News & Views from the Colchester Table Tennis League
with Press Officer Martyn Green

5th September-2007
Division One Title Race Wide Open

Reigning Colchester & District League Champions H20 Rowhedge A will have their work cut out if they are to regain their title for the fifth consecutive season. Without their captain Steve Edmunds they are also unlikely to see much of their talisman Rik James and with last season’s top player Dave Cole spreading his services between three different leagues Kevin Gowlett has stepped up to the A team along with last season’s ever-present Greg Green and new addition to the squad Kate Wadling. With last year’s runners-up Britannia pulling out of the league their main competition will come from Rayne and their own B and C teams. In a new look younger B team there will be a welcome return for Anthony Greenwood, five time Colchester Junior Champion who will split his time with University studies along with Michael Andrews and current Junior Champion Mike Shore . The C team will now feature stalwarts John Andrews and Dave Moss and much will depend on all three Rowhedge teams having regular availability. Rayne are the danger men with Steve Kerns returning from injury having only played a handful of games last season he could make the difference if he plays regularly, ably supported by a plethora of top Braintree players totalling thirteen which must be a record for one team! Watch out for the two Walton teams, who if they put out the players they have registered are well capable of winning the title for the first time. There could be returns from ex-Colchester Junior Champions Ian Vine and Colin Stallwood as well as veteran Fred Dove for the A team. Walton B boasts former Men’s and Junior Champion Lawrence Rutter and Peter Burrows who both last competed in Colchester over twenty years ago! St Mary’s now have two teams in Division One and opposing captains should note their B team are an addition to the handbook, swapping places with their A team, who take the vacant position in the schedule.

Walton C should have few problems in winning Division Two again with their strong squad that saw the four of them top the Divisional averages last time out. H20 Rowhedge have two teams capable of promotion with Lawrence Wilcox and Jon Ward making the step up from Division Three.

The three Pegasus teams look strong in Division Three although they may have spread their resources too liberally whilst in Division Four CRGS A start as favourites to make a swift return to Division Three providing they can get three players to turn out on a regular basis!

This promises to be a very competitive season and any youngsters interested in playing or being coached should contact Alan Burgess on 01206 843106.

All of these details plus much more information about Table Tennis in Colchester can be found at colchestertabletennis.org.uk