PLAY was concentrated on the veterans and under-18s tournaments directed new secretary Mike Mitson.

Entries were once again of a high standard and the tournament committee were hard pressed to sort out the various handicapping for pairings.

In the Lancashire Inter-League the second team from Blackburn started their season with a resounding 8-3 victory over the second team from Liverpool.

As is usual in these matches, the singles events open play, and Liverpool came out on top taking two of the three events - the ladies and top men's.

However, from this point onwards the match turned in favour of the home side and they took three of the four level doubles, for a 4-3 lead with just the four mixed doubles to play.

The first and top mixed doubles played was a very tight affair but the new Blackburn pairing of M Suleman and Cheryl Wright finally came out winners after going to a third game and winning 17-14.

This result gave the rest of the team the confidence to perform well, and in the end, they in turn won all their ties to give Blackburn a comfortable victory. Results - Lancashire Inter League Division Three: Blackburn 2nd 8, Liverpool 2nd 3.

Veteran Mixed Doubles semi-final: B Hodgson and V Hodgson bt S Wyatt and L Perkins 21-16; D Howarth and C Howarth bt D Vickers and I Rimmington 21-18. Final: B Hodgson and V Hodgson bt D Howarth and C Howarth 21-14.

Veterans Men's Doubles winners: G Robinson and M Suleman, runners-up: S Foster and G Openshaw.

Veterans Ladies Doubles winners: P Anderson and B Henderson, runners-up: G Heys and A Lucas.

Under 18s Mixed Doubles: Mark Perkins and Katy Hodgson bt Richard Smith and Chantel Moro 21-19.

Under 18s Boys Singles: Richard Smith bt Mark Perkins 21-9.

Under 18s Boys Doubles: Richard Smith adn Mark Perkins bt Adam Whittaker and Dominic Heys 21-14.

Under 18s Girls Singles: Kelly Howarth bt Chantel Moro 21-5.

Under 18s Girls Doubles: Janet Dawson and Catherine Rowlands bt Joanna Duckworth and Chantel Moro 21-16.

Fixtures - Nov 13: Oldham/Rochdale v Blackburn (6pm); Oldham/Rochdale 2nd v Blackburn 3rd (6pm).

Nov 21: Lancaster v Blackburn 2nd (noon).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.