Ritchie Venner lifted the Seaman Cup to prove he is still king of the Sussex tables, but it was close.

The cup is contested by the top eight Sussex men but Venner, who has now won it nine times, was pushed all the way by hard-hitting Adrian Moore.

In a nail-biting final, Venner edged home 21-13, 14-21, 9-21, 21-19, 21-16.

The turning point came in the controversial fourth game.

Venner hit a scorching drive that just clipped the edge of the table. But in an act of supreme sportsmanship, Moore agreed it was an edge ball, even though umpire Ron Eglin did not see and was going to give the point to Moore.

Eventually, the crucial point was awarded to Venner to give him a 10-8 lead.

Venner picked himself up from what would have been a sensational defeat, further proof that he is a superb fighter who never gives up.

Venner said: "I cannot remember the last time I played Adrian. I thought twice during the game that I was a goner."

In the semi-finals, Venner stifled the challenge of Worthing's Peter Bartram, while Moore needed to be at his best to bring down Crawley champion Mayur Majithia in five thrilling games.

Sally Weston, so dangerous on her own tables, retained the Nicholls Cup.

She took it for a seventh time with a 21-10, 21-14 victory against Sussex champion Rose Rainton with a superb combination of top-spin and power-driving that had the Bexhill girl comfortably beaten.

Report by John Woodford
sports@argus-btn.co.uk