Sussex champion Rose Rainton was the top performing Sussex player at Grantham last week at the second and final session of the British Women's League.

She beat nine out of ten of her opponents playing for Hollington (Hastings) in Division One.

With team mates Sheila King and Sara Coggon, Hollington finished second and qualified for promotion after drawing 3-3 with champions Hull.

Sussex women won eight silver medals overall. The Horsham team was captained by Sally Weston and she won four of her six games.

Horsham finished second to Grove, who fielded Chinese player Shuang Zhao who has an extraordinary England ranking at No 4. She was unbeaten throughout the tournament.

Miss Rainton only lost to Sally Clarke, the former England international, while King and Coggon each won five of their ten games.

Weston's best win was over the Welsh national squad No 2 Naomi Owen.

Three other Sussex players competing at Grantham were Worthing veteran Pauline Steele, who was playing for Norwich, Sarah Stedman, who appeared for Britannia Hanbury, and Gail Davey, of St Leonards, who won a silver medal playing for Darlington.

Ritchie Venner is top seed and hot favourite to win his first Hastings men's singles crown this Sunday at Hollington.