Jack Carrington Tournament
Post date: Mar 17, 2019 2:10:29 PM
Ogier was a comfortable winner over Bichard in the first semi, with each end being claimed by the score of 11-6.
Hainsworth meanwhile had a much tougher match against Powell, who came out of the blocks very fast and comfortably won the opener 11-5 courtesy of positive forehand and backhand topspin strokes mixed with controlled blocking. Hainsworth had a big 9-3 lead in the next, but Powell incredibly earned himself a game point at 10-9. A missed forehand topspin into the net at this point proved costly and Hainsworth edged it 13-11. Hainsworth raised his level in the 3rd and won it 11-5, before another close game ensued in the 4th. Powell held game points, but a fault serve mixed in here proved costly and Hainsworth once more squeezed through 14-12.
The final was the expected encounter between the highest ranked players in the event and it did not disappoint, with a number of incredible rallies with both players covering all areas of the court. Hainsworth made a strong start by converting the opener 11-8, however Ogier gained the advantage in the 2nd when leading 9-6. Hainsworth battled hard and managed to turn the end in his favour with a game point at 10-9. Here the best rally of the match took place, with Hainsworth well on top with aggressive forehand topspins and smashes and Ogier retrieving. One of Ogier’s retrievals caught the net midway through the rally and Hainsworth did well to react to continue the rally and he once more moved onto the offensive. It looked like he had done enough, however Ogier’s final retrieval just clipped the back edge of the table to force parity at 10-10. Ogier closed this out 12-10 and despite Hainsworth’s best efforts, Ogier was too strong on the night and claimed the following ends 11-8, 11-5 to regain the trophy.
Phil Ogier regained the Jack Carrington trophy, which he last won in 2016, following a 4 set win over fellow Lions player and 2009 champion Paul Hainsworth in an entertaining final.
The Jack Carrington tournament is one of the more unique events in the GTTA calendar as the rules prevent any player to have competed in the Inter-Insular ‘Green Trophy’ event over the past 2 seasons from competing.
This meant that Island players such as Joshua Stacey, Lawrence Stacey and Ben Foss were unable to compete, as well as Garry Dodd, who is currently living in Sheffield.
Due to Ogier’s lengthy tenure in the Green trophy team, there was a large gap in him winning the trophy between his first success back in 1993 and his next in 2016. Ben Foss had taken the title in 2017 and 2018 and on both of these occasions he had overcome 2019 beaten finalist Hainsworth over 5 sets.
The tournament’s group stages went largely as expected, however Group A saw Division 2 averages topper Jez Powell win the group ahead of Division 1 players Andy Gill and Ryan Gilson. Gill took the runner-up spot due to his 5 set win over Gilson. 3rd Division player Craig Dunning has made a habit of qualifying to the knockout stages of tournaments of late and he did so once more due his victories over 2nd Division players Albert Unden and Chas Elliott in Group B, which was topped by Ogier.
Dunning’s good run was ended by Paul Hainsworth in the Quarter Finals, where the St Pauls player was ruthlessly dispatched for the loss of just 10 points. Ogier stopped the run of Lions B team-mate Andre De Carteret in straight sets, Powell overcame Division 1 player Jamie Ferbrache in straight sets and Ryan Bichard defeated fellow first Division player Gill in straight sets to complete the semi final line-up.
Phil Ogier in action