0
0
Sunraysia Table Tennis Summer Pennant results Round 8: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Dunkley Scales 7 (Ed Hung 3, Matt Ljubic 2) D Tankard Dental 4 (Kate Carmichael 2, Nicholas Dorman, Cole Keegan 1)
– Mallee Bearings 10 (Kevin Johns, Mark Ljubic 3, Leon Brown 2) d Fishers IGA 1 (Andrew Cannard 1)
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Rick McMeekin 3, Graeme O’Neill 2) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Gavin Carmichael 2, Peter Fitzpatrick, Bernadette Fitzpatrick 1)
PENNANT TWO:
– Tankard Dental 6 (Matt Avers 3, Brian Hosking 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (Geoff Peters, Arnold Jago 2, Jeremy Corrin 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Colin Moore, Reece Kurrle 3) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Andrew Alderton, Peter Edwards 1)
– Mallee Bearings 9 (Cambell McKenzie 3, Matthew Burns, Brendan Alderton 2) d Pinnacle Packers 2 (Tony Malycha 2)
PENNANT THREE:
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 3, Helen Frania 2 Stephan Ljubic 1) d Fishers IGA 4 (Mick Bacon 2, Hamish Clark 1)
– Dunkley Scales 7 (Ajay Chowdhry 3, John Fitzpatrick 2, Kim Avers 1) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Paul Fitzpatrick 2, Quentin Clark 1)
Mark ‘Show me the Money’ Ljubic has hit career best form and has a Premiership dream on his mind. Not having won a P1 title since 1993 has Mark hungry for the ultimate prize and with a 10-1 trouncing of ladder leaders Fishers IGA, Mallee Bearings have thrown down the gauntlet to the challengers.
PENNANT ONE:
The big winners in round eight of the Sunraysia Table Tennis summer pennant were Mallee Bearings who defeated ladder leaders Fishers IGA ten rubbers to one on the stage court. This win allowed Mallee Bearings to leap from fifth to third with two rounds to play. The percentage gained from this thumping victory was virtually worth another four points in what is a close competition.
Only two wins separate first to sixth position on the ladder and mathematically all sides have an opportunity still to play finals.
– Mallee Bearings 10 (Kevin Johns, Mark Ljubic 3, Leon Brown 2) d Fishers IGA 1 (Andrew Cannard 1)
Going into this round Fishers leading player Wayne Carmichael was out of the team and replaced by Andrew Cannard who was undefeated in the matches he had played in this competition. Mallee Bearings however, as they have done on a couple of occasions clicked and were unstoppable with Mark Ljubic and Kevin Johns both winning three singles while team mate Leon Brown enjoyed his best night for the season and against the ladder leaders won two singles for the first time.
Mark Ljubic has hit a purple patch and over the past five rounds he has only dropped one singles, he now sits equal second in the singles aggregate two wins behind Rick McMeekin. With two rounds to play he is still an outside chance to catch McMeekin given they play each other in the final round.
Ljubic’s team mate Kevin Johns is also displaying good form having won three singles on two occasions over the past four rounds. His match against fill in Andrew Cannard was an excellent result for Johns as Cannard has been putting in solid training sessions over the past few months under the watchful eye of mentor Darren “Hurricane” Robinson. Johns was at his best in this match and needed to be, his 14-12 4-11 11-6 5-11 11-3 victory was very meritable indeed.
A win next round would cement a finals spot for Mallee Bearings and if they can maintain this form they will be a handful for any team.
– Dunkley Scales 7 (Ed Hung 3, Matt Ljubic 2) D Tankard Dental 4 (Kate Carmichael 2, Nicholas Dorman, Cole Keegan 1)
On the grand stand court 
Ed Hung played inspiring table tennis for Dunkley’s Scales and by winning three singles for the first time in pennant one his team proved too strong for the Gen Y Tankard Dental combination winning 7-4.
With this victory Dunkley’s moved from the bottom of the ladder by percentage and now have given themselves a real chance of playing finals. Hung disposed of opposing number one Nicholas Dorman in four sets, the second time in this competition he has defeated young Dorman and later defeated a brave Cole Keegan in five sets by the barest margin. In his final match he accounted for Kate Carmichael 11-7 11-9 6-11 8-11 11-7 to cap off a great night.
Hung has had a consistent season and when he and Matt Ljubic combined in the first doubles to defeat Dorman and Kate Carmichael, Dunkley’s had set themselves up for their most decisive win of the season.
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Rick McMeekin 3, Graeme O’Neill 2) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Gavin Carmichael 2, Peter Fitzpatrick, Bernadette Fitzpatrick 1)
On centre court, Max Miller Carpets held on to second position when they accounted for Weightmans Packaging 6-5.
Rick McMeekin continued his fine season winning three singles. When he defeated Gavin Carmichael in four sets he opened up a two win break in the singles aggregate and will be hard to catch even though he plays Wayne Carmichael this round.
