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Sunraysia Table Tennis Summer Pennant results Round 9: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Exposed Signage/Apparel 6 (Joel Thomas 3, Ed Hung, Leon Brown 1) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Gavin Carmichael, Kate Carmichael 2)
– Mallee Bearings 7 (Rick McMeekin 3, Jackson Tung 2, Michael Hogarth 1) d Tankard Dental 4 (Nicholas Dorman 2, Mark Ljubic 1)
– Fishers IGA 7 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Shane Carmichael, Graeme O’Neill 1) d Max Miller Carpets 4 (Mark Dorman, Matt Ljubic 2)
PENNANT TWO:
– Tankard Dental 9 (Arthur Paar 3, Tony Malycha, Rod Healy 2) d Pinnacle Packers Peter Midgley 2)
– Mallee Meats 7 (Ashley Morrison 3, Arnold Jago, Cambell McKenzie 1) d Bishop Builders 4 (Peter Bishop, Josh Carmichael 2)
– MJM Automotive 6 (Geoff Wright 3, Terry Martin 2, Ajay Chowdhry 1) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Reece Kurrle 2, Peter Edwards 1)
– Fishers IGA 7 (John Gray 3, Brendan Alderton 2) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Lee Thomas 2, Connor Lavery, Andrew Alderton 1)
PENNANT THREE:
– Mallee Meats 7 (Sam Hensgen, Quentin Clark 3) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Karly Leach, Huseyin Ismail, Daniel Griffiths 1)
– Tankard Dental 7 (Michael Hensgen, Claire Ljubic 3) d MJM Automotive 4 (Mick Bacon, John Fitzpatrick, Anthony Sergi 1)
– Fishers IGA 7 (Kerry Wallace 3, Ben Hosking, Joel Hogarth 1) d Dunkley Scales 4 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Kim Avers 2)
An injury plagued Fishers IGA regained top spot on the Stta ladder after Rnd 9 action. The good news is that Wayne Carmichael is moving more freely and made a statement against Mark ‘Lazzarus’ Dorman, flooring El Presidente 11-1 in the fifth. As Dormo stated after the match: ‘All I remember is we were at 1 all and then flash, nothing after that!’
PENNANT ONE:
By inflicting the first defeat on ladder leaders Weightmans Packaging in six rounds Exposed Signage/ Apparel have secured fourth place on the Sunraysia Table tennis winter pennant ladder after round nine.
– Exposed Signage/Apparel 6 (Joel Thomas 3, Ed Hung, Leon Brown 1) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Gavin Carmichael, Kate Carmichael 2)
They have opened up a two game break on fifth placed Max Miller Carpets with five rounds to play as a result of their 6-5 win. For the victors Joel Thomas won his usual three singles although Weightmans Matt Avers did extend Thomas in the first singles of the night with Thomas taking the points 11-9 14-12 6-11 11-9. The doubles were shared and Thomas’s team mate Leon Brown probably played his best table tennis of the season to support his captain. He pushed opposing number one Gavin Carmichael to four sets before defeating Matt Avers 8-11 12-10 5-11 12-10 11-6 which was a fine win given the excellent season Avers has had to date. 
Later Ed Hung also played his part for the victors when he outlasted Avers in a tense five setter 11-6 5-11 9-11 11-5 12-10. What was Ed doing standing on the table after the match.
– Fishers IGA 7 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Shane Carmichael, Graeme O’Neill 1) d Max Miller Carpets 4 (Mark Dorman, Matt Ljubic 2)
Fishers IGA returned to the top of the ladder when they accounted for Max Miller Carpets 7-4 on the grand stand court. There was some excellent table tennis in this match and the first match of the night was a beauty. Fishers Graeme O’Neill looked to cause an upset when he won the first two games against in form Matt Ljubic, Ljubic was able to grab the third narrowly and from here he did not look back as both players traded heavy looping forehands with some excellent defence. 
The final score line in Ljubic’s favour read 7-11 11-13 11-9 11-3 11-3. Ljubic again won two singles for the eighth time in nine rounds as did his skipper Mark Dorman. The inability of the Carpeters to worry the scorers in the doubles was an important factor in their loss.
For Fishers Wayne Carmichael won three singles including a five set victory over opposing skipper Mark Dorman after trailing one game to two in the eventual five setter. Carmichael’s team mates Graeme O’Neill and fill in Shane Carmichael won a singles each to assist in the Fishers win.
– Mallee Bearings 7 (Rick McMeekin 3, Jackson Tung 2, Michael Hogarth 1) d Tankard Dental 4 (Nicholas Dorman 2, Mark Ljubic 1)
Mallee Bearings again put in a consistent effort to defeat Tankard Dental 7-4 on the stage court. Rick McMeekin, Jackson Tung and Michael Hogarth won three, two and one singles respectively to grab the points and retain third position on the ladder. 
