Martin Hogg assumed the mantle of Clacton's number one player in the finals of the Clacton and District Table Tennis League's Closed Championships.

In a pulsating men's singles final, Hogg beat surprise finalist Keiran Lally 26-24, 21-12 to regain the title he first won in 1997.

But it was a memorable day for 14-year-old Keiran, defying the odds with an exciting 19-21, 26-24, 21-19 semi-final win over John Andrews.

Hogg made it a double celebration when he and John Rice won the men's doubles, defeating Andrews and Paul Adams 13-21, 21-15, 21-16.

It was the first time Hogg or Rice had taken this trophy, but for Adams, it was the fourth year running he has been a runner up.

Jenny Higgins took the ladies singles crown for the third time at the expense of reigning champion Sheila Howe, 21-18, 21-11.

And with Chris Edwards, Jenny retained the ladies doubles title, defeating the new pairing of Tricia Salter and 16-year-old Annabelle Rodriguez 21-9, 21-12.

After 15 years of trying, Dave Binns took the veterans singles title for the first time. In a battle of the left handers, his agility got the better of John Andrews and he took the match 21-15, 17-21, 21-12.

It was a personal triumph for Binns, who now becomes the first player in Clacton League history to have won titles for the junior singles and doubles, mens singles and doubles, mixed doubles and veterans. He was awarded the Victor Trophy for the performance of the tournament.

Binns and Cris Edwards took the mixed doubles title, beating reigning champions John Hobson and Sheila Howe 21-17 in the third.

There was no change in the junior events, where Lally confirmed his dominance in the junior singles with a win over Lee Partridge, and in the junior doubles, where Lally and Partridge retained their crown against the enthusiastic challenge of Mathew Watson and Andrew Deaves.

Graham Parkes caused a major surprise in the Division Two singles when he beat top seed Stewart Murray, 21-17, 21-16.

The Division Three singles final between Thorpe team mates Paul Bellinger and Robert Stannard proved a see-saw affair, but Bellinger edged the match 12-21, 21-16, 21-17 to take his first Clacton title.

The Division Four singles final went to form where Grant Sharpe, proved too good for promising junior Ian Grace, winning 21-16, 23-21.

During the championships, the Bob Phillips Award for Services to the League was made to Jenny Higgins, a former junior coach and inter league player and a stalwart servant of the Windsor Club.

Championships Results

Mens Singles: M Hogg beat K Lally 26-24, 21-12.

Semi-finals: Hogg beat D Binns 21-15, 21-14, Lally beat J Andrews 19-21, 26-24, 22-20.

Ladies Singles: J Higgins beat S Howe 21-18, 21-11.

Mens Doubles: M Hogg & J Rice beat J Andrews & P Adams 13-21, 21-15, 21-16.

Mixed Doubles: D Binns & C Edwards beat J Hobson & S Howe 14-21, 21-18, 21-17.

Veterans Singles: D Binns beat J Andrews 15-21, 21-17, 21-12.

Semi-finals: Binns beat C Dearman 21-12, 21-9; Andrews beat K James 23-21, 21-16.

Over-Sixties Veterans Singles: J Long beat B Thiel 21-13, 21-17.

Junior Singles: K Lally beat L Partridge 21-6, 21-9.

Semi-finals: Lally beat M Bacon 21-7, 21-7; Partridge beat M Byford 21-15, 22-20,

Junior Doubles: K Lally & L Partridge beat M Watson & A Deaves 21-11, 21-17.

Division Two Singles: G Parkes beat S Murray 21-17, 21-16.

Division Three Singles: P Bellinger beat R Stannard 12-21, 21-16, 21-17.

Division Four Singles: G Sharpe beat I Grace 21-16, 21-10.

Restricted Singles: K James beat P Adams 21-11, 21-17.

Semi-finals: James beat R Stannard 21-8, 21-18; Adams beat S Murray 21-12, 21-12, 21.

Consolation Singles: P Newbould beat C Dearman 21-12, 23-21.

The Knock Out Cup final between Windsor Condors and Walton A takes place at the Brotherhood Hall at 7.30pm on Thursday April 13. Admission is free and all spectators are welcome.

League Results - Division One: Walton B 9, Nomads Lions 1; St Johns 5, Brotherhood A 5; Walton B 10, Brotherhood B 1, Walton A 9; St Johns 7, Windsor Eagles 3.

Division Two: Brotherhood D 1, Windsor Condors 9; Brotherhood F 6, Windsor Falcons 4; Brotherhood C 7, Windsor Kestrels 7; Brotherhood C 5, Brotherhood G 5; Windsor Falcons 4, Windsor Condors 6; Brotherhood G 3, Brotherhood D 7; Windsor Condors 7, Brotherhood E 3.

Division Three: Nomads Jaguars 0, Thorpe 10; Nomads Jaguars 4, Nomads Pumas 6; Windsor Phoenix 5, Brotherhood H 5.

Division Four: Windsor Kiwis 9, Windsor Canaries 1; Nomads Tigers 7, Brotherhood I 3; Windsor Linnets 2, Windsor Robins 8; Brotherhood J 0, Red Triangle 10; Brotherhood I 6, Windsor Linnets 4.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.