Murrayfield VI

• Alex Asyunkin 3
• Charlie Ellis 3
• Ian Robertson 2

• Kirk Ollason 0
• Fan Wu 1
• Ken Cadogan 0

Team 6 kept up their title challenge with a solid victory over EI 7 (who were stronger than in the 1st meeting with the addition of the able Fan Wu).

As a cricketer*, Charlie is used to wet weather interrupting play but not in table tennis. But a leak in the roof (right over the very middle of the hall) meant that the game was interrupted by various splashes –with the table having to be dried off between each end.

While hardly getting past 2nd gear Alex secured a comfortable win over Kirk in the 1st game.  After taking the 1st end 11-2, Charlie lost the 2nd as Fan Wu’s serves caused him some difficulties. Fortunately Fan Wu was unable to maintain his form and Charlie closed out the match in 4.

Ian then played with some fluency against Ken; and frustrated his opponent with a few moments of fortune as he took the match in three close sets (11-8. 13-11, 12-10). Charlie and Alex then beat Kirk and Ken respectively-both in 3 quick sets. Ian played some fine stuff in his 2nd match but Fan Wu also found his rhythm with his FH drive loops and his explosive BH and took the match in 4.

 Alex and Charlie then cruised through the doubles and gave Murrayfield an unassailable 6-1 lead. In the final set of singles, Charlie played a bit scrappily (especially in the third game) but beat Ken in 3.
Ian and Kirk then played out the best match of the night. Ian taking the 1st two sets
before Kirk deployed his sidespin serve and took games 3 and 4 (though Ian had led it 10-6). Though Ian led the final end 5-0, Kirk pulled him back before the Murrayfield skipper took the match with an outrageous edge at 10-9  (11-8, 11-6, 6-11, 10-12, 11-9).
Alex soon found himself 1 game down to Fan Wu and switched to a more pragmatic approach and forced numerous errors from his erratic opponent-while also finding his own attacking play . Alex closing out the match in 4 sets.

The top of Div 2 is now very tight (Corstorphine 2 are now on top having beaten West Lothian III), so team 6 need to keep winning: their final two games are against WL and Cor 2. Team 6’s next games are on Sunday (yes) and Tuesday.

Match played: 27th Feb, 2010, at Murrayfield.

* on that note, if anyone knows someone looking for a cricket club in Edinburgh can you direct them to:

http://holycrosscricket.co.uk/
http://holycrosscricket.blogspot.com/
Despite the name/ location, please do not direct them to Murrayfield-DAFS Cricket club!