Josh Harland became the youngest player for many years to dominate the Middlesbrough League Championships
By Alan Ransome
Teenager Josh Harland became the youngest player for many years to dominate the Middlesbrough League Championships, which took place at the Ormesby Club.
The 14-year-old was in scintillating form, winning a total of five titles.
And after storming to both the senior and junior titles, Harland, who plays for Ormesby and lives in Redcar, is being tipped as a top player for the future.
The main event, the Open Singles, was won after Harland defeated the holder Martin Rutter, 3-1 in the semi-final and another Ormesby player, Dave Ashwell, in straight games in the final.
Harland scored his second victory over Rutter in the Division One Singles. This time the match went to five sets.
Rutter led 2-1 after winning the third 11-9. The teenager took command in the final two games to win 11-8 and 11-7.
He then teamed up with Rutter to win the doubles, winning a four set final against Peter Wilkinson and Michael Young.
His other two victories came in the Junior (Under-18) Singles, beating Calum White in straight games in the final, and the Cadet (Under-15) Singles, defeating Michael Jones in three straight games.
A hard-fought Veteran Singles (Over-40) event was won by Peter Wilkinson.
He defeated Michael Young and David Ashewell in the final group.
Young came into his own in the Handicap Singles, notching a narrow 21-19 victory over Ryan Nassau in the third and deciding game.
Bruce Lowther, of Travel Hub, beat Michael Jones in three straight games in the final to become the Division Two winner.
There was excitement in the Under-12s as Kieran Wardell beat Ormesby team mate James Dale.
Wardell won the first two games, but Dale bounced back to win the following two, ensuring a tense deciding game, which Wardell won 15-13.
The Wheelchair Singles was won by Brian Hollaway who beat Noel Thomas in the final, while the Hardbat Singles competition, played with bats that were popular in decades past, was won by Young who had a very narrow victory over Rutter by 31-30.
RESULTS
Open Singles: Josh Harland (Ormesby) beat Dave Ashwell (Ormesby) 12-10, 11-5, 11-8
Cadet Singles: Josh Harland (Ormesby) beat Michael Jones (Ormesby) 11-8, 11-7, 11-6
Veteran Singles: Peter Wilkinson (Ormesby) beat Dave Ashwell (Ormesby) 10-12, 11-4, 11-8, 13-11
Junior Singles: Josh Harland (Ormesby) beat Calum White (Ormesby) 11-1, 11-4, 13-11
Under-12s: Kieran Wardell (Ormesby) beat James Dale (Ormesby), 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 9-11, 15-13
Handicap Singles: Michael Young (Ormesby) beat Ryan Nassau (Ormesby) 21-17, 20-21, 21-19
Wheelchair Singles: Brian Hollaway (Ormesby) beat Noel Thomas (Ormesby) 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9
Division One Singles: Josh Harland (Ormesby) beat Martin Rutter (Ormesby) 10-12, 11-1, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7
Division Two Singles: Bruce Lowther (Travel Hub) beat Michael Jones (Ormesby) 11-8, 11-3, 11-9
Open Doubles: Martin Rutter and Josh Harland (both of Ormesby) beat Peter Wilkinson and Michael Young (both of Ormesby) 11-5, 12-10, 4-11, 11-7
Hardbat: Michael Young (Ormesby) beat Martin Rutter (Ormesby) 31-30
No comments:
Post a Comment