The highlight of the night must have been Krzysztof and Louis in the doubles as they defeated Roger and Lorenas in five tight ends. Credit to Louis as well for an excellent attempt against Gordon, losing out deuce in the fifth. Krzysztof again confirmed how well a full team 4 may have done by winning two of his three singles in the resultant 7-3 defeat.
So Easter's upon us - TT season over....... hang on Team 3 still have a match to play to bring their season to an end - Really James!! And as for the Handicap Cup, we couldn't fit it in last week. Given that no one involved from the league ever reads this evidenced by their lack of action of the 36 times we've mentioned this http://www.edinburghtabletennis.com/past-winners.html ) we can also safely say without being criticised for it that we can't get it played this week coming either!! Maybe we'll be finished by June!
And so to our player of the week award for Week 27. A small pool to choose from, none of whom were undefeated. James, Gary, Krzysztof and Chris all won two in their intra club fixture - how do you pick a winner from that group? Krzysztof then won another two the next night but Gary and James won the crucial doubles?? It's a tough one this week. Arguably the most important win of the week though came in match 9 of the Team 3 v 4 fixture - it was that win which secured the victory for Team 3 and because we also love the aggression shown by the winner this week's award goes to our favourite Tyne and Wear import - Well done to Gary.
Controversy of the week - the Club President, Head Coach and Penicuik’s number 2 all attended an Umpiring Seminar at the weekend - would you believe that in service the server needs to project the ball near vertically upwards so that it rises at least 16cm after leaving the palm of the free hand?? What? You can't just serve it straight out from your clenched fist?? Who knew?? Next season PTTC are investing in electronic measuring devices for every home match to be used when our opponents are serving - only the home umpires will have access to such equipment!!
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