A blockbuster weekend is in store as the Senior British Clubs Leagues (BCL) Premier Division returns and the teams head to BATTS Table Tennis Club in Harlow, Essex.
The weekend gets off to an exciting start as rounds 5, 6 and 7 will see the three undefeated teams – BATTS, Ormesby and Brighton – compete against each other for the first time this season.
Weekend two hosts BATTS currently sit top of the division by the best margins, with only match ratio putting them ahead of Ormesby, with both teams having won 23 and losing five individual matches in the first weekend. Brighton TTC are level on the maximum 12 points after an impressive opening weekend, but with a set record of 22-6.
Each club also has one player who remains unbeaten, including Frenchman Alexis Douin of BATTS, Mark Bates Ltd National Championships silver medalist David McBeath of Ormesby, as well as youngster Felix Thomis, who made his SBCL Premier debut on the first weekend – and what a way to open your campaign, with eight wins!
Round 5 promises to be epic, with the hosts taking on Ormesby and hoping the home crowd will help them stay at the top of the division. With Ormesby having three England players in the first weekend, they could get the help of an international star to strengthen their attack this time. With both McBeath and Douin both sharing impeccable records, this match could be one to watch!
Brighton TTC, the reigning champions, will take on weekend 1 hosts North Ayrshire TTC. The unbeaten Brighton side will be hoping to maintain their winning record, while the Scotland side will be hoping they can secure a result after a promising start to the weekend with one win, a close defeat to Fusion and two 5-2 defeats to the first and second placed sides.
Ireland’s Ormeau had a more than awkward start to their season, with a storm disrupting the arrival of two players. However, the team recovered and made it a successful weekend, winning both matches on Sunday. They will be hoping to continue winning against London-based team Fusion TTC, who are in sixth place but could easily move top of the table with some exciting matches swinging the score in their opponents’ favour.
The final match of Round 5 sees newcomers eBaTT take on Drumchapel Glasgow in a huge battle at the bottom of the table, with 7th against 8th. With both teams yet to win, it’s going to be a huge clash, and with both eBaTT and Drumchapel strengthening their line-ups, this match is not one to miss.
Round 6 takes place on Saturday afternoon, where BATTS vs Brighton is the standout match of the round, while Ormesby TTC will take on eBaTT, the two clubs meeting for the first time in Premier SBCL history. Both teams have extremely passionate squads, who bring the energy and fight at every point.
Elsewhere in Round 6, Ireland meet Scotland as Ormeau take on North Ayrshire, with both clubs featuring local stars including Martin Johnson, Chris Main and Colin Dalgleish for North Ayrshire and Peadar Sheridan and Paul McCreery for Ormeau, who also have Commonwealth Games squad member and Irish international Owen Cathcart, currently playing in the Bundesliga, available for selection.
Fusion TTC take on Drumchapel Glasgow in a hugely exciting match. Drumchapel have done a big signing ahead of weekend two, and their identity will be revealed later this week. Could that tip the balance or can Fusion’s all-own side compete with the Scottish team?
Sunday’s action starts with Round 7, live from 9.30am and with the third ‘clash of the titans’ as Ormesby meets Brighton. For the past two seasons Ormesby have finished second to their south coast opponents and this is their first meeting of the 25/26 season.
Ormeau will take on hosts BATTS as the two Scottish clubs meet for the first time this season in Round 7, with bragging rights up for grabs. Will it be Saltcoats-based North Ayrshire or Drumchapel Glasgow who take the points? North Ayrshire have had a solid squad in recent years, something which benefits their partnership in doubles, an essential ingredient if you want to be successful in this division.
There will also be a Battle for London in Round 7, with North facing South, Brent Cross and Bermondsey meeting and eBaTT Fusion playing. eBaTT have added Nahom Asgedom to their ranks, while Fusion may have the services of Lorestas Trumpauskas back for weekend two after missing the trip to North Ayrshire on weekend one due to clashes with a veterans event.
Round 8 concludes the second weekend of action, and the final round of 2025. The teams will go head-to-head once again and take on their Round 1 opponents, meaning we’re set for some epic rematches, with many of the matches going the distance earlier in the season.
An exception was Ormesby, who confirmed their dominance over Ormeau with a 7–0 win, although Ormeau had to draw against it and two of their players arrived minutes before the scheduled start time due to storm disruption. The Irish side will be looking for redemption this time.
Fusion had to work hard for the points as they started their campaign with a 4-3 win over North Ayrshire, a Shaquille Webb-Dixon double breaking the hosts’ hearts, in a match that could have gone either way – who will take the win this time?
BATTS also came out on top in a 4-3 win over Drumchapel Glasgow. Will unbeaten Frenchman Alexis Douin maintain his 36-month unbeaten streak in Britain, as Drumchapel have an exciting new signing ready to take the division by storm – stay tuned for an exciting announcement, which could change the fate of Glasgow’s season!
Reigning champions Brighton battled Table 1 newcomers eBaTT in Round 1. A score of 5-2 doesn’t quite explain how close this draw was, with Brighton on the right side of three five-set battles.
Follow all the action this weekend on BCL’s social media channels and look out for live streaming details!
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