Mpundu Claims Hat Trick Of Titles

Ernest Mpundu of DTH Redlands Roosters bagged himself three titles at the first of the Leagues two Championship Finals nights held at Stanley Street Club. His first title came in the final of the Open Singles at the expense of Tom McIntosh who again has had to settle for the runners up trophy after also losing in last year's final. Mpundu won the first two sets 11-7 and 12-10 before McIntosh hit back to win the third 11-8 but Mpundu wasn't going to be denied and he won the fourth set 11-4 to claim the title. Mpundu then went on to add the Over 40's Singles title to his collection by beating Pete Hodgson who despite playing in a division below Mpundu put in a good performance but it wasn't enough to stop Mpundu winning in straight sets.
The closest game of the night came in the final of the Open Doubles with Mpundu pairing up with team mate Rick Harris and they were up against Tom McIntosh and Steve Johnson. Mpundu and Harris raced into a 2-0 lead but McIntosh and Johnson weren't going to give in easily and they hit back to take the next 2 sets to take the match into a deciding set but they couldn't carry the momentum into the last set eventually losing 11-4 to leave Mpundu and Harris to be crowned Open Doubles champions.
Tom McIntosh was hoping for better fortunes in his third final of the night in the Handicap Singles where he was up against Richard Element in a repeat of last year's final. McIntosh who is the current holder probably started slight favourite and in a best of three games up to 21 had to give Element just a one point start in each game but it didn't prove to be a factor in the result as Element went on to win the match 21-10, 21-14 and reverse the result of last season's final.
Mick Brooks in his first appearance at the Leagues Championships had fought his way through to the final of the Over 50's Singles where he was up against last year's runner up Malcolm Manuel. In an even contest Brooks took the first set before Manuel won the next to level it at 1-1 but that was Manuel's last success as Brooks took the next two sets 11-9, 11-3 to clinch the match and the title 3-1.
The final of the Over 60's Singles had a familiar look to it as Steve Lyon who had won it for the last three seasons had once again battled his way through to the final. His opponent was Peter Eyre who himself is no stranger to Championship finals and would surely give Lyon his sternest test of the competition so far. In a close start to the contest Lyon took the first two games 11-8, 11-7 before finding top gear and taking the third set 11-5 to retain his title.
The final of the 2nd Division Doubles looked like it was always going to be a tight affair and despite Pete Hodgson and Nigel Stent comfortably winning the first two sets against Jeff Reay and Valentinas Riauba it did in the end turn into a close match. Reay and Riauba hit back to take the third set 12-10 but couldn't quite level the match in the fourth set eventually losing it 13-11 to leave Hodgson and Stent to run out the winners.
The Draw Doubles is always an intriguing competition as partners are drawn out of a hat and the Final can always be won or lost on the draw and this proved to be the case as the two highest ranked players left in the competition in Richard Element and Kalpesh Bhatt were paired together. They were up against Pete Hodgson and Ben Swain who both play in a division below Element and Bhatt and despite the divisional difference put up a good fight. Element and Bhatt took the first two sets before Hodgson and Swain managed to win the third but that was as far as they got as Element and Bhatt took the fourth set to win the match and the title 3-1.
David Hooton Trophy Result: DTH Redlands Fluffy Toys 443 Stanley Street 'A' 483
Reg Wilcox Trophy Result: Worksop Miners Welfare 'B' 425 DTH Redlands Monsters 429
MBE Trophy Result: DTH Redlands Tarr Babies 494 Ryton Park Falcons 562