A new, less-fancied name will be added to the Champion's trophy this year, as most of the top seeds and recent winners fell by the wayside. In fact, so painful was the roll of injured and absent stars, that many of them stayed away from the Final last night.
On the last available date before the official end of Winter, 2007 Champion Jerry Staffurth (bidding for his third trophy of the year) took on relative newcomer Mike Wright in the battle of the outsiders.
On form, Mike should have won at a canter, with Jerry clearly tiring after a long campaign (two losing finals to date out of five he will contest). Early exchanges bore this out, as Mike raced to an 8-2 lead in the first game - only to be pegged back to 5-8 by Jerry's more consistent returning. [Mike prefers to showboat for the crowd occasionally, when the court is at his mercy.] But inevitably, the last point came along just when a Jerry comeback looked to be possible. 9/5 to Mike.
The second game started even more in Mike's favour 6-0 in no time - before Jerry again hauled himself back to 5-7. Time for another switch back on for Mike, which saw him close out the second 9-5 for a 2-love lead.
The third proved a fence too far for Jerry though; Mike steadily accumulating points to 7-2, only for the expected Jerry clawback to unseat its rider. Third and final game 9-2 to Mike, who becomes the fourth different name on the trophy in as many years.
Jerry collects his third runner-up goblet of the year
The Champion gets his mug from the handy Mark Johnson
KPSC Open Championship 2017