The Isle of Man national table tennis team won one of its four ties on the opening weekend of British League National C2 fixtures at Halton TTC in Widnes, losing two of the others by a single rubber.
The Manx squad of Sam Bailey, Duncan Alexander, Becky Bayley and teenager Amit Lanin began with a 5-4 defeat by Allied TTC, whom Isle of Man Today described as the division favourites. Bailey opened that tie by beating England number 87 Ritchie Venner 11-7 in the fifth game.
The island side then beat the hosts, Halton, 7-2, with every player winning at least one match and Lanin taking both his singles.
They went on to lose 5-4 to Crewe, despite two singles wins for Bayley, and 6-3 to Birmingham TTA in their final tie.
Isle of Man Today reported that Bailey, the island champion, who has previously been ranked in England’s top 100, was back in league play after several years out. He won seven of his eight singles, and he and Alexander won three of their four doubles.
The squad’s next fixtures are in November.
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