Bryan Matthews and Mark Dowell put on compelling performances to lead Scouters to a crucial 3-2 win over Fast Loopers and secure the title in the first Premier League division of the Barbados Table Tennis Association’s Club Championship.
The intensity of the rallies created much excitement in the closing stages of the final round of matches at the Table Tennis Centre, Nursery Drive last Saturday night.
Dowell pulled off two wins to set up the triumph for Scouters but it was left to Matthews to ensure a successful outing with an impressive win over Rashad King after the scores were locked 2-2.
King was in typically attacking mode looping strong in the forehand to all points of the table. Matthews cleverly fed him the attacking shot and put on a superb display of blocking and counter attacking tennis to win 11-8, 13-11, 9-11, 11-9.
Dowell had earlier beaten King with less fanfare 13-11, 11-6, 11-1. He also defeated the stubborn Aaron Barker 11-8, 11-9, 10-12, 11-4.
Trevor Farley gave Fast Loopers the early lead when he downed left-hander Junior Evelyn 11-6, 16-14, 11-7 but the only other success for the Loopers came in the doubles when Farley and Barker beat Matthews and Evelyn 11-7, 11-4, 11-9.
The win took Scouters to ten points and moved Fast Loopers to nine but the outcome of the top division was also affected by the exciting contest between Barbados Light & Power (BL&P) and Mount Gay Bayswater.
The 3-1 win for BL&P did nothing to lift them from the cellar position but it denied Bayswater the chance at championship glory.
The upset was completed when Abbie “Playboy” Clarke defeated Kevin Farley 10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 in a nail-biting contest.
Clarke had earlier toppled Denis France 15-13, 11-5, 7-11, 11-4.
Ann Reid and Shane Norville won the doubles for BL&P by beating Paco Moss and France 11-9, 11-7, 12-10.
Farley won the solitary match for Bayswater beating Norville 11-5, 11-7, 11-9.
Loopers and Bayswater both finished the season in joint second on nine points and BL&P fourth with eight.