In particular Jackson Tung again played consistent table tennis to score a straight sets victory over opposing number one Mark Ljubic. His only loss was narrow when he went down to Nicholas Dorman in a lengthy five setter.
For Tankard Dental Dorman won two singles and is playing some excellent table tennis after a quiet start to the season by his standards.
PENNANT TWO:
MJM Automotive took an important win against Mallee Bearings to keep their hopes of playing in the finals alive; Ashley Morrison, in leading his team to a win against Bishop Builders, again joins Reece Kurrle at the head of the aggregate table; after two rounds away John Gray returned to lead the defeat against Weightmans Packaging, and putting Weightmans two games away from fourth spot; and in the final game Tankard Dental thrashed Pinnacle Packers and in so doing jumped Mallee Meats for third spot.
– MJM Automotive 6 (Geoff Wright 3, Terry Martin 2, Ajay Chowdhry 1) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Reece Kurrle 2, Peter Edwards 1)
Having missed four of the previous six games, MJM Automotive captain Geoff Wright returned with a cameo performance. Playing his best table-tennis for some time, Wright defeated ladder leader Reece Kurrle in the first round of singles in four sets, and followed up with a further two: against Geoff Peters and Peter Edwards.
Terry Martin, who has also missed the last couple of weeks, returned refreshed, and contributed two rubbers to the tally. Martin defeated Peter Edwards easily, but he too, had to play at his best against the awkward Geoff Peters to win 16-14, 7-11, 14-12, 11-8.
Ajay Chowdhry, playing at number three for MJM Automotive, got the vital sixth rubber, with a win over Geoff Peters.
Mallee Bearings were on the back foot all night. After the first round of singles, they found themselves three rubbers to nil down, and it was not until the completion of the second doubles that they could level, at four all. By then, much of the damage had been done, Kurrle had already lost to opposite number Wright, and in the final round of singles, his number two and three were drawn to play against the opposition’s number two and one.
It was however, the doubles which kept Mallee Bearings in the game. Kurrle and Peters took a “not-so-very-close” first doubles 3-11, 11-3, 4-11, 11-6, 11-3, and later Kurrle and Edwards proved steadier than Wright and Chowdhry, winning 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-6.
Mallee Bearings captain Reece Kurrle will be hoping that his number two Andrew Jones does not miss too many more matches. Jones has scored a minimum of two games, and twice three, since coming into the competition.
Although they are two games away from fourth on the ladder, the win for MJM Automotive sees them jump Weightmans Packaging for fifth spot.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 24 games to 19.
– Mallee Meats 7 (Ashley Morrison 3, Arnold Jago, Cambell McKenzie 1) d Bishop Builders 4 (Peter Bishop, Josh Carmichael 2)
Ashley Morrison led Mallee Meats to a solid 7-4 win in this clash with Bishop Builders, and in so doing joined Reece Kurrle at the top of the aggregate once again.
Morrison dropped the first set to Peter Bishop in the clash of the captains 6-11, but was never in trouble after a close 12-10 second, taking the third and fourth 7 and 7.
Thereafter, he easily defeated Jeremy Corrin in three, and had to concentrate against Josh Carmichael in the final round of singles. 
Carmichael was playing well, and looking for his third win, having earlier accounted for Cambell McKenzie in four sets, and Arnold Jago in a close five set contest. Morrison was up to the task though, winning 11-4, 8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7 to ensure it was he and not Carmichael who earned three wins.
Jago and McKenzie took one singles each, against Corrin, and it was the doubles which gave Mallee Meats their win. Morrison and Jago dropped the first set 4-11 to Bishop and Carmichael, but then took the next three 13-11, 11-9, 11-7. Later Morrison and McKenzie led two sets to love against Bishop and Corrin, but had to wait until the fifth set scoreline of 12-10 to claim victory.
For Bishop Builders, Peter Bishop and Josh Carmichael both defeated Jago and McKenzie to take four rubbers.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 25 games to 19.
– Fishers IGA 7 (John Gray 3, Brendan Alderton 2) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Lee Thomas 2, Connor Lavery, Andrew Alderton 1)
Fishers IGA continued on their winning way in this round; 
John Gray returning with a three game haul, backed up by the ever-improving Brendan Alderton who, once again played a solid game, picking up two wins.
These two set their side up for the win, Seval Fuat having a quiet night, being bested by all the Weightmans Packaging players. Fuat, did however help win the first doubles. After leading 11-7, 11-6, the Fishers IGA pair almost let the game slip, as Lee Thomas and Connor Lavery took the next two sets 9 and 9. Gray and Fuat reasserted themselves in the fifth, to win 11-6. The second doubles was much closer, and no side had the ascendency during the game. Gray and Alderton prevailed, though against Thomas and Andrew Alderton, winning 11-5, 10-12, 11-8, 11-13, 11-9.
