Do-or-die for men's senior tennis team
published: Sunday | February 26, 2006

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

JAMAICA'S SENIOR men's table tennis team faces a do-or-die situation to level its two-Test series against Barbados at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) today at 4:00 p.m.

This after it narrowly lost 3-2 in the opening Test match at the Rex Nettleford Hall, University of the West Indies (UWI), on Friday evening.

More bad news came for the team when the Bajans informed their hosts that they would be leaving the island tomorrow, cutting the planned three-Test series by one game and leaving only a draw as a possibility for Jamaica.

Jamaica got off to a good start on Friday night with Gavin Hylton and captain Nigel Webb winning their first matches to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. Hylton beat former three-time Carib-bean champion Robert Roberts 4-2 (8-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6).

STRONG COMEBACK

Against Abbie Clarke, Webb dropped the first set but came back strongly to also win 4-2 (6-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-4, 15-13, 11-8).

However, Jamaica's form started to reverse in the third match when Darryl Strachan was beaten by Caribbean junior champion Anderson Carrington 4-2 (11-8, 12-10, 14-16, 11-13, 11-9, 12-10).

Webb then lost to Roberts 4-2 (11-6, 11-9, 11-4, 4-11, 8-11, 11-3) and in the fifth and final match, Hylton was brushed aside by Clarke 4-1 (11-8, 11-4, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4).

Barbados coach Shawn Bellamy expressed satisfaction with the result.

CONFIDENCE

"I am very happy for victory because it has boosted our confidence for the upcoming Commonwealth Games," said Bellamy.

"Our fellows started cold because we were short of match practice, because we didn't have any chance to really play overseas," he said.

" So coming to Jamaica was always a big thing for us. As you saw, we were 2-0 down, but I always have confidence in the guys because we are fighters."

Captain Webb said: "We lost because we didn't hold our concentration for the five matches and these are the things that happen in team matches.

"You have to learn how to hold your concentration. However, I see this as good match practice for us, and I think we will bounce and win the next Test," he said.