Team Handicap

Introduction

The Team Handicap is a knockout competition open to all teams in the Reading & District League. All players are given handicaps by the Handicap Committee based on their recent results. In a Team Handicap match the three players from one team play all players from the other team, 21-up, taking into account the relevant handicaps. There is no doubles contest.

2009/10 Tournament

The draw for this season's event has now been made.

To see the full draw and results for the tournament so far - click on View Draw icon at the bottom of this page.

For further information about this competition, contact the Special Competitions Secretary, Abbas Syed. (Tel. 0118 9262655).

2008/09 Tournament

McTiernan’s take Team Handicap Title for OLOP

It was a family affair as the McTiernan’s won the Reading & District Team Handicap cup for Our Lady Of Peace (OLOP) Strikers, defeating a gallant Kingfisher E side 7-2 in the final at Kingfisher TTC on 8 April.

Captain Adam McTiernan (+9) and his two young sons, Liam (+5) and Daniel (+10) started their campaign back in October with a splendid 8-1 win over the previously undefeated Division 4 table toppers, Milestone A.

The second round saw Strikers face a two man Pangbourne WMC A side and despite a spirited display from their opponents, they went on to record a 7-2 win.

In the quarter finals, it was Division 3’s Kingfisher G in the firing line. In a high quality match, they were dispatched 7-2 with an excellent treble each from Liam and Daniel.

The semi final saw two OLOP sides fighting it out for a place in the final with Strikers up against Trojans. With friendships temporarily put to one side, an in-form Liam really turned on the style and with solid backing from his brother, it was Strikers who went through with another 7-2 victory.

The Final
Division 2’s Kingfisher E awaited in the final, having put out OLOP Raiders in the other semi. Strikers started well taking the first two matches by a 2-0 score line, with good wins for Daniel against Naill McGrane (-7) and Liam over Sharon Mitchell (-4). However when Adam was narrowly beaten 2-1 by Carol Chard (Scr), Kingfisher sniffed an opportunity.

This was to prove only a temporary glitch though as first Daniel beat Sharon Mitchell 2-0 (21-10, 21-9) and then Adam rode his luck to get the better of Niall McGrane 2-1 (21-16, 20-22, 21-16), before Liam gave the Strikers an unassailable lead with a 2-0 (21-17, 21-19) victory over Carol.

After a consolation win which saw Sharon overcome a 12 point deficit to beat Adam 2-0, Kingfisher conceded the remaining two matches, resulting in a final scoreline of OLOP Strikers 7 - Kingfisher E 2.

Liam, aged 13, finished the season undefeated in all 22 handicap matches he played, having also won the Individual Handicap competition back in January. For 10 year old Daniel, it capped off a very successful first season in the Reading Senior League. Adam, who has played in Division 6 with each son over the past two years, won his first ever table tennis trophy after 30 years of playing the sport.

The team dedicated their success to John Cunningham, who despite his continuing ill health and the huge difficulties the club has faced since the flooding of their home venue in January, has been incredibly supportive to them and indeed all the OLOP teams and their players, which have benefited hugely from his leadership over many years.