CANTERBURY HAS GRIP ON WILDING SHIELD

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 16, 20 January 1939, Page 13

CANTERBURY HAS GRIP ON WILDING SHIELD

FIVE MATCHES TO ONE-BROWN AND ANGAS HAVE THEIR REVENGE—BEDFORD ONLY AUCKLAND WINNER.

the fim dLy n if B th«°Wild?n«'SK-"u lhr " '<?»• in tennis team put in ,co est * Canterbury lawn to the AuckUnde, ZkTe, oF .hTZphT" A '.V" cross-court wind m ,de play * W "'"' y 'IT to hLve a £,rr,r n ' ( * ke ,h ' ""'doubles. Auckland seem to nave a torlorn chance of retaining the trophy.

A D. BROWN, former Auckland champion, and C. Angas Had their revenge against J. W. Gunn and J. T. Mayson, their conquerors in the Canterbury championship, and the reversal of the honours suggested that the form down South was all wrong. Yet at 12—1 I and 15—love on Gunn's service in the first set at Stanley Street yesterday appearances were in favour of Gunn again lowering the colours of his old comrade. Up to that atage Brown's return of service toad been faulty; he missed some chances for "kills" on short volleys from commanding positions. That Gunn's placing was worrying him was apparent earlier, when at 10-all Brown made a request to the umpire for a linesman. Brown deserved the game, which enabled him to square the set—l 2 all—and then took the next two games in succession. At o-all in the second set It looked like another long journey till Brown, playing with more confidence than hitherto, made

certain of the eleventh and twelfth games, which took with them, besides the set, victory in the match. By no means could the play be called spectacular, and the only cxcitement was due to the closeness of the contest rather than Its quality. Gunn relied mainly on his dour patrol of the baseline, from which he made many tine recoveries, besides dosens of winners. He was plainly tiring at the end, and had a third set been necessary he could hardly have extended his opponent further. Brown excelled —and it was just aa well considering Gunn's tenacity in his Improved overhead work later in the rubber In the only other incidents (besides the legitimate request for a linesman) Brown also figured. Once in disgust he hit the net hard with his racquet after missing a "sitter," and another time skied the spare ball—for a similar reason. An fas Maintains Record. Angas, the Canterbury captain, in defeating Mayson by two sets to one, maintained his winning record in Wilding Shield tennis. The set he lost yesterday was only his second set lost in 13 years competition. It was steadiness that gave Angas the match, Mayson being definitely on top in the first set in play that was fairly evenly contested from the baselines. It was in the second set that Majson, in a winning position at 3 —2, tried to play the visitor at hia own game, but found himself outclassed. Angas was sending everything back and forcing Mayson to make all the mistakes. Mayson concentrated his attack upon hia opponents backhand. only to find that Angas was returning the ball with a heavy slice which kept it low and made pace slower on the returns. There were frequent changes of position, made necessary by the tricky cross-court wind which often appeared to blow the ball back into play. R. (i. Pattinson had little trouble in beating the Aucklander N. G. Sturt in straight seta, maintaining a better length than his opponent and giving an exhibition of beautiful passing shots, both backhand and forehand. Sturt did not seem up to his usual form. A. R. Cant showed better judgment in placements in his match against N. F. Bedford, but the Aucklander played several recovery shots in brilliant fashion. Benford was the only Auckland singles winner. Both Doublet to Visitors. Angas and Pattinson, the Canterbury pair, in positional p'ay> combination a" 4 * general understanding, were definitely superior to Mayson and Sturt in the first doubles, and made openings for each othen while the Aucklanders tried to win ptt their own shots. Pattinson shone on brilliant short-angled volleys, and Angas w ß * accurate overhead. The Aucklanders failed often with their recoveries, and the gusty wind threw them out on lobbing; the Canterbury win. in straight sets, was the logical result of the match. It. was the second doubles match in which A. D. Brown and A. R.Cant ft iinterburv) beat .T. W. Gunn nnd N- f. Bedford (Auckland) that brought ( anterburv's lend for the day up to five matches to one. The winning pair dominated play in the first set by superior court position. The Aucklanders sent back many weak lobs which' allowed Cant opportunity on let work with brilliant smashes nnd «£- levs. The second set was more even, and in' the third set, though the Aucklander* made a temporary recoverx^-wwweeleeps*

stfgpa saw the Canterbury men ox.ce again til the ascendancy, being assisted by the poor formation of Gunn and Bedford. Cant wag the most consistent of the four players. I\csi ills of yesterday's play were:— SINGLES MATCHES. R. G. Pattinson, Canterbury, beat N. G fcturt, Auckland. «