Drinkhall’s winning start in France

Paul Drinkhall got off to a winning start on his debut for Jura Morez in the French table tennis league, but could not help his team to overall victory.

England’s No 2 overcame Anders Lind 3-0 (12-10, 18-18, 11-6) in the third match of his team’s tie against Hennebont.

It kept the match alive after Hennebont had won the opening two ties, Omar Assar beating Benedek Olah in four and Cedric Nuytinck defeating Kirill Skachkov in five.

Skachkov made it 2-2 as he defeated Assar in a decider, but Nuytinck won the match for Hennebont – for whom Sam Walker was not in action – by beating Olah, also in the fifth.