JERSEY’S young table tennis team battled hard in their second match of the World Table Tennis Championships in China this morning but went down 3-0 to a talented and experienced Iraq side.
Having lost 3-1 to Guernsey yesterday in their opening Division IV Group O match in Guangzhou, Jersey introduced 15-year-old Luke Walker to the action this morning, alongside Craig Gascoyne (25) and Josh Band (14). Gascoyne put up the greatest resistance, only going down in the fifth, but the two schoolboys can also take heart from their efforts despite 3-0 defeats..
Walker faced Hardi Mohammeed, the Iraqi No 1, in the opener and put in a good performance. Walker was unlucky with a number of shots just going long and lost the first 11-4. He read Mohammeed’s service better in the second, but the spin of the Iraqi was the telling factor in his 11-5 success.
Walker found his rhythm in the third and won some superb points, being three points ahead at one stage. But Mohammeed’s defence held firm and forced errors from Walker to complete the win, 11-8.
Gascoyne, who won one of his two games against Guernsey yesterday, faced No 2 Omar Hussain and did superbly well to recover from a four- point deficit, after some uncharacteristic errors, to win 11-9.
The second, however, was a nightmare 11-1 loss. The third was tighter and a truer reflection of the game, with Hussain winning 11-7. Gascoyne dug in to win the fourth 11-8 with some powerful attacking play which drove his opponent back from the table, thus earning a deciding fifth game.
Hussain, however, then hit a purple patch and all his shots came off as he took the decider 11-8 to win 3-2.
Band now needed to win his match against seasoned international Baktuyar A Quader to keep Jersey’s hopes alive. The youngster showed none of his first-day nerves and settled quickly into his own inimitable controlled touch playing style and looked in control of the game at 9-7 up, before Quader’s return of serve forced errors and the game slipped away 11-9.
Band put his opponent under immense pressure to go 7-4 up in the second, but again a few blocked shots by Quader and a couple of unforced errors lost the Jersey boy important points, with the the Iraqi coming through 11-8. Band lost the third game 11-7 after a number of unlucky lets which kicked the ball just off the end of the table.
After the match he said: ‘I was much happier with my game today. I had some good chances to take games but my opponent won the big points at the crucial time. His experience told in the end.’
Jersey play Congo Brazzaville this afternoon and Guernsey face Benin. Jersey play Benin tomorrow.
Article posted on 26th February, 2008 - 12.00am
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