McMeekin received excellent support from Graeme O’Neill who has had an indifferent season however in this match he won two singles and helped to give his team an early advantage when he teamed with Rick McMeekin to win the first doubles against Gavin Carmichael and Bernadette Fitzpatrick 11-8 14-12 11-9.
This loss by Weightmans, saw them drop from third position to sixth on the ladder, and with a tough draw with two rounds remaining are in danger of missing the four.
An interesting two weeks are ahead as the final four takes shape. The first week of finals will see team one versus team four and team two match up against team three on the ladder.
PENNANT TWO: –
Teams first and second on the ladder played this week; also teams third and fourth, and fifth and sixth. The result was Tankard Dental remain a game clear on top, Fishers IGA drop to third, jumped by Weightmans Packaging after their defeat of Max Miller Carpets. In the third game, Mallee Bearings defeated Pinnacle Packers, but remain a game away from fourth spot.
– Tankard Dental 6 (Matt Avers 3, Brian Hosking 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (Geoff Peters, Arnold Jago 2, Jeremy Corrin 1)
Tankard Dental took this win on the back of a great night’s play from captain Matt Avers, with a supporting role from Brian Hosking.
Avers continues his great form, taking three singles wins once again, and on this night, helping his team-mates to wins in both doubles.
Avers dropped the first set to Jeremy Corrin 9-11, but hit back in the next three 4, 3 and 9 to finish Corrin off quickly. Matt had a struggle with Arnold Jago, though. Arnold was feeling the heat, and slowed the game down, and in doing so forced the game to five sets, only losing out in the fifth 7-11. 
Avers’s final game against Geoff Peters was, as usual, difficult. There was not much between the two, with Avers taking a tight match 12-10, 11-8, 11-13, 11-9.
The doubles both fell to the Tankard Dental side; Avers and Peter Fitzpatrick, surprisingly downing Jago and Peters in straight sets 9, 3 and 5. The second doubles was closer, but was over in four sets. Avers and Hosking downing Jago and Corrin 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8 to make the score five rubbers to three, and have Tankards in sight of victory.
The sixth rubbers came from Brian Hosking; taking an important win over Jeremy Corrin. After losing the first set 4-11, Brian hit a “purple patch” and could do nothing wrong. He took the next three sets 8, 8 and 9.
Fishers IGA played well, but it was probably the doubles which cost them. Had they taken one doubles, the win would have been theirs.
All the Fishers team defeated Peter Fitzpatrick, and Peters and Jago also took the scalp of Brian Hosking to give them five rubbers – just one short.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 26 games to 21.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Colin Moore, Reece Kurrle 3) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Andrew Alderton, Peter Edwards 1)
This match became a game of two versus two, both sides with an absent player, not able to be replaced.
The result was an easy win to Weightmans. Reece Kurrle defeated Andrew Alderton in three sets 5, 8 and 3, and then Peter Edwards in four. After taking the first set to love, Edwards surprised Kurrle when he took the second 11-6. Kurrle regained control in the next two, taking them 7 and 3.
Colin Moore took both his wins in four sets: 9-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-8 against Edwards, and 11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7 over Andrew Alderton.
The doubles mirrored the singles, Kurrle and Moore much too good for the Max Miller Carpets pair. The won in straight sets 4, 6 and 5.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 2 and 21 games to 8.
– Mallee Bearings 9 (Cambell McKenzie 3, Matthew Burns, Brendan Alderton 2) d Pinnacle Packers 2 (Tony Malycha 2)
Mallee Bearings had two of their regular team members missing for this match, but their replacements helped them to their best win of the season.
Matt Burns and Cambell McKenzie played for the absent Josh Carmichael and Karly Leach, and helped themselves to five of a possible six singles rubbers.
Burns, who has not played since the Winter Pennant Grand Final in August, took a little while to find his range, and while he was doing that, his opposite number Tony Malycha took their match. Tony easily took the first 11-2, Matt worked hard to take the second 11-8, and from then on it was even stevens, and Tony got the break in the next two sets to take them 11-9, 15-13. Matt’s wins were against Rachel Fitzpatrick, in straight sets, and Lachlan Kelly in a close four setter 11-8, 11-5, 10-12, 11-9.
Good as Burns’ play was, he was upstaged by Cambell McKenzie. 
McKenzie, up from Pennant Three, was too good for the Pinnacle Packers team. He defeated Fitzpatrick in four sets, Kelly in four sets also, and was way too good for Tony Malycha, winning easily 7, 5 and 7.
Brendan Alderton scored two wins, both in five sets; after getting off to a great start against Lachlan Kelly 11-6, 11-3, Kelly took the game up to his opponent, taking the next two 12-10, 12-10. Alderton overpowered his opponent in the fifth, taking it 11-3. Later, Brendan came from two sets to one down against Fitzpatrick to take that one 10-12, 11-8, 10-12, 11-6, 11-7.
