A NEW Basingstoke and District Table Tennis League season opened with a high standard in each of the three divisions.
In Queens C's 6-4 win over KG D in division three, the star of the match was veteran George Hellans, who won all his three matches, but he had to work hard for it.
He started the evening with a 12-10 win in a decisive fifth set win over Mike Wood and then beat Dave Partridge 11-8 in the fifth. Hellans then showed his stamina with an 11-8 win in the fifth set over Phil Ware.
KG D fought valiantly with Partridge and Ware each enjoying success over Dave White and Ron Cleave, who was on his first outing for Queens.
The clash between Oakley B and Coaching Tigers ended in a 5-5 draw. Captain Ian Short, returning to the league after a long time out, was untroubled and his son Robert Short and Tom Vince recorded a win over league rookie Ivan Jewell but neither had any joy against debutant Doug Adams.
Lorraine Watkins showed her experience as she led the way for Queens D, winning all her three matches but she could not prevent a 7-3 team loss. Graham Quinn, Patrick Garlick and Sue Tompsett all hit braces but all found Watkins in top form.
In division one, the game of the week was Winklebury's narrow 6-4 win over Cannons but it was Paul Rattue, Cannons star and last season's men's championship finalist, who shone. Rattue recorded a fine treble, sealed with a five-set win over Malcolm Cummins. Terry White got the scalp of Pete Bradley but Cummins and Colin Wilkes hit two each for the victory.
The old Centerprise team, champions for the last two years, have now adopted the name of their new sponsors, local print company FM Print. Eager to impress in their first match under the new sponsorship deal, they swept aside KG 10-0, with captain Dave Salisbury achieving a rare straight-games maximum.
Last season's runners-up St Peter's started off their search for a first-ever division one title with a 9-1 win over Hannington A. John Cosgrove picked up the losers' point with a three-set win over James Wright. Wright earlier staged a great comeback to defeat Johnny Ahlan 12-10 in the fifth set.
In division two, last season's division three winners Oakley A enjoyed an 8-2 win over Hannington B. The team were led by Chaz Smith and Sarah Whithorn, who each recorded fine trebles. Smith was untroubled and Whithorn sealed her maximum with a five-set win over George Freeman.
Charlie Smith started the evening with a 12-10 win in the fifth set over Freeman but fell in four sets to Avril Waters.
Pre-season favourites Labour A got off to a flyer with a 9-1 win over last year's champions Queens B.
However, the Queens side are without the experienced George White, who has signed on for Hannington A in division one. The Labour side of Keith Dickenson, Paul Robinson and Colin Chapman were all individually unbeaten, with Mike Chamberlain and Nigel Cooper teaming up to take the consolation point in the doubles.
George Hellans was the toughest person to beat, taking both Robinson and Chapman to five sets.
St Peter's B had a dismal start to the campaign with a 9-1 loss to KG B, despite Richard Faulkner winning the first contest of the evening by beating Duncan Sibbick in four sets. Roger Bielby and new boy Tony Amies were the stars for KG, each recording trebles.
New boys in division three, Time and Precision, were awarded 10 points after AWE failed to raise a team.
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