The 2023-24 season of the Braintree Table Tennis League witnessed a historic moment as Rayne A, the perennial runners-up, finally clinched the top spot after six consecutive years of finishing second.
The battle for the title was intense, with champions Netts A posing a formidable challenge early on, even briefly taking the lead in weeks seven and eight. However, a defeat to Liberal A knocked them off the top, and from there, Rayne sailed to a comfortable victory, dropping only two points in their final five fixtures.
Rayne’s success was bolstered by the addition of Maria Boulton, who moved from Netts B and won 22 of her 24 sets. Paul Lucas, the team’s driving force, won an impressive 36 out of 41 sets, while 2019 champion Lee McHugh and the ever-improving Adam Buxton provided valuable support.
“The Braintree Table Tennis League’s 2023-24 season showcased the depth and competitiveness of the local table tennis scene.”
While Netts may have missed out on the league title, their B and D teams enjoyed success in divisions two and three, respectively.
Netts B‘s triumph was built around the outstanding performances of Szczepan Ziobro and Joe Meleschko, who won 31 out of 37 and 34 out of 41 sets, respectively, with the experienced Jon Hill providing additional stability.
In division three, Netts D‘s father-and-son duo of Jimmy and Charles Calisin were the standout performers, winning a combined 85 of their team’s 141 sets, including an unbeaten eight successes in the doubles.
Great Yeldham, a new team introduced as part of a joint initiative with Table Tennis England, provided stiff competition but ultimately fell short of topping the division.
The Braintree Table Tennis League’s 2023-24 season showcased the depth and competitiveness of the local table tennis scene, with Rayne A‘s triumph marking a watershed moment for the club and Netts‘ continued dominance in the lower divisions serving as a testament to the league’s strong player development pipeline.
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