Grand final fever at Oxley table tennis

After a big week of international, national, state and local sport headlines featuring participants and supporters who were giving their all for the sake of the team, none were more tightly contested than when 16 players put their minds and bodies to pulling it all together in the many games each played at the Oxley social table tennis competition last Monday night. Getting off to an early start, ‘ruthless’ Ruth Shalders was in match-winning ‘goal kicking’ form when she and ‘drop kick’ June Uebergang joined forces to give ‘fleetfoot’ Debbie Brunken and the ‘man with a plan’ Neil Spurgeon, a ‘run for their money’ in a game that ‘had it all in spades’. Quickly setting off a commanding lead, it appeared Debbie and Neil would come home ‘trumps’ (not Donald), but Ruth and June stuck to the task, and capitalising on a few mis-hits, scores became closer, indicating each pair was in with a chance. But Debbie and Neil kept their cool, and finally came home winning by two points. Jasons ‘multiplied by two’ Mullins and Geelong visitor Brown, were in premiership mood and mode, when they took on the ‘M&M’s’ Martin Butcher and Manni Poulos, in a game where both pairs’ goal was to give their all, and hold the banner high. Speed and accuracy were on the table from start to finish, and it would have been a brave man who would have dared to predict the winner. While determination and desperation played a large part in scores changing hands many times, Lady Luck also contributed her ‘sixpenneth’, which resulted in both pairs winning the tiebreaker. In a game between friends and foes, Brisbane-based Loz Olson teamed up with ‘retiree’ performer, Pete Spring, to put Tamworth visitor, Cass McIlrick and Pete’s talented young son, Jack, under the pump in one of the many games each had already played. Speed was a dominant factor, laced with dancing and laughter, as each pair wore themselves and their opponents ‘into the ground’ from beginning to end of the very intensive power-plus workout. Progressive scores ebbed and flowed throughout, while noise was deafening – even for the deaf - until the final handshake and cuddles indicated one pair won by a cat’s whisker. From the moment Brisbane Lion’s number one supporter, William Bonwick and ‘no pussy-footing around’ Sharene Gervasoni, paired up to take on Sharene’s husband, ‘catch me if you can’ Mick, and the last of the Spring family, Leigh, it was the survival of the fittest. And each player was well-prepared to attack and defend anything thrown at them from every point on the table and beyond. As Brisbane demonstrated ‘the game’s not over until it’s won’ and so it was, when ‘Lion’ William stood tall when he and Sharene won by seven points. After the non-stop action on the four tables, everyone enjoyed a cuppa, and the chance of ‘getting to know you’ with regulars and visitors. Adults and secondary school students of all ages and abilities are most welcome to join the group, which meets at the Oxley hall each Monday night, beginning at 7pm. BYO bat, $2 entry, and a plate to share.

Grand final fever at Oxley table tennis

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