TABLE TENNISISLAND table tennis stars Lee Orton and Scott Lawson, who were part of the IW Island Games team from last year, sensationally won the Hampshire County men’s doubles title last weekend in Southampton.
No-one saw the duo as contenders and they were unseeded but after a roller-coaster ride they ended as champions.
In all their last three contests they were 2-0 down but prevailed after going the full distance of five sets.
In the quarter-finals they defeated Brian Hayes and Mick Rhodes, winning 11-8 in the fifth. In the semi-finals they defeated Trung Tran and Chris Butt, also 11-8 in the fifth set, and in the final they defeated Jonathan Evans and John McBeath, winning the fifth set 11-7.
Meanwhile, the Island table tennis leagues produced limited programmes.
In Division 1, Ryde Eagles defeated Havenstreet A 7-3.
The 2009 Island champion Alex Rorke was on view for the first time and his hat-trick largely decided the match.
Shanklin kept their title hopes very much alive with an expected 9-1 demolition of Rookley. Steve White produced their only point, defeating Julie Thorn.
In Division 2, Havenstreet B returned to winning ways thanks to the return of Dave Rendle.
He and Alan Peaker won three each against Vics C in an overall 6-4 victory.
However, Vics’ 11-9 win in the fifth set of the doubles deprived Havenstreet of maximum points.
Ryde Lions were no match for Saints A, whose strong team included John Worley and Jill Fothergill. Hat-tricks from the pair cemented a comfortable 8-2 victory.
There was a minor sensation in the 30-up competition as Ryde Ravens, in second place, were thrashed 26-4 by Saints B.
Ryde remain favourites for the runner-up medal despite this but they will need to avoid similar setbacks.
The best match of the week was between CPC Quintet and Newport Vics E, who won 16-14, after coming from 14-13 before the doubles.
Newport owed a lot to James Halliday, who won eight singles’ sets and figured in the winning doubles’ team.