There was a break in the Bournemouth and District Table Tennis league programme as last week was given over to Round 1 of the Annual Times & Directory Handicap Cup competition. Of the four New Milton teams in that Round, two were eliminated from the Cup, but two progressed through to Round 2 without so much as a single racquet raised in anger.

The D team (Terry Jenvey, Norma Millward & Bob Fagan) had sailed into Round 1 because their Preliminary Round opposition had withdrawn from the competition. The Dees, who normally play in Div 2 had to travel to Southbourne to take on Merton K from Div 5, only to lose 2-7 to exit the cup. The Milton players found the handicap differentials very hard going, but Bob Fagan (pictured below) played very steadily to pick up his side’s two wins. However, the Dees live to fight another day as they go into the consolation “Plate” competition along with Preliminary Round losers the G and K teams.

The B team (Shaun Newcomb, Brian Bickell & John Millward) earned their place in Round 1 by right of conquest in the Preliminary Round, but hit the buffers against Ringwood B who are one division below them in Div 2. England veteran Brian Bickell played very cannily to pick up a hat-trick, while John Millward came up with one win, but an off-colour captain Shaun Newcomb drew a blank. It was level pegging at 4-4 when Millward came to play the decider against Ringwood’s Julian Preston, but Millward lost in two straight ends, so Milton lost 4-5.

The C and E teams captained by Malcolm Floyd and Frank Handy respectively breezed into Round 2 as their opposing teams were unable to put out teams.