Teenage Benenden table tennis star Lewis Gray, recently crowned national under-14 boys’ champion, represented England 2nds in the European Nations Cadet Competition for under-15s at Lilleshall National Sports Centre, Shropshire.

In the boys’ team event the Angley School, Cranbrook, pupil and Weald TTC member won four of 10 singles matches, beating players from Denmark, Germany, Sweden and France, but he lost both of his singles against a Dutch pair.

He saved his best for the boys’ singles group, winning three of five matches to finish joint-second with two other players. He missed a place in the knockout stages as he finished fourth on game average.

He came from two games down to secure an outstanding 11-13, 13-15, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 victory over the European No.12 cadet, Enzo Angles from France.

Gray also beat Carl Akerland of Sweden in five games, Holland’s Cosmin Stan in straight games as well as narrowly going down, 12-10, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 7-11, to German group winner Julian Mohr. His other loss was 3-1 to Denmark’s Nicky Marx.

Gray said: "When I’m on my best form I think I can beat the top Europeans."

England captain Alan Cooke said: "Lewis was good in his first major international competition playing for England. He played well."