Cadet & Junior Trials were held at Preston Table Tennis Centre. Categories Under 11’s, Under 13’s and Under 15’s were held on September 10th 2006, whilst the Under 18’s was held on September 3rd 2006. These categories have been altered to comply with the ETTA formation for the Regional Trials. Players could be nominated for one category only in the Under 11’s/13’s/15’s but could also be nominated for the Under 18’s as there were to be no Under 18’s category in the Regional Trials.

The Trials were well attended and thanks should be given to Peter Aspin for the organisation of the event.

Although there were no exemptions for season 2006/07, the Executive Committee have decided that the following exemptions will be made for season 2007/08 for the County Trials:

Junior Boys - Top 25 in the National Ranking
Cadet Boys - Top 15 in the National Ranking
Junior Girls - Top 15 in the National Ranking
Cadet Girls - Top 10 in the National Ranking

This season two extra teams were entered in the County Championships bringing the total to 7 teams. One Cadet, two Junior, 1 Senior, 2 Veterans and 1 Over 60’s. It was agreed that Lancashire would enter the extra teams only if the team captain of the Veteran’s second team would organise the team and that the Over 60’s would be self funding, although the county entered the team and paid the registration fees. Barry Crook agreed to captain the Veteran’s second team and Bob Johnson agreed to run the Over 60’s and the Executive Committee would like to record thanks to them both.

The Cadet team played in Division 1A, winning 2 and losing 4, placing them 3rd from bottom in the final table. The team was captained by Peter Aspin. Our thanks go to Mr Hardy and Mr Buchanan for help with transport in the second round of matches.

The Junior 1st Team played in Division 1A, drawing 1 and losing 6 matches, which resulted in them finishing bottom of the table and relegation for next season. The second round of matches were captained by Dave Graham.

The Junior 2nd team played in Division 2A, but unfortunately the second round of matches were to be played at Long Eaton on the same day as Junior 1A were at Grantham. As Peter Aspin was on holiday and Dave Graham was committed to captain the 1st team, we could find no-one to act as captain for the 2nd team and so we had to regretfully withdraw the team from the division.

The Senior team played in the Premier Division over two weekends, drawing 2 and losing 5, to finish 2nd from bottom in the final table, narrowly missing relegation by gaining a draw in the match with Cheshire. There had been great difficulty in raising a team for the first weekend at Cippenham and two players were signed on at the last minute, but unfortunately one of them did not turn up at the meeting place. In the absence of Stan Clarke, who was unable to attend, Paul Ciccelli and Alice Howard managed to find another player who made his own way to the venue. Thanks to Paul, Alice and Victor Shi Guang, as well as Kevin Dolder for captaining the team at both weekends.

In the Veterans Premier Division, the 1st team won 1, drew 2 and lost 4 to finish 3rd from bottom in the final table. The team was captained by Keith Williams.

The 2nd Veterans team played in Division 4A and was organised by Barry Crook. The team finished as runners-up in the final table, winning 5 matches and drawing 1, which is a commendable result. The matches involved one weekend and several single matches.

The Over 60’s matches were organised by Bob Johnson and I will ask him to give a report on the season at the AGM.

My thanks go to all team captains, parents who helped with transport and all the players, particularly those who turned out at very short notice. Also, thanks to Ken Armson for organising the umpires for the home matches.

The same number of teams have been entered into the County Championships for next season, as both Barry Crook and Bob Johnson have agreed to take on the responsibility of the 2nd Veterans and the Over 60’s teams once again.

Awards presented to Veterans Division 4A players, Barry Crook, Brian Clements, Dave Buckley and Diane Lackie.

County Badges are presented to:
Andrew Mudie; Victor Shi Guang; Alec Buchanan; Lindsay Hardy; Dave Buckley; Carl Stebbing; Tommy Ryan; Bob Johnson; Pam Murphy and Olive Ashworth.

RESULTS

CADETS 1A
CHESHIRE V LANCASHIRE 7-3
LANCASHIRE V SOUTH YORKSHIRE 4-6
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE V LANCASHIRE 6-4
LANCASHIRE V WORCESTERSHIRE 3-7
LANCASHIRE V LEICESTERSHIRE 9-1
SHROPSHIRE V LANCASHIRE 1-9

JUNIORS 1A
SUFFOLK V LANCASHIRE 8-2
HERTFORDSHIRE V LANCASHIRE 6-4
LANCASHIRE V CHESHIRE 5-5
LANCASHIRE V DURHAM 3-7
CLEVERLAND V LANCASHIRE 9-1
LANCASHIRE V WARWICKSHIRE 2-8
ESSEX 2 V LANCASHIRE 8-2

JUNIORS 2A WITHDRAWN

SENIOR PREMIER DIVISION
LANCASHIRE V YORKSHIRE 5-5
BERKSHIRE V LANCASHIRE 8-2
MIDDLESEX V LANCASHIRE 7-3
LANCASHIRE V SUSSEX 4-6
DEVON V LANCASHIRE 8-2
LANCASHIRE V ESSEX 5-5
DERBYSHIRE V LANCASHIRE 7-3

VETERANS PREMIER DIVISION
SURREY V LANCASHIRE 3-7
LANCASHIRE V DEVON 4-6
ESSEX V LANCASHIRE 5-5
LANCASHIRE V YORKSHIRE 2-8
CHESHIRE V LANCASHIRE 5-5
LANCASHIRE V KENT 4-6
LEICESTERSHIRE V LANCASHIRE 6-4

VETERANS 4A
CLWYDD V LANCASHIRE 2 5-5
LANCASHIRE 2 V NORFOLK 3 10-0
LANCASHIRE 2 V NOTTINHAMSHIRE 2 6-4
NORFOLK 4 V LANCASHIRE 2 3-7
LANCASHIRE 2 V STAFFORDSHIRE 6-4
LANCASHIRE 2 V YORKSHIRE5 6-4

OVER 60’S
LANCASHIRE V CHESHIRE 4-6
LANCASHIRE V CHESHIRE 2 4-6
LANCASHIRE V WARWICKSHIRE 2-8
LANCASHIRE V WORCESTERSHIRE 2-8
LANCASHIRE V YORKSHIRE 2-8