The pickings for Weightmans Packaging were indeed lean. Weightmans captain Lee Thomas, after straightforward three set wins against Fuat and Brendan Alderton, fell to Gray in four. And her teammates Connor Lavery and Andrew Alderton, could not make much impression, only defeat Fuat. With this loss, Weightmans are jumped on percentage by MJM Automotive for fifth spot.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 24 games to 22.
– Tankard Dental 9 (Arthur Paar 3, Tony Malycha, Rod Healy 2) d Pinnacle Packers Peter Midgley 2)
A big win by Tankard Dental saw them jump Mallee Meats for third spot on percentage.
In an indication of their depth of talent, Tankard Dental won four of the five, five set contests.
Arthur Paar had a welcome return to form with a three game haul, his defeat of opposing captain Peter Midgley coming at 11-9 in the fifth.
Paar’s teammates Tony Malycha and Rod Healy took two wins each, Malycha in five and four sets against Ross Humphreys and Peter Fitzpatrick and Healy conceding only 15 points to Humphreys and 9 to Fitzpatrick in his two, three set wins.
And Tankard Dental stuck to the task better than their opposition in the doubles too: Paar and Malycha led Midgley and Humphreys two sets to love, but needed five to win; similarly Paar and Healy led two sets to love, and they also needed the full five sets to claim victory.
Only Peter Midgley stopped a whitewash; he defeated Malycha and Healy. His win against Healy in the ninth rubber was straightforward, but earlier he was lucky to get away with a win against Malycha. After two sets Midgley led 11-7, 11-7, and seemed to have the game in his control, however, Malycha upped his game to level at two sets all. The fifth set was close, and Midgley had to come from behind to take it 11-9. Both players knew how close Malycha had been to an upset win.
Final scores: 9 rubbers to 2 and 29 games to 16.
PENNANT THREE:
This week, Mallee Meats resumed normal operations with three wins apiece for Sam Hensgen and Quintin Clark; in the second match Tankard Dental broke their duck for the season, and could still make the finals, and in game three Fishers defeated Dunkley Scales to make it a three-way tussle for second spot.
– Mallee Meats 7 (Sam Hensgen, Quentin Clark 3) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Karly Leach, Huseyin Ismail, Daniel Griffiths 1)
The Mallee Meats pair of Sam Hensgen and Quentin Clark dominated this match, each taking three singles wins, and pairing in the doubles to notch up seven rubbers against Weightmans Packaging.
Hensgen was the better performer of the duo, defeating Daniel Griffiths in three sets, Huseyin Ismail also in three, and finally Karly Leach in four. 
Clark needed five, three and four sets respectively to record his wins.
Their win in the first doubles was also in four sets, but it was a fairly close 11-8, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8 result.
For Weightmans, Daniel Griffiths was the most impressive in taking aggregate leader Clark to five sets. The two traded sets to two all, and Clark needed a little luck to get the fifth, coming at 15-13.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 22 games to 17.
– Tankard Dental 7 (Michael Hensgen, Claire Ljubic 3) d MJM Automotive 4 (Mick Bacon, John Fitzpatrick, Anthony Sergi 1)
With the late inclusion of Claire Ljubic into this Tankard Dental team, it was a case of when their first win would come. And the “when” came in this round, against MJM Automotive.
Ljubic and her captain 
Michael Hensgen took three wins apiece, and, as in the Mallee Meats-Weightmans Packaging game, they teamed together in the doubles for another win.
Last week, MJM Automotive’s John Fitzpatrick filled-in in the game against Tankard’s, and took three wins; this week he could only take a win against Andrew Edwards. Both Hensgen and Ljubic had Fitzpatrick’s measure in this contest, downing him in four sets.
The MJM squad were looking for the win here to keep in touch with Mallee Meats, and also to break away from Dunkley Scales and Fishers IGA. However, with their loss here, and a win by Fishers IGA, although they retain second spot for now, puts them equal on five wins and in a three-way contest for second spot.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 21 games to 18.
– Fishers IGA 7 (Kerry Wallace 3, Ben Hosking, Joel Hogarth 1) d Dunkley Scales 4 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Kim Avers 2)
Fishers IGA kept their finals aspirations alive in this round, showing Dunkley Scales they might yet be the team to beat for the flag this year.
This is Fishers third win in a row, and also Dunkley Scales third loss in a row.
Fishers IGA captain Kerry Wallace led the way, taking three singles wins, and joining with her team-mates in victories in both doubles contests. Of those five rubbers, four were over in just three sets, the only one to go beyond that, was with Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Kerry winning in five. To go with her wins, Ben Hosking and Joel Hogarth defeated Dunkley Scales Shirley Whitecross, giving the team a 7-4 victory.
For Dunkley Scales, 
only Sabrina Fitzpatrick and Kim Avers could score, both defeating Hosking and Hogarth.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 22 games to 17.
