Dateline

Monday
16 May 2005

You can go directly from here to the following pages

HOME

CLUB INFO

CONTACTS

LINKS

MAGAZINE

NEWS FEATURES

RESULTS

WHAT'S HAPPENING

All the latest news and features can be found from the
NEWS FEATURES
 page

Don't forget to visit

C&DTTL

 of which the Club is a member

TROPHY GOES TO WORTHY HOME

31 members took part this year in the annual club singles event, The Tom Burns Handicap Trophy. And the most significant point about this was the fact that 16 were juniors. It's great to see so many young players coming into the game, but we certainly don't want to lose the senior and experienced players! The first stages of the event were played on a Monday night at Newlands, with the semi finals and final going through to a "Finals Night", which we held for the first time this year, a week or so later on a Thursday - again at Newlands. All matches were played with handicaps and were the best of three games 21up. And of the 11 groups in the first stage, 8 produced decisive results. The group winners in each going through to the straight knock out stage.

Play gets under way in the Tom Burns trophy.  The evening also featured a consolation singles.  Won by Ray Lawrence (seated in Green)

First group on involved last years winner Mike Johnston against Mike Pitt and sam Pitt. And Mike needed all of his experience and guile to have a chance of repeating his last years performance. Especially as he had a much heavier handicap this year! The score line shows just how hard he had to work, overcoming Mike Pitt 19 in the third, and Sam Pitt 23:21 in the third. 

Group 2 was nowhere near as decisive. Featuring last years junior trophy winner Steve Clift, Ray Lawrence and Diane Pitt all three players took a game each. Ray edging out Diane at 18 in the third and Diane in turn narrowly beating Steve 22:20 in the third. But a very decisive two straight win by Steve over Ray gave him the group victory by the narrowest margin.

Group 3 ended up with just 2 players with Adrian Pitt making light of his large handicap to oust Alex Gill.

Group 4 was another close affair, with Eric Clift, Frank Neill and Hannah Pitt all winning a game each. A decisive win by Hannah over Frank and a narrow defeat to Eric saw her take the top spot and qualify for the next round.

Group 5 again featured just 2 players with Andrew Orme soundly defeating David Gatheral.

Group 6 was far more decisive. All 3 games being two straight, with Michael Rostoft coming out on top undefeated against Waseem Qureshi and Ben Steed. The surprise here perhaps being the seeming ease with which Michael deposed of club No.1 Waseem.

Adam Pitt provided convincing proof of his progress this year in Group 7 with 2 straight victories over Steve Back and Tom Lee to move on to the second round.

Well might he look relaxed after cruising through his two group games.  But the Game Boy didn't help Adam Pitt  at all in the quarter final, where he came unstuck to Rykki Vansertima.

And Rykki Vansertima was equally impressive in Group 8 with 2 straight wins over Jacqui Smith and Aled Upson.

Club coach Neil Gooday faced two of his juniors in Group 9, and although Haydn Upson took him close (18 in the third), neither he nor Matthew Davis had quite enough experience to overcome and stop Neil from qualifying with two victories.

Well he looks happy enough.  Haydn Upson pauses for a smile,  but it wasn't quite enough to stop  Neil Gooday in the group stage.

Group 10 was a strange one. The opening match pitting the much improved Bradley Hudgell against Graham Turner. Graham needing all of his experience to edge Bradley out at 18 in the third. Bradley was undaunted and went on to thrash Alex Stone in the next game. This just left Graham needing to beat Alex to secure the group. A task that seemed possible. But an inspired display by Alex in the third end saw him race to a 21:10 victory leaving both himself and Graham out of the tournament and Bradley through to the 2nd round!

In the final Group 11 although Laura Pyman gave Richard Upson a very good run for his money she couldn't keep in front, giving Richard the edge as he faced John Burt, who had already lost to Laura, for a place in the next round. And he duly obliged with a two straight victory.

To find out about the Doubles event or the Youth Trophy take these links. 

TOM BURNS HANDICAP SINGLES (Main Event)

2nd Round

Adrian Pitt	bt	Hannah Pitt	22,18
Mike Johnston	bt	Bye
Andrew Orme	bt	Bye
Steve Clift	bt	Michael Rostoft	14,17
Adam Pitt	bt	Bye
Rykki Vansertima	bt	Bye
Neil Gooday	bt	Bye
Bradley Hudgell	bt	Richard Upson	14,-20,15

Just three matches were needed to complete the 2nd round. The key battle being Bradley's narrow victory over Richard in a classic left versus right hand battle. Some might say however that it was a little harsh on Hannah to have to face her Dad! The threat of reduced pocket money seemed to work! 

 

	It's a little harsh when you have to play your Dad to qualify for the quarter finals. 11 year old Hannah Pitt put up a good show, but the threat of reduced pocket money was just too much!
All smiles! But maybe the extinguisher in the background might have been more useful to Steve Clift to put out  Andrew Orme's fire in the  second round clash.

Quarter Finals

The score lines show how even some of the quarter final matches were. Although close, Adrian always looked in control as the trophy holder bowed out. After a shaky start Andrew Orme showed good composure to end Steve's hopes of another final. Rykki on the other hand looked as if might just be heading for another final with a workmanlike performance against Adam. Bradley battled hard against Neil. But Neil's clever spin and growing confidence as the game progressed saw him through despite a poor first game.

And so onto Finals Night. Two quite contrasting matches. In the first some good serving by both players kept the match very tight. It looked at one stage as if Andrew might hold with his handicap advantage but once Adrian caught up at 19 all it was all over. In fact Andrew lost his nerve and didn't score another point! Adrian dashing through the second with no reply from Andrew apart from his handicap!

The second semi-final was a quite different affair. Rykki raced through the first end matching Neil point for point so that with his +11 handicap advantage the game was over at 10:9. The second was quite different. Neil increased both the spin and power of his shots to break even at 11 all. And although Rykki rallied Neil was now in charge. In the last end Rykki hung on but he couldn't keep his nose in front and from 16 all was always behind.

Semi Finals

The final was a classic between, arguably, two of the Clubs best players. With nothing separating them on handicap this would be decided on who performed best on the night. It looked like it would be Neil. He raced through the first game with Adrian seemingly totally out of touch. And looked to have the match won at 18:12 up in the second. But a magnificent service run saw Adrian dramatically pull it back to 18:17. It seemed to take the wind out of Neil's sails and try as he might he could not regain the touch he showed in the first end. Adrian starting and staying ahead in the third to deservedly take the title -14,18,16. One he has not won for a good few years!

FINAL

There is a separate page covering the Purkiss Robinson Doubles and the youth event, The Ted Harris Trophy.