BEN Warner marked his return to the sport by being crowned Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League’s men’s singles champion.

The former top Essex junior picked up hit bat again following a lengthy absence to defeat 19-year-old Brandon Crouchman, who exceeded all expectations in the competition.

Few people gave Crouchman much hope against the experienced top seed Rik James in their semi-final clash after he failed to register a win against James in his league matches.

But he blocked and counter-hit patiently, while hitting some cracking forehand winners to win a spell-binding five setter 10-12, 12-10, 11-5, 12-14, 11-9.

Joint third seed Warner beat Scott Dowsett in three sets in the other semi-final.

Dowsett hit what were arguably the more spectacular and powerful winners but Warner’s greater control and his accuracy coupled with his clever serves and overall alertness meant he always had a slight edge. The scores of 11-9, 11-5, 11-8 probably reflected this.

Warner was made the quicker start in the final and won the first end 11-8.

He led 8-4 in the second and he must have thought that he was coasting into a 2-0 lead but Crouchman raised his game superbly in this set.

Retrieving as if his life depended on it he somehow won the end 12-10 and secured a similarly close third end by the same score-line.

Warner was in trouble and at 6-1 down in the fourth end it looked to be heading away from him.

But this time he raised his game just as Brandon had in the second end and he produced some superb controlled table tennis to level at 8-8 and win the game 11-8.

Warner was now in the ascendancy and he won the decider 11-6 at the Old Chalmsfordians Club on Monday. The mixed doubles title went to the steadier pairing. Steve Whileley and Shirley Carroll took a 2-0 sets lead against the very hard-hitting combination of Dawn Baldry and Ciaran Whelan.

Although Whiley and Carroll lost the third end they reasserted themselves in the fourth end to run out 11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8 winners.

The men’s doubles final went the full five sets and it was a triumph for the youthful pairing of Scott Dowsett and Brandon Crouchman.

They made a slow start against Rik James and David Cole and trailed 2-0.

With Crouchman becoming increasingly effective they raced through the third end 11-4 and held it together to take fourth end as well.

The fifth end was a thriller and Dowsett and Crouchman led 9-7 only to see Cole power Dowsett’s two serves straight past him.

At this stage it was clearly any body’s game but it was Dowsett and Crouchman who won the two vital points to win 8-11, 5-11,11-4, 11-7, 12-10.

The two losing men’s doubles finalists, James and Cole, had little time to rest as they were back in action in the veterans singles final.

These two players perhaps know each other’s games better than anyone and the rallies were free-flowing and at times spectacular.

Cole really put it together and hit a number of perfectly angled forehand winners as he won in four ends 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5 to take the crown for a fifth time.

By contrast the under-21 singles final did not feature so many long rallies.

Scott Dowsett likes to win the points quickly but he met an opponent – his doubles partner, Brandon Crouchman – who was clearly on top of his game.

There was no let-up as Crouchman raced through to win 11-7, 11-4, 11-2 in a reversal of last year’s U21 singles final.

Julie Johnson showed all the composure and experience which has seen her dominate these Championships for so long as she defeated Sarah Austin 11-6, 11- 3, 11-6 in the ladies singles final.

Austin competed bravely throughout, attempting to match her opponent in the fast up-to-the-table rallies and she gave a very good account of herself.

But Johnson always had the edge and she duly secured her 23rd title, a truly outstanding record.