West Cornwall 5, Plymouth and District 7 MORE than 200 spectators crammed into the main hall at Penryn College on Saturday evening for the long awaited showdown between the West Cornwall Table Tennis League and Plymouth, which ended in a narrow but dramatic win for the Devon side.

The match was staged specially to mark the 50th anniversary of the West Cornwall Table Tennis League, which was formed in the 1958/59 season. It was a glitzy evening hosted very ably by Master of Ceremonies Roger Jacobs, with the general profile of table tennis raised to a very high level and some of the best players in the South of England on display.

Plymouth had on display their legendary number one, Paul Whiting and also the brilliant England number four lady, Marketa Myskova.

However, West Cornwall were able to field the entire county team for this fixture and demonstrated just how far the game has improved in the area.

Four of the West Cornwall team were in their teens and one of them, Darren Reed (Bridge TTC), won both his singles in devastating style beating both Whiting and Paul Giles.

There were many ex-Cornwall champions in the large crowed, including St Ives legend John Bassett, the former Truro number one Arnold Powning and St Austell’s Barry Cornelius.

The match itself swung from one way to another with Reed getting West Cornwall off to a good start with a straight games win over Giles, showing his dominance in the game at present.

Whiting levelled for Plymouth overcoming Falmouth’s Adrian Noott in three close games. West Cornwall then went ahead when Jeremy Williams (Falmouth) narrowly overcame penholder Kevin Buddell at 11-9 in the decider only for Mike Short to overcome another up and coming Cornish star Matthew Trevorrow (St Ives). Martha Travis then stepped into the arena and at just 16 year of age beat Elaine Short to put West Cornwall into the lead again. Myskova replied for Plymouth by beating another plucky Cornish player Rachel Trevorrow (St Ives).

With the match poised at 3-3 at the interval, the outcome of the match hung in the balance. Darren Reed put the Cornish team into the lead yet again by disposing of Whiting in two close but explosive legs and Noott added to the lead by overcoming Short.

But the Cornish team’s useful lead then evaporated with Giles defeating Williams, Buddell narrowly defeating Trevorrow and the remaining ladies games also going in Plymouth’s favour.