Team Handicap Knock Out Cup - Season 2009-2010:

The Final - Cramlington Ravens win cup

In the Northumberland Table Tennis Team Handicap competition handicaps are allocated to individual players based on their performance in the previous season. For many players their handicaps remain fairly stable over the years. However players that are improving from season to season find their handicaps are adjusted to reflect that improvement. It is particularly noticeable with younger players who often find themselves playing off a handicap based on their now surpassed previous season’s performance.

Cramlington Table Tennis Club had 16 teams in the 2009-10 competition and 4 of them consisted of 1 adult and 2 younger players who had advanced a little on their previous season’s performance. Understandably each of the teams held high hopes of doing well in the competition. However, as in any cup competition, a lot depends on the luck of the draw, and in this instance the luck ran their way as 3 of the teams, Cramlington, Dragons, Cramlington Ravens and Cramlington Cobras all advanced to the semi finals where they were joined by the B team of Northumberland Fire and Rescue, another Club with a good history of Cup performances.

In the first semi final the Dragons team of Steve Ralph, Adam Curran and Ryan Guttridge beat a North Fire B team comprising of Barry Hill, Karen Henry and Mick Bull to be followed into the final by Cramlington Ravens, Shiv Pabary, Akshay Pabary and Rahul Vadehra who beat Cramlington Cobras. Ellis Cooper, a regular Cobras team member was injured before the match and replaced by David Smith who, along with regular team members David Cooper and Dean Richardson, fell at the penultimate hurdle.

And so to the final, played on a Friday Club night at Cramlington between Ravens and Dragons.

Ravens have competed in the league with a steady squad of 4 players so the first hard decision was which three would compete in the Final. After much deliberation Debbie Dawson was the player to drop out for this round leaving Shiv Pabary,Akshay Pabary and Rahul Vadehra to face the Dragons who competed with their usual squad of Steve Ralph, Adam Curran and Ryan Guttridge.

With both players on the same handicap the first game saw Shiv Pabary face Curran in a “scratch” match which Curran won in 2 ends.

Game 2 was also a scratch game with Ryan Guttridge beating Rahul Vadehra giving Dragons a 2 -0 lead.

Akshay Pabary then reduced the lead when, with the help of an 8 point start, he beat Steve Ralph in 3 ends.

Dragons returned to their winning ways when Adam Curran beat Rahul Vadehra in 2 ends clawing back a 4 point start and looked to be in a commanding 3-1 lead.

The lead changed when Ravens took the next 3 games; Pabary S beat Ralph, Pabary A beat Guttridge and Vadehra beat Ralph.

Dragons needed the next game to put the scores to a level 4 all and Adam Curran did not disappoint beating Akshay Pabary in 2 ends.

With the score at 4 all there was only one game remaining and those watching the match were biting their finger nails. Shiv Pabary managed to claw back the 4 points start he gave to Ryan Guttridge winning the first end 21-17. Undeterred Ryan replied by taking the second end 21-12. The result of the whole match now depended on the last end of the match. Both players displayed tenacity and a close fought end was eventually won by Shiv, 21-18 making Cramlington Ravens the winners of the Northumbria Table Tennis League Team Handicap KO Cup for the 2009-2010 season.

The number of younger players competing in the league is increasing and the 4 youngsters competing in this final are testimony to the ability and increasing standards of many youngsters. Well done to all.

 

The Ravens squad for the season 2009-2010 : Left to right: Debbie Dawson, Akshay Pabary, Rahul Vadehra, and Shiv Pabary.