It has been an exciting first half of the season for the teams at the top of Selby Table Tennis League division one and division two. Neither of them were really in the hunt for honours last year.

Thorpe 'A' finished third in division one last season and NP Eggborough Merlins were fourth in the lower division, both way behind the winners of each division.

Thorpe have the regular appearance of Craig Smith to thank for their success, a fact clearly demonstrated by him heading the mid-season averages table,.

Smith has played all Thorpe 'A' team's league matches, losing only once - to Mick Wilcockson, who is unbeaten but cannot be included in the averages table because he has played only three matches and the minimum qualification to be included in the averages is to have played in at least half the teeam's matches.

Andrew Nicholls, having played the requisite four matches, is in second place. His brother Chris, recently registered to play in the league, has played only two matches. Both have lost one game, each of them being beaten by Craig Smith.

The other big success story in the first division is the form of Selby WMC, currently second in division one. David Jackson's excellent performances have lifted his side and perhaps inspired team captain Roger Ellis.

Jackson and Ellis are third and fourth in the averages. Ellis, who just missed out being in the table last season, has an 80 per cent average so far this term.

With John Senior joining Selby WMC this year, Ellis has missed only two matches - against Womersley and T & L 'A'.

T & L 'A' team captain Nigel Thorn has played in fewer matches than usual but is in fifth place in the averages.

Last year's league champions NP Eggborough Ospreys have two representatives, Jim Robe and Peter Harpham, in the averages. Their side's fortunes inevitably took a dive with the loss of Mohammed Uneeb, who topped last season's averages.

Two members of the Kites, team captain Keith Webster and Martin Hood, a newcomer to Selby, show why their team is fourth in the division. Thorpe number two Chris Harris is in tenth place.

Though NP Eggborough Merlins are twelve points ahead of their nearest rivals in division two their highest placed player in the averages is Colin Dobson in third position. John Leadbeater is in seventh place and team captain Phil Bromilow ninth. Merlin's fourth player, Anthony Kidd, is not in the table but has an average of 58 per cent.

Geoff Harrop, Sherburn's number one player, who has played such a big part in the Tiger Sharks success this year, is top of the division two averages. His only defeat so far this season has been to Colin Dobson. T & L 'B' team's Andrew Kirk, in second place, has lost once - to Geoff Harrop.

Thorpe 'D' newcomer John Deakin, with 80 per cent, is in fourth place just ahead of West Cowick's Keith Beedham and Steve Brumpton, who are both on 78.

West Cowick are currently third in the division but, with two matches in hand, are a danger to the two teams above them.

Following some setbacks early in the season Thorpe 'C' team have had a good run of results and their team captain, Steve Taylor, is eighth in the averages table.

The Eagles, who led division two at one time earlier this season, have one player in the averages - John Stokes. He ties with Phil Bromilow and the second T & L 'B' representative, Stan Newman, on 67 per cent.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.