0
0
Sunraysia Table Tennis Summer Pennant results Round 6: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Rick McMeekin 3, Geoff Wright, Sony Sefer 1) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Mark Ljubic, Kevin Johns 2)
– Fishers IGA 7 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Lee Thomas, Arthur Paar 1) d Tankard Dental 4 (Nicholas Dorman, Kate Carmichael 2)
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Matt Ljubic, Ed Hung 2, Ashley Morrison 1) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Bernadette Fitzpatrick 1)
PENNANT TWO:
– Tankard Dental 6 (Matt Avers 3, Peter Fitzpatrick 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Josh Carmichael 2, Karly Leach, Brendan Alderton 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Reece Kurrle 2, Colin Moore, Seval Fuat 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (Geoff Peters 3, Arnold Jago 2)
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Aidan Moore 3, Andrew Alderton, Peter Edwards 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Tony Malycha, Rachel Fitzpatrick 2)
PENNANT THREE:
– Pinnacle Packers 8 (Peter Mikhaeil, Cambell McKenzie 3) d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Kim Avers, John Fitzpatrick, Helen Frania 1)
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Paul Fitzpatrick 3, Quentin Clark, Tom Morrison 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (Mick Bacon, Hamish Clark 2)
Wayne’Ball on a String’ Carmichael has kept Fishers IGA on top after another impressive display in Rnd 6 action.
PENNANT ONE:
By winning their second match in round six of the Sunraysia Summer Table Tennis pennant the Dunkley’s Scales combination of Matt Ljubic, Ed Hung and Ash Morrison have given themselves a chance to play finals table tennis.
Whilst still on the bottom of the ladder they are now only one game from third spot and two wins from top position with four rounds to play, in what has developed into a very close competition. All Dunkley’s matches have been decided by the barest of margins.
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Matt Ljubic, Ed Hung 2, Ashley Morrison 1) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Bernadette Fitzpatrick 1)
In round six matches Dunkley’s snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Weightmans Packaging when it looked like they were headed for another narrow loss on the stage court. With his team trailing four rubbers to five Dunkley’s Ed Hung was in trouble deep in the fifth against a game Bernadette Fitzpatrick who was back on deck after the family holiday. Fitzpatrick had fought back well to take the match to a fifth and when she took a 6-2 lead it looked like Hung and his team was heading for defeat however in an excellent comeback 
Hung was able to reel off nine of the next ten points to take the fifth 11-7 in a stirring comeback. The score line was now five rubbers all.
Weightmans Peter Midgley then raced to a two games to love start against Ashley Morrison to again get Weightmans within sight of victory. Again it was not to be as Morrison clawed his way back and went on to win 7-11 8-11 11-9 11-6 11-4.
For the victors Matt Ljubic and Ed Hung had won two singles while Gavin Carmichael won three in his teams’ fourth loss in succession.
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Rick McMeekin 3, Geoff Wright, Sony Sefer 1) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Mark Ljubic, Kevin Johns 2)
In another close result Max Miller Carpets halted Mallee Bearings two game winning streak with a 6-5 victory on centre court. Carpeters skipper Rick McMeekin continued his good form winning three singles while fill in and candidate for father of the year,Sony Sefer won an important singles against Leon Brown. After trailing one game to two Sefer was able to narrowly grab the fourth and fifth games in an important result as at one stage the Carpeters had trailed one rubber to four.
Earlier Sony was overheard to say that new son Ari was sleeping like a baby, waking three times a night and causing lack of sleep for the household maybe that explains his slow start to the match against Leon. Well done Sony !!!!
In a brilliant comeback and to win their fourth match of the season the Carpeters after trailing badly, won five rubbers in a row in a stunning come back.
– Fishers IGA 7 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Lee Thomas, Arthur Paar 1) d Tankard Dental 4 (Nicholas Dorman, Kate Carmichael 2)
With Wayne Carmichael in control winning his three singles and participating in both doubles Fishers IGA were able to account for Tankard Dental 7-4. The first game of the night was important to both teams and at one stage Tankard’s Cole Keegan had taken a two games to love lead over in form Lee Thomas however Thomas turned the match around to win in five and get Fishers off to the start they wanted. The spectators on the grandstand court were impressed with Lee’s display.
As always the doubles are an important component of any match and on this occasion Fishers were able to win both in five sets indicating the closeness of the match. Tankard’s after a flying start to the season have now lost three matches in the past four and will need to regroup this round when they meet second placed Max Miller Carpets.
PENNANT TWO: –
Fishers IGA’s four-match winning streak came to end this round, and with that slight hiccup, Tankard Dental joined them at the head of the ladder.
