Table tennis returns

SUNRAYSIA Table Tennis has returned to the Irymple Leisure Centre for round 1 of the winter pennant, despite the very warm conditions.

The return of the number one players Matt Ljubic, the 2022 and 2023 singles aggregate winner, Shannon Bowen and Arhuang Lau ensures this will be a very competitive season.

Mallee Bearings have started the season strongly with number one Lau winning three singles with teammates Mark Dorman and Tom Morrison playing their roles winning two singles and one single respectively.

Their 8-3 victory over Regional Taxation Services featured some excellent table tennis, two five set singles matches in particular stood out.

Lau had his hands full with opposing number three Jamie Kealley and this match went point for point. In the end Lau was able to break away to win in five sets 11-13 15-13, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6.

Later, Bearings number two Mark Dorman outlasted RTS number two Thanh Nguyen again in a five-set marathon. In the final match of the night Morrison for Mallee Bearings scored an impressive four set win over young gun Jamie Kealley.

Victory in both doubles in lengthy five setters by Tankard Dental proved to be the difference in their 6-5 win over Choices Flooring Mildura.

A further five set win by Tankard fill in Kevin Johns over Daniel Jansen proved to be a match winner, the experienced Johns winning 11-3, 7-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6 in a topsy turvy match.

Victory came for Tankards despite Wayne Carmichael and Liam Wood winning three and two singles respectively.

In one of the four five set matches Carmichael scored an 8-11, 11-3, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 victory in an outstanding match against niece Kate Carmichael.

In another 6-5 result Cookes Pools & Spas had trailed for most of the contest only to win three of the last four rubbers to snatch victory from Weightmans Packaging.

Victory came for Cookes despite Weightmans’ pair Shannon Bowen and Reece Kurrle winning three and two singles respectively. Cookes number two Paul Kealley played a key role in his team’s victory by winning two singles and partnering skipper Jackson Tung to defeat the talented pair of Bowen and Kurrle who had raced out to a two games to love lead.

Cookes number three Russell Walder took to the table against Lee Leeson with the match standing at five rubbers all, he narrowly took the first two games 12-10 in each, Leeson lifted to win the third before Walder fought back to take the fourth and enable his team to pick up the four points.

Sunraysia Table Tennis 2025 Winter Pennant results Round 1:

PENNANT ONE: Mallee Bearings 8 (Arhuang (Wong) Lau 3. Mark Dorman 2, Tom Morrison 1) d Regional Taxation Services 3 (Matt Ljubic 2, Thanh Nguyen 1); Tankard Dental Kate Carmichael 2, Rohan Reimers, Kevin Johns 1) d Choices Flooring Mildura 5 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Liam Wood 2); Cookes Pools & Spas 6 (Paul Kealley 2, Jackson Tung. Russell Walder 1) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Shannon Bowen 3, Reece Kurrle 2)

PENNANT TWO: Choices Flooring Mildura 6 (Ashley Morrison 3, Terry Martin 2, Andrew Jones 1) d Pinnacle Packers 5 (Marcus Cimino 2, Peter Midgley 1); Mallee Meats 7 (Jason Gifkins 3, James Jarvis 2) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (John Fitzpatrick 2, Sony Sefer, Therese Fitzpatrick 1)

PENNANT THREE: Regional Taxation Services 7 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Sam Campbell 2) d Regional Taxation Services 4 (Karly Leach, Deegan Kerslake 2, Brendon Johnson 1); Weightmans Packaging 9 (Nhat Dat, Steve Parker 3, Leo Parker 1) d Sammy’s Slammers 2 (Koby Grace 1)

PENNANT FOUR: Weightmans Packaging 7 (Glenn Leeson 3, Gary Leach, Eddie Parker 1) d Dunkley Scales 4 (Maria Starikov, Jenny Leach 2); Tankard Dental 6 (Leanne Wilson 2, Ildi Healy, Jakob Gran 1) d Mallee Meats 5 (Curtis Crabtree 3, Nathan Beard, Conner Burnett 1)