Each Region held qualifying tournaments to send players to the Grand Finals.

The Grand Finals were played on a round robin basis with 4 groups of 7 players and the top 2 players from each group go forward to the knockout stage for both Under 15 and Under 18 sections.

Scroll down for Under 18 Group Stage, Knockout Stages and Report

TOURNAMENT REPORT

The re-arranged National Grand Prix finals were held on the weekend of 5th/6th January. The event, the climax of many county and regional qualifying rounds, was always going to be an exciting one with some big names in the line ups of both the Under 18 and Under 15 age groups.

The unexpected no-show in the U18 section of big gun Richard Twomey meant a starting line up of 23, split into 4 groups. Phil Parkin (Warks) and Jack Pople (London) both England Junior Players, together with Perry Gillett (Herts) and Nathan Aston (West Midlands) won their respective groups and joined by group runner-ups Craig Day and Sam Lord (both Lancs), Michael Lambe (Norfolk) and Ben Green (West Midlands) the quarter final matches were set, played and concluded with Phil Parkin, Perry Gillett, Jack Pople and Nathan Aston triumphant.

A semi-final tussle on both tables resulted in the departure of Perry Gillett and Nathan Aston which set the scene for the 2007 England Vice Captain Jack Pople to face the 2008 England Vice Captain Phil Parkin.

The Final saw an enormous battle of these two greats in which Warwickshire A Junior Captain Phil Parkin eventually took the crown.

The Under 15 age group was no easier and players no less determined. The 16 qualifiers from 7 regions assembled in their 4 groups that included regular junior circuit players as well as first time national competitors.

In the quarter final stages we saw young Tom Smith (West Yorks) take victory over Vivek Makh (Warks), Kingsley Peck (Suffolk) beat seasoned player Luke Mills (Warks) Ryan Gilbert (Lancs) overcome Sussex Captain Jack Cairnes and Ian Smith (West Midlands) end West York’s Mark Lunn’s quest.

So with the semi final stage set the matches saw Kingsley Peck prove too strong for Tom Smith and Ian Smith take out Ryan Gilbert.

The Under 15 Final mirrored the Under 18 final, with a gigantic battle of wills between Ian Smith and Kingsley Peck; whatever the final result spectators were in no doubt that both these players would, undoubtedly be stars of the future. It was, this time however, to be Ian Smith’s day and he took the championship title 7:5.

Both Officials and Spectators had nothing but praise for the contenders during this enjoyable weekend. My thanks to Hazel Parkin and Debbie Pople for running the Top Table, referees Bob Love and Mel Harley and to Rileys Coventry for hosting the event.

Judi Collins
England Youth Manager