– Tankard Dental 6 (Matt Avers 3, Peter Fitzpatrick 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Josh Carmichael 2, Karly Leach, Brendan Alderton 1)
Peter Fitzpatrick returned to the Tankard Dental lineup this round, but Brian Hosking was absent, replaced by Sam Hensgen. Mallee Bearings were at full strength.
Tankard Dental captain, 
Matt Avers, with his eye on the aggregate ladder, added another three wins to his score this week. He disposed of opposing captain Josh Carmichael 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 14-12. Carmichael did not really get going until the third set, and had his chances in the fourth to take the match into the fifth set, but Avers was more desperate. After dropping the first set 9-11 to Karly Leach, Avers went on to take that game 7, 2 and 9. Brendan Alderton, although losing in three to Avers, was unlucky not to get a set from him, with Avers winning 11-3, 14-12, 11-4.
Peter Fitzpatrick came good with two wins, both in three sets, over firstly Karly Leach, and later Brendan Alderton.
And it was Avers and Fitzpatrick who got their side home by taking the first doubles rubber against Carmichael and Alderton, getting better as they went, winning 6, 5 and 2.
For Mallee Bearings, Carmichael took two, and Alderton and Leach one. The Bearings pair of Carmichael and Leach took the second doubles, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, in a rubber which could have quite easily gone either way.
This win lifts Tankard Dental to equal first on the ladder with Fishers IGA, both teams having four wins.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 24 games to 17.
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Reece Kurrle 2, Colin Moore, Seval Fuat 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (Geoff Peters 3, Arnold Jago 2)
Fishers IGA have been the form team of late, winning their last four matches. Weightmans Packaging have not really hit consistent form yet; they took wins in the first two rounds, then lost three. In this game though, Weightmans prevailed to win, but not without some stern opposition.
The ace up Fishers’sleeve recently has been their number three Geoff Peters. Peters has been playing like a number two, winning a minimum of two games per week, and for the last two games, taking three !!
After his giant-killing performance against Pinnacle Packers last week, Peters continued on in this game with a three-game haul. First game on the table this week was Peters against Weightmans Packaging captain Reece Kurrle. Peters is a difficult opponent at the best of times, and Kurrle discovered for himself how much Peters has improved in this season. In round 1, Kurrle had a fairly straight-forward 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 win, but this time, Peters had Kurrle firmly in his sights, and attacked him relentlessly. Kurrle took the first set 11-9, Peters the second 13-11, then followed up with 11-9 in the third. Kurrle got some respite in the fourth set, taking it easily 11-3 to set it up for a winner-take-all fifth set. Peters re-set his clock and after some great play, and both players having chances to close the match, he took the set 15-13 to give his side a great start. 
Peters followed up this win with wins against Seval Fuat, also in five sets 9-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7 and then in the last round of singles a four set win over Colin Moore 11-8, 11-6, 13-15, 11-8, to level the scores at 5 all.
Well, that is enough about Geoff … he was actually on the losing side. So what else happened in this game?
Well, although he lost to Peters, Kurrle took his two other rubbers. He defeated Jeremy Corrin in three, and with the game up for grabs in the eleventh rubber, he met opposing captain Arnold Jago. Arnold started well, taking the first set 11-7, but could not keep it up, and Kurrle accelerated his play as the game went on, taking the final three sets 8, 6 and 1 to give the win to his side.
Kurrle’s team-mates Seval Fuat and Colin Moore, subbing for Kumail Jaffry, both took a singles win against Jeremy Corrin, but the difference between the teams was the doubles – Fishers IGA did not take either. Kurrle and Moore took the first against Jago and Peters in a close five setter, 11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 7-11, 11-8, and later Kurrle and Fuat, after two close sets, dominated Jago and Corrin to record a 12-10, 10-12, 11-4, 11-6 win.
A great match, highlighted by the singles play of Geoff Peters, but Weightmans holding the consistency card on this occasion.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 23 games to 21.
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Aidan Moore 3, Andrew Alderton, Peter Edwards 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Tony Malycha, Rachel Fitzpatrick 2)
These two teams sat fifth and sixth on the ladder going into this match, and with steady play, Max Miller Carpets took the four points on offer here.
Max Miller Carpets Aidan Moore, after scoring two wins for every game this season, finally took a three, downing Rachel Fitzpatrick and Glen Bell in three sets, and in a true captains game, coming from two sets to love down to defeat opposing captain Tony Malycha 7-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7.
His team-mates Andrew Alderton and Peter Edwards also defeated Bell, to put their side within a sniff of victory, and the team finished the job with wins in both doubles. Moore and Alderton in a close win over Malycha and Bell 12-10, 4-11, 14-12, 11-7, and later Moore and Edwards too good for Malycha and Fitzpatrick 11-7, 10-12, 11-3, 11-7.
