Dodd's perfect show puts him in prime position

GARRY DODD will lead the Guernsey challenge going into January's CI Top-12 Tournament showdown. The left-hander won nine out of nine at the Guernsey Table Tennis Centre on Saturday to head the list of six Sarnian challengers who will take on Jersey's best six at the same venue on 27 January.

To beat every one of the island's finest on the same day was a remarkable achievement and in so doing he ousted the favourite, Scott Romeril, from top spot. Just.

Clashing in the penultimate round, Dodd came from two sets to one down to force a fifth and then take the decider 17-15.

It was Romeril's only defeat all day.

The other four qualifiers included, in third spot, ahead of island champion Phil Ogier, the 12-year-old starlet, Alice Loveridge.

She lost just twice, to Romeril and Dodd, but among her seven wins was another stunning showing against Ogier.

The island champion's open game clearly suits Loveridge to a T and, in winning in four sets, she made it three wins out of three over Ogier this season.

Ogier took the first 11-8 but from there on in he could not get his nose in front again.

The rally of the match came for the 13th point of the second set.

Both players slugged it out way back from the table before Ogier finally won the point to get to within one at 6-7.

But Loveridge pulled away to take the set 11-7 and took the next two for seven and six respectively to get her campaign back on the rails after losing the previous match to Dodd.

In the fourth set, the end for Ogier came in another long, exhilarating rally.

Loveridge smashed a forehand as low and hard as she could and the ball flashed by the outstretched backhand of Ogier, three yards away from the table.

Ogier qualified in fourth place with Jez Powell fifth and Peter Bretel sixth.