29/03/10

Burnham & District Table Tennis League Tournament Preview

15/03/2010     

Saturday

Thanks to the great support the order of events has been changed around somewhat but I will start my predictions with a look at the junior events. In the cadets singles I expect to see the top two seeds, Matthew Carter (Woodham) and Ryan Sanderson (Maldon) to meet in the final and would expect Ryan to come out on top due to his greater experience of league table tennis. The junior boys singles should end up being contested by the top two seeds Mark Richardson (Woodham) and Jack Cranfield (Woodham) who are the top two seeds. The junior doubles looks a little more open but I would expect that top seeds Jack Cranfield and Matt Carter should prevail.

The Fambridge trophy looks quite open this year with the top four seeds, Mike Burton (Woodham), Jack Cranfield, Roy Davis (Woodham), and Dawn Baldry (Maldon) all having a reasonable shot at it and I feel that Mitch Davies (Woodham) who was last years beaten finalist could get their again but I think that young Jack Cranfield could hit his way to victory. The restricted singles (division 2 players down) has the ever reliable veteran Tom Elder (Maldon) who is always good in tournaments as the number one seed but the improving Graham Briggs (Woodham) seeded two should push him all the way and has Tom got the stamina to allow his tremendous individual talent to come out on top. Other players to watch will be the always reliable, steady evergreen Dave Goody (Stow Maries) and Peter Chasmer (Woodham) with his solid all-round defence and young Lee McHugh (Woodham) seeded six is capable of causing an upset or two.

The under 25 singles should be a straight forward contest between the top two seeds Graham Briggs  and Lee McHugh with Graham probably having the edge.

The mixed open singles which features all players except the mens seeds looks a very competitive event this year, the top half of the draw looks particularly tough with Charles Sweeney (Mapledene), Hamish Innes (Maldon), Eric Green (Stow Maries), Gary Baker (Mapledene) and Babul McLeod (Mapledene) who would all fancy their chances in this event just in the one half of the draw. If pressed I would make Charles Sweeney favourite to progress to the final from this half of the draw. The bottom half is a little less crammed with talent and should be contested by John Cleasby (Maldon) the holder whose fast attacking type of play is well suited to the conditions along with Glenn Johnson (Mapledene) and relative youngster Peter Mynard (Fambridge). I have a feeling that Glenn Johnson will come through and meet Charles Sweeney in the final but am not in the least confident of that prediction.

The Saturday play is wrapped up by the handicap singles and doubles events which are impossible to predict with any certainty suffice it to say that the winner of the singles will be a player who does well in another event and is having a good day. There are a few pairs to watch out for in the doubles and remarkably, with pairs being drawn, last years winners Nigel Lamb (Mapledene) and John Mundy (Maldon) have been drawn together again but last year was their ultimate good luck year and I doubt it will happen again. Pairs that I would like to give the kiss of death by saying look good are Glen Johnson and Val Board (Fambridge), John Knights (Stow Maries) and Graham Briggs, Trevor Carter (Stow Maries) and John Fell (Maldon U3A).

Sunday

The mixed doubles has a good entry this year but you have to fancy number one seeds and holders Stuart Gibbs and Lin Attridge (both Mapledene) although number four seeds Jean Chasmer (Woodham) and Duncan Taylor (Mapledene) could be dangerous and the unseeded Ken James and Shirley Carroll (both Maldon) have played together more than most pairs and could cause an upset.

Lin Attridge will start as favourite for the ladies singles but it would not surprise me if the unseeded Jean Chasmer who saves her best often reliable effort for tournaments were to progress to the final. The only possible surprise in the ladies doubles would be if the top seeds Lin Attridge and Val Board did not meet second seeds Jean Chasmer and Shirley Carroll in the final.

The over 50’s singles event has Peter Ballard (Fambridge) with his good old defence seeded to meet the fast attacking reliable tactics of Dave Bowles (Mapledene) in the final and whilst I cannot argue with the seeding with holder Eric Green only seeded at number eight it shows the quality that is in this field.

The veterans singles (over 40’s) quality is such that the top four seeds are exactly the same as the top four seeds in the mens singles, they are 1 Marko Jovic (Fambridge), 2 Stuart Gibbs (Mapledene), 3 Peter Ballard , 4 George Reeves (Mapledene). George faces the most difficult path through as he should meet Dave Bowles at the quarter final stage which should be an interesting encounter. I really cannot see the winner coming from outside of the players mentioned above.

The veterans doubles event sees Dave Bowles and Glen Johnson seeded to meet George Reeves and Gary Baker (Mapledene) in the final but they will be pushed all the way by Stuart Gibbs and Bill Smith (Mapledene) seeded at three and John Cleasby and Dave Bassett (Maldon) seeded four although I like the look of the number six seeds Eric Green and Babul McLeod as a good outside bet.

The mens doubles should be another well contested event with the lean attacking machine that is Dave Bowles and George Reeves the number one seeds with Mindus Sinkus (Mapledene) and Duncan Taylor seeded at two and Kevin Read (Mapledene) and Andrew Halling (Mapledene) seeded at three although I think that number five seeds Charles Sweeney and Lee Prentice (Mapledene) could pose a threat to everyone.

So to the main event, the mens singles which starts off the day with the group stages which have the potential to throw up some upsets from the start in fact the entry is so large that we have eight pre qualifying groups just to get into the main groups! Joining the top seeds mentioned above the remaining seeds are Kevin Read, Duncan Taylor, Dave Bowles, Mindus Sinkus. All of the groups look competitive with two qualifiers from each but fourth seed George Reeves looks to have a really tough group with Charles Sweeney and Glen Johnson likely to be joined by Bill Smith. I would expect all of the seeds to make it through to the last sixteen but would not be surprised to see one or two fall at that stage. Given that he has been out injured for a while I really fear for holder and number one seed Marko Jovic and whilst he may get into the last eight cannot see him getting past Mindus Sinkus. Which I think could open the door for the winner of the scheduled quarter final between George Reeves and Kevin Read favourite to reach the final and I have a sneaking feeling that this could be Kevin’s year. Whilst number two seed Stuart Gibbs should reach the final he will have to get past either Peter Ballard or Duncan Taylor to do so assuming he can defeat Dave Bowles at the quarter final stage. The quality of this event is certainly the highest it has been for many years and I am this will be reflected in the quality of all matches at the knockout stage where I do not expect to see many straight set wins.

If I have predicted that you will do well please do not let me down, it will be your own failing not my curse!