Drinkhall puts England into World Championship Semi's

Tyne Tees
Paul Drinkhall
Table Tennis
Loftus
Friday 4 March 2016 at 6:19pm

Paul Drinkhall (left) celebrates with Liam Pitchford after England's 3-2 win over France at the World Team Table Tennis Championships Credit: ITTF

Paul Drinkhall yet again won a decisive match to put England into the Semi Finals at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Kuala Lumpur.

The 26-year-old, from Loftus, beat Emmanuel Lebesson (15-13, 8-11, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11) to give England a 3-2 over France in the last eight. England will now face Japan in the Semi Final on Saturday.

Earlier, Liam Pitchford was England's hero as he won his two matches against Lebesson and Simon Gauzy to level the tie at 2-2. That's after Gauzy beat Drinkhall and Tristan Flore defeated Sam Walker in the other games.

But just as he did in Thursday's match again Poland, it was Drinkhall who clinched the victory in the final game to guarantee his team a World Championship medal.

England are the last surviving European nation in Kuala Lumpur, with China facing Korea in the other Semi Final.