For Pinnacle Packers both captain
Tony Malycha and Rachel Fitzpatrick took two wins, both against Andrew Alderton and Peter Edwards. Malycha’s wins were fairly straight-forward, both in three sets, but Rachel after losing to Aidan Moore in three sets, showed her mettle by defeating Andrew Alderton in a good five setter 15-13, 9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-5 and in the final rubber to give their team a “respectable” 7-4 loss, she outlasted Peter Edwards 11-7, 11-4, 11-13, 5-11, 11-9.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 25 games to 19.
PENNANT THREE: –
Mallee Bearings captain Paul Fitzpatrick has been absent the last two weeks on holiday, and it seems the break did him good. Leading from the front, he led the Mallee Bearings side to their first win of the season. In the other match, Pinnacle Packers joined Dunkley Scales at the head of the ladder after defeating Weightmans Packaging.
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Paul Fitzpatrick 3, Quentin Clark, Tom Morrison 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (Mick Bacon, Hamish Clark 2)
Mallee Bearings have struggled this season, and going into this match had yet to record a win.
However, on this night it all came together. Paul Fitzpatrick, returning from holidays was fresh, ready and raring to go. 
His number two Quentin Clark was playing his usual “take-no-prisoners” type of game, and with the absence of Sonya Shalliker, Tom Morrison filled the number three spot.
Fitzpatrick was in fine form. He defeated Shirley Whitecross in straight sets 2, 10, and 7, then in the next round did the same to Hamish Clark, who was subbing for Soyel Jahidi, 10, 2 and 10. In the final round of singles, with the scores at 4 all, Paul met his opposite number, Mick Bacon, and he was in such good form he cleaned him up too 6, 4 and 9.
Team-mates Clark and Morrison both defeated Whitecross and it was the doubles which decided the contest.
The first doubles contest had gone to Fishers IGA, Bacon and Hamish Clark easily defeating Fitzpatrick and Quentin Clark, 6, 7 and 2. The second doubles, therefore, was all important, and it seems the players knew it. Fitzpatrick and Morrison took the first two sets comfortably, 11-7, 11-6, but then struggled as Bacon and Whitecross lifted their game. There was not much between the two sides but the Fishers pair took the next two sets 11-9, 12-10 in what was now a close contest. However, the Mallee Bearings pair settled earlier in the final set, and took it, with relief, 11-6.
For Fishers IGA, Mick Bacon and Hamish Clark both took two wins, both against Quentin Clark and Morrison. Added to the first doubles it gave them five rubbers, but the difference in the teams was the form of Paul Fitzpatrick.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 20 games to 19.
– Pinnacle Packers 8 (Peter Mikhaeil, Cambell McKenzie 3) d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Kim Avers, John Fitzpatrick, Helen Frania 1)
Pinnacle Packers took an easy win against Weightmans Packaging who were without their captain Sabrina Fitzpatrick and number three Stephan Ljubic.
Pinnacle Packers captain Peter Mikhaeil and number two Cambell McKenzie both took maximum singles rubbers; in doing so McKenzie extended his lead on the aggregate ladder, having now 13 wins this season. His nearest pursuer, Paul Fitzpatrick has 10.
These two did not have things all their own way, however. They both conceded sets to opponents, and Mikhaeil really had his hands full when he met Kim Avers in the second round of singles. Avers, subbing for Ljubic, lost out in a very close three set contest, going down 20-18, 11-8, 11-8.
The Pinnacle Packers side took both doubles rubbers in four sets to give them an unassailable lead.
For Weightmans Packaging, as well as Kim Avers filling-in, John Fitzpatrick also filled-in, for his mother. Whilst Sabrina was home from holidays, her head was still in the Grampians, and John was called upon to fill her vacant spot. He did so with gusto, taking a set from Peter Mikhaeil, losing to McKenzie 3, 6 and 4, and then slugging it out with Tom Morrison, who was doing double duty, as he subbed for Grant Stone. John took the first set 11-7, Tom the second 11-8; things then moved up a notch for the last three sets with only a blink the difference in the scores. Fitzpatrick took the third 13-11, Morrison the fourth 11-9 and to finish a great match, Fitzpatrick took the fifth 12-10. So whilst Tom could not get a win in this game, he did play his part in the win for the Mallee Bearings game, mentioned above.
Helen Frania has quietly, that is probably not the word, improved this season. In this game she lost to aggregate leader McKenzie, but took a set from him; then held her nerve against Morrison to win in three 9, 3 and 10 and in the last round of singles, was another player to participate in a close three set match, losing to Peter Mikhaeil 9-11, 10-12, 14-16.
A big win to Pinnacle Packers, but good performances by all players.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 26 games to 14.
