NOTHING can be taken for granted in finals as the first and second placed teams have cruelly discovered when being sensationally beaten in the semi-finals of the Sunraysia Table Tennis summer pennant.
Ladder leader Weightman’s Packaging, who held first position for the duration of the 10-week season, suffered a narrow 5-6 defeat to fourth-placed Cookes Pools & Spas.
Even more remarkable was the fact their loss came about despite Weightman’s skipper Wayne Carmichael winning three singles and taking part in both doubles victories.
The Cookes trio Mark Dorman, Dylan Wood and Ed Hung were the mainstay of the upset, winning two singles each to ensure their team advanced to the grand final.
The first match of the night was a highlight when Wood was just able to shake off Weightman’s No.3 Lee Leeson in a long five-set tussle, which contained many long rallies. Wood taking the points against his experienced opponent 11-8 11-4 10-12 9-11 11-8.
The first doubles was an entertaining match with the Weightmans pair of Wayne Carmichael and Russell Walder defeating Mark Dorman and Dylan Wood 5-11 11-8 8-11 11-5 11-9.
The scores now two rubbers each.
The next block of three singles potentially shaped the victory for Cookes. Weightman’s Carmichael as expected defeated Dylan Wood in straight sets, while Cookes skipper Mark Dorman downed Lee Leeson in another three setter.
These matches were followed by Weightman’s No.2 Russell Walder up against Ed Hung, the No.3 for Cookes. Walder raced through the first game before Hung then steadied taking the second narrowly.
Both players were nervous and there were some long rallies before Hung grabbed the third in another very close game. Hung then gained the ascendancy and confidence in the fourth to go on and win 4-11 14-12 12-10 11-5 a huge result for his team.
As always the second doubles was crucial and it was the Weightmans pair of Wayne Carmichael and Lee Leeson who just kept their noses in front of Mark Dorman and Ed Hung to win in four sets. The scores now stood at four rubbers-all with three singles to be played.
Weightman’s Carmichael gave his team a 5-4 lead when he accounted for fellow leftie Dorman in three sets. Cookes No.2 Dylan Wood took to the table against Russell Walder knowing victory was his only option to keep his team alive. Wood’s form of late had been very good and he did not let his team down winning in three tight sets.
The scores now stood at five rubbers-all, two nervous players took to the table, Ed Hung for Cookes and Lee Leeson for Weightman’s. Anxious teammates watched on as Hung was able to slowly gain the ascendancy and much to the excitement of his teammates he would go on and win 12-10 11-7 12-10 taking Cookes Pools & Spas to the grand final.
For Hung this was a satisfying performance given in the previous two meetings between these two teams throughout the season he had not been able to win a singles.
The remaining semi-final featured second placed Mallee Bearings taking on third team Regional Taxation Services and what a spectacle this was.
Over the season each team scored a victory against the other, expectations were that it would be a close result.
The first block of three singles went as expected with Regional Taxation Services taking a 2-1 lead however from here Mallee Bearings took control.
Bearings pair Jackson Tung and Liam Wood played well in the first doubles downing Kate Carmichael and Thanh Nguyen 11-7 4-11 13-11 4-11 11-8 in a thriller.
The next block of three singles went as expected with Mallee Bearings winning two and going to a 4-3 lead.
RTS were now under pressure and needed the second doubles, however, the Bearings pair of Jackson Tung and Tom Morrison would keep their opponents Kate Carmichael and Jason Gifkins at bay and go on and win 12-10 11-8 11-8.
Mallee Bearings were now leading 5-3 and appeared to be grand final bound.
Knowing her team was under extreme pressure, Kate Carmichael showed great determination defeating opposing No.1 Jackson Tung 12-10 11-9 11-9, a great tussle between the second (Tung) and third placed players on the singles aggregate. Tung was the victor in their previous two matches throughout the season.
With his team still trailing 4-5, RTS No.2 Thanh Nguyen, despite injuring his back earlier in the night, proved too steady for Liam Wood winning in straight sets.
The score now stood at five rubbers all and this was now officially a thriller.
Bearings No.3 Tom Morrison and RTS No.3 Jason Gifkins then played an outstanding five-set contest, Morrison going in as slight favourite and it was he who was away taking the first game comfortably. Gifkins then took control of the match winning the next two games, teammates from both sides were now fidgety as Morrison worked his way back taking the fourth with some fine forehand winners.
Morrison placed his team in a commanding position racing to a 6-0 lead in the fifth, however, Gifkins then played his best table tennis for the season drawing closer and closer and finally reeling in Morrison at nine-all in an outstanding comeback.
The next rally went back and forward and amazingly it was Gifkins who took a match point.
Morrison had given his all, however, in one of the greatest comebacks in a final Gifkins, much to the excitement of his teammates, grabbed the winning point to score a memorable five-set victory 5-11 11-3 11-8 8-11 11-9.
The Regional Taxation Services trio of Kate Carmichael, Thanh Nguyen and Jason Gifkins in an even team performance won three, two and one singles respectively to advance to the grand final.
Victory had come for Regional Taxation Services despite not winning a doubles. For the unlucky Mallee Bearings skipper Jackson Tung won two singles as well as taking part in both doubles victories.
The grand final takes place at the Irymple Leisure Centre from 7.15pm Wednesday.
Sunraysia Table Tennis 2024 Summer Pennant results semi-finals:
PENNANT ONE:
Regional Taxation Services 6 (Kate Carmichael 3, Thanh Nguyen 2, Jason Gifkins 1) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Jackson Tung 2, Liam Wood 1);
Cookes Pools & Spas 6 (Mark Dorman, Dylan Wood, Ed Hung 2) d Weightman’s Packaging 5 (Wayne Carmichael 3):
Regional Taxation Services vs Cookes Pools & Spas in the Grand final
PENNANT TWO:
Pinnacle Packers 6 (Rasin Bhuiyan, Ryan Peterson 2, Therese Fitzpatrick 1) d Weightman’s Packaging 5 (Josh Arnold 3, Harry Gujral 1);
Mallee Meats 6 (John Fitzpatrick 3, Duy Truong 2) d Cookes Pools & Spas 4 (Ashley Morrison 2, David Sergi 1)
Mallee Meats vs Pinnacle Packers into the Grand Final
PENNANT THREE:
Mallee Meats 7 (Karly Leach 3, Curtis Crabtree, Jenny Leach 1) d Sammy’s Slammers 4 (Sam Campbell, Deegan Kerslake 2);
Dunkley Scales 6 (Koby Grace, Hayden Wilson 2) d Weightman’s Packaging 4 (Nick Kiapekos 3, Maria Starikov 1);
Mallee Meats vs Dunkley Scales in the Grand Final
