MONIRUL ISLAM has clinched the Worcester Badminton League Division One title with a convincing 3-0 win over last season’s champion Chris Alexander.

Islam played football at under-19 level for Bangladesh and started playing badminton only four years ago.

He was undefeated throughout the season and dropped only one game.

Santi Rajaraman finished second, improving on his third place last season. He ended with a 3-0 defeat of Jeremy Swift, who was second last season.

Steve Turberfield was third, rounding off his season with a 3-0 beating of Swift and losing narrowly to Oli Shier.

Sinoj Sebastian managed a last-minute escape from the relegation places, with 3-0 wins over Swift, Neil Darwell and Dean Hardie. The final day result against Hardie sent a surprised Darwell down to Division Two along with Hardie and Swift.

Ganesh Pillai won Division Two and is promoted along with Przemek Iwachow and Kashif Ali. Iwachow had raced up the table, beating Hassan Javed, Steve Wilson, Maria Harrison, John Fastiszewski and Tim Westwood.

Beth Brown overcame James Brown 2-1 and lost 3-0 to Milko Hadzhigenov, extending her lead at the top of Division Three. She is promoted along with Carl Fordham and Stu Taylor.

James Kilby won Division Four by defeating Neil Harding 3-0.

Tom Wall climbed into third place in Division Five with a 3-0 defeat of first-placed Craig Burns. Laura Leach was second.

In the Superleague, Ali cemented first place with wins over Fastiszewski, Raes Mehmood, Swift, Beth Brown, Burns, Hadzhigenov and James Brown, although he suffered defeats to Hardie, Sebastian, Darwell, James Hodgkins and Turberfield.

Islam and Pillai finished the campaign in second and third places respectively.