Both doubles went to the victors – Alderton and McKenzie just outlasting Malycha and Kelly 7-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10 in the first, and in the second, Alderton and Burns far too good for Malycha and Fitzpatrick, winning 6, 2 and 8.
Only Tony Malycha could stop the onslaught against his team – he took two four set wins against Matt Burns 11-2, 8-11, 11-9, 15-13 and also an easier one against Alderton 11-6, 9-11, 11-2, 11-8.
A disappointing game for Pinnacle Packers, but a great percentage booster for Mallee Bearings.
Final scores: 9 rubbers to 2 and 29 games to 15.
PENNANT THREE: –
Pinnacle Packers had the bye this week, and with a win against Mallee Bearings, Dunkley Scales joined them at the head of the ladder. In the other game, Weightmans Packaging took their third win and in so doing jumped Fishers IGA for third spot.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 3, Helen Frania 2 Stephan Ljubic 1) d Fishers IGA 4 (Mick Bacon 2, Hamish Clark 1)
Weightmans Packaging defeated Fishers IGA for their third win, a result which sees them take third spot on the ladder from their opponents here, Fishers IGA.
Weightmans captain, 
Sabrina Fitzpatrick, took three wins, and really had her team working: Helen Frania helped with two wins, and Stephan Ljubic also got one.
Sabrina accounted for Hamish Clark in four sets, next against Tomas Hawkes, she won in three, and in the final round, against opposing captain, Mick Bacon, she won again in four sets.
Helen Frania continues to impress: she defeated Tom Hawkes and Hamish Clark in three and four sets respectively, and after taking the first sets against Mick Bacon, lost to Mick in five.
Stephan Ljubic’s win was against Hawkes in an entertaining three setter.
For Fishers IGA, captain Mick Bacon, after losing to Fitzpatrick, took his other two singles matches, and Hamish Clark had a great match against Stephan Ljubic for his one rubber. Clark took the first two sets 11-3, 11-4, but Ljubic was not giving in easily. Ljubic put his head down to take the next two sets 12-10, 11-7 to take the match to the fifth set. The game was close, and Clark got the better of his opponent to take the set 11-9.
The doubles were shared between the teams, and both were good contests.
In the first doubles, Bacon and Clark took the first set, but then dropped the next two against Fitzpatrick and Frania, and had to work hard to take the match to five sets, eventually winning 11-4, 8-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9. The second match went to the Weightmans pairing of Fitzpatrick and Ljubic. After taking two hard fought sets 12-10, 11-8, they dropped the next two 7-11, 6-11, but got their second wind in the fifth set, charging through their opponents 11-3.
With only two rounds to go, Weightmans Packaging seem assured of a spot in the finals, while their opponents Fishers IGA, will be fighting with Mallee Bearings for the fourth spot.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 27gams to 17.
– Dunkley Scales 7 (Ajay Chowdhry 3, John Fitzpatrick 2, Kim Avers 1) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Paul Fitzpatrick 2, Quentin Clark 1)
Dunkley Scales played bottom side Mallee Bearings in this round, and a solid team performance saw them take the win.
Dunkley Scales captain Ajay Chowdhry for the fourth time this season took three wins and sees him sitting joint second on the aggregate table.
Chowdhry really had to work for his results, though. Chowdhry had to overcome a tenacious Quentin Clark in his first match, and needed five sets to get his 8-11, 15-13, 11-2, 12-14, 11-6 result. He had an easier time of it against Ben Hosking, who was a bit match-shy, to win 11-0, 13-11, 11-7. His final match against Paul Fitzpatrick also went to the wire. After taking the first two sets 11-7, 11-7, Chowdhry had a match on his hands after Fitzpatrick took the next two 11-9, 11-7. The game was up for grabs in the final set, and Chowdhry was lucky to get home 12-10 to secure his third win.
Chowdhry has a good lieutenant in John Fitzpatrick;
John taking two wins in this game – a four set win over Hosking 11-7, 8-11, 11-3, 11-9 and a great five set game against Quentin Clark 17-15, 18-16, 9-11, 6-11, 11-9. In between these two games he had lost to brother Paul in four sets.
Kim Avers chipped in with a win, defeating Hosking.
The final rubber for Dunkley came in the second doubles; Chowdhry and Avers too good for Paul Fitzpatrick and Hosking, taking the win 11-5, 4-11, 11-7, 11-7.
For Mallee Bearings, Paul Fitzpatrick took two – a straight sets win over Avers, and his four set win over brother John. Quentin Clark, with five set losses to Chowdhry and John Fitzpatrick, stuck to his game plan with a five set win over Kim Avers 7-11, 11-4, 13-11, 6-11, 11-4.
Paul and Quentin took the first doubles to make four rubbers; defeating Chowdhry and John Fitzpatrick in straight sets 8, 5 and 9.
Once again, Mallee Bearings lost, and once again they put up a great fight. Although losing seven rubbers to four, the game score was very close.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 23 games to 21.
