WOODFIELD SET THE PACE BUT COVENTRY LAND PRIZE SCALP
The 2012/13 National Cadet League kicked off with a bang on Sunday with last year’s champions Woodfield A from Wolverhampton ending the day on top. The event, held at Burton Uxbridge TTC, is one of 15 held nationally, with this being the 7th year Burton has hosted and is aimed at the beginner and progressing table tennis player at under 15 level. It is played over 4 days throughout the season and this year has 16 teams split into two divisions.
Division 1 has been joined by an extremely strong side from Bankfield TTC, Cheshire and it was they who set the pace with a string of 9-0 victories in their first 3 matches. Woodfield A & Coventry also won their first 3, setting up the first big clash of the season between Bankfield & Coventry and it was the Midlander’s who took control early on. George Allison was on top form all day, the only player to win all 12 of his games and with Sam Coombes also taking a maximum, Coventry stormed to a 7-2 success. Meanwhile Woodfield A were chalking up a 9-0 to put them 2 points clear at the top over Bankfield & Coventry. Hamstead Hall made a good start to their campaign with 2 wins to lie 4th followed by Wood Green A & Burton Uxbridge A. Colin Deaton Boys & Woodfield B currently prop the others up at the bottom. George Allison tops the averages with 12 from 12 with Bankfield’s James Chappell also unbeaten from 9. Other notable performances came from Woodfield’s Daniel Searle who lost only 1 and Callum Anthrobus (Hamstead Hall) & Ashley Offley (Wood Green) who both accounted for some good players in their 9 from 12.
Stars of Division 2 were Burton Uxbridge’s Charlie Kendrick who won all 9 of his games and Colin Deaton’s Charlotte Henry who lost only 1. Colebridge from Birmingham came out on top as the only undefeated side, but the top 6 places are covered by just 7 points. Wood Green B & Colin Deaton B are only 2 points behind the leaders, hotly followed by Burton Uxbridge C, Norton & Burton A, with King Edward Lichfield & Woodfield C completing the competition.
The 2nd days play will take place on November 18th and if day 1 is anything to go by, the competition will be fierce to land those top places.
