I always like to compare myself year upon year, it is a good to show improvement. I always look for wins that I get that I wouldn't have had a chance of winning 1 year ago.

My previous blog entry mentioned 2 wins (last Tuesday) that I would certainly never have been close to winning this time last year.

The day after I had a home match in the Derby league and I won 2 more games that I would never have been close to winning this time last year, one was in 3, the other in 4. The third in this match I lost 3-1 and it was (again) against a push/block type player, this guy was good though, I didnt exactly play badly. He had an answer for everything I threw at him really. He had some totally dead anti type rubber and he just hit straight through my opening loops. By the time I had realised how I could get round this (variation!) I clambered back into the 4th end but lost it 13-11. Great news for the match though is that we beat our 2nd team (We are 3rd team) 6-4, it was a real team effort, 3 from our no1, 2 from me and 1 from our 3rd player.

It takes my Derby average up to 33% but there are some hard games to come. This year my final year average I'm not worried about, I'm looking for team wins and improvement over the season. We have actually won 7 points out of 9 from the first 3 matches, so not a bad start really. Some hard matches to come before Christmas though...

Had a hard start to the season really, but as always, some positives...

Derby (Prem)

On paper, two of the easiest matches of the season to start, and I've won 1/6. Lots of re-occuring errors, slow start to games and matches in general. I feel like I'm 5 points down before I've even got going in most games. In my first few games (both leagues) I've been consistently losing the first end, and have lost in 5 a few times having been 2-0 down.

Nottingham (Div 1)

2 fairly hard matches to start off, 1 of them being against the best team in the league (on paper). Have won 2/6. In both matches I lost 1 in 5.  Similar errors, slow starts, missing lots of balls, bad shot choice.

Nottingham (Prem)

Got asked to play 'up' for our B team in top division, always nice to be asked of course. Being allowed to play up 3 matches, the B team captain has booked me in for 3 matches as they are struggling for players, and that was before he got injured and is now our for a while! 

Played my first game 'up' last night, and I somehow managed to win 2/3, with all of them going to 4. Got lots of compliments about my game last night which is always nice, and comments like 'you must not be losing many in Div 1', but I know realistically where my game is at. Last night was me playing near my best with no really pressure, all my uni work has just finished so I'm extra relaxed now! Realistically I am still struggling with passive style push-block players. I could have beat their 3rd player, but after I took the first end he took a more passive approach and let me make the mistakes, which I did. I need to develop a game to combat this style, I can do it, I've done it, but its a very weak part of my game at the moment.

So, I'm 33% in Div 1 and 66% in Prem, I'm stunned, really. The next game I've been asked to 'play up' for is against the best team in Nottingham, so I'll be sent back down to earth then!

I always judge myself on my league results, and whilst its great I've been able to win 2/3 in Prem, I still only see this as a sign of potential, it was a totally different style of match to what I've been playing in div 1. I'm still losing to div 1 players and if I'm ever going to play in Prem properly I want to know I can cause some damage in division 1 first, which I'm currently not. I will get there...

Not a good one for me, but as usual, lots to take out from it.

Band 6:

1st game on against this irish lad, had alot of support with him. I don't know what happened here I just went in really confident and blitzed the 1st 2 games. I think I 'woke up' in the third which he took. In the 4th I found myself at 3-3 and then lost the next 4 points. Took a timeout and then came back to win the end. I was really pleased with this. It was a nice clean win and a good game.

2nd game against a kid with pimples on his BH. In the knock he was still happy to hit BH to BH topspin (with his reverse side) so I knew he was going to be a class player.  He could even loop with his reverse side on his BH, but in the match he kept his pimples on his BH. Maybe he's being coaching so as in the future he can twiddle?! I lost to this kid 3 straight, but close games 10,10,9.  This kid ended up being the eventual winner of the whole band, and he didn't drop an end the whole way according to the ETTA report. Makes it even more frustrating. My BH serve was annoying him and I should have nipped the 1st end, who knows what could have happened then.

3rd game turned out to be the battle for 2nd place. Had such a slow start here and went 2-0 down. Got back to 2-2 though. In the 5th he took a timeout when I was 8-5 up. I then lost the next 3 points before taking my timeout at 8-8 with him serving. I then lost the match 13-11 . I really regret not taking my timeout sooner at 8-6 up on my serve would have been ideal, just to ensure I won at least 1 of my service points. I bottled it.

Band 5:

Same pattern as band 6 here. Lost in 3 to the clear group winner, beat in 3 the clear group loser and then had a 5 set battle for 2nd place. I even went 2-0 down again and clawed back to 2-2. I lost the 5th. Just looked at the points though and this would have been a maximum win for me too, he was 3rd seed in band 5. So close.

Overall, I am still getting there. Experience has to take time to acquire, just because I know I'm 'capable' of winning doesn't mean I'm going to win automatically. Got to work for it. I just showed determination at the wrong times. There will be more chances in the future. Just found there are 2 GP's in October (Peterborough and Newcastle), so hoping to make both of them. Hopefully I'll be able to play both days. If I want to get to where I want to be I'm going to need the experience of Sundays to increase my playing level.

I still can't work out why, but ever since Doncaster in July I've really found my BH serve to be a weapon against many players. Loads of people don't like it. Perhaps this is what makes me 'unorthodox'. I can't decide whether it is simply because its a rare serve, or that its good, or its simply just because I make every one a little bit different.  It's a good sign. My BH punch is getting better, but I really need to step in to punch after I've spun the ball up. All about footwork, if I'm in the right place, it all works. I'm finding myself about 1ft too far back quite often.

I've just been invited to play for a team!

I don't know all the details yet, I've just been told its Division 4 South and Midlands region.

The only thing thats confusing me is that the team I'm going to be playing for (based in Southampton) played Southern region last season, this must mean they are changing region, or something?

I think the team is having a big change round so I don't know who I'm going to be playing with or any other details really, I've just given all my details.

I've been told all 4 of the weekends are played in Wellingborough, just over an hours drive from me, so thats not too bad at all.

I don't know what division 4 standard will be like at all, going to try and not go in with any expectations.

British League whilst being an ambition of mine, I've always kept it off the radar, as my club seems like its not bothered about entering a british league team. All 'our' players keen on it are already involved in other clubs, and no one seems to want to try and start one. Being invited to play for this team really came as a fantastic surprise for me.

The captain of this team, whilst living in Southampton, goes to University in Birmingham and comes to my club to practice and will be playing with me in Derby Prem next season also.

First weekend of matches is early September and I've given my availability, so I best get practising incase I'm picked!

TT is really starting to shape up. GP's no longer seem like a daunting prospect of getting thrashed, I'm quite happy entering, competing and getting better results each time. I'll also be playing in Derby Prem, Notts 1st and British League div 4. Definite progress from this time last year, really happy.

Not done a blog entry in a while, mainly because its out of season.

Got the Doncaster GP this weekend, so I'll be doing a blog entry after for sure.

It's my 3rd GP of the season and my last chance to get on the ranking ladder this season. I'm driving now though so hopefully be able to get to more GP's next season.

I've got a good draw, 2 full groups of 4 in bands 5 and 6. Decided again not to enter on the Sunday, I'm slightly wishing I had now just for the experience. It's a lot of money for what it isbut I enjoy it and I'm working lots of overtime at the moment. Save it up in a pot for next season though I guess!

I've had some really good productive practice recently and I think my counter hitting is up to a good standard. I just hope the 'fiddly stuff' doesn't let me down - we will see...