Two players endorsed last week by Egyptian coach Mohamed Gharib gave further evidence of their immense talent as the Division 2 table tennis competition continued at the Table Tennis Centre, Nursery Drive, on Tuesday night.
Russell Maxwell and Anthonette Riley impressed in their respective matches, though with varying results.
Maxwell, a 14-year-old student at the Garrison Secondary School, created a scare in Barbados Light & Power’s (BL&P) camp when he pushed veteran player Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic to five games in an intense, entertaining battle.
Bostic used his experience and guile to fashion a narrow 3-2 win after dropping the first two games.
Bostic won 5-11, 6-11, 11-6, 17-15, 11-9, but many fans amongst the sizeable crowd, were taken aback by the manner in which Maxwell was able to apply pressure to such a solid player as Bostic.
Bostic’s teammate Ricardo John beat Shaquille Branch 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 and Stavro Bowen won his match by default as BL&P secured the fixture against Fast Loopers ‘B’ 3-0.
Riley was instrumental in her side’s impressive 3-1 win over Fast Loopers ‘A’ though she did not have everything her way.
The 13-year old Combermere student lost in straight games to Xavier Duncan as the Loopers levelled the score 1-1 following Philip Tull’s hard fought win over Nicholas DeGannes 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7.
Peter ‘German” Riley then put on one of his most disciplined performances in recent seasons to topple the hard working Nicole Alleyne 11-3, 11-8, 11-6.
Alleyne is a tough competitor full of self belief and though she succumbed to Riley in straight games, the right- handed attacking player fought it out to the end.
Anthonette Riley and DeGannes then squared off in one of the more gripping contest of the night as they traded forehand and backhand shots on both wings.
Riley won the duel 11-9, 11-9, 12-14, 11-7.
In other matches, Barbados Union of Teachers beat UWI Blackbirds 3-2, Legends blanked Reddy Kilowatt 3-0 while the Barbados Defence Force marched past National Sports Council Combined Schools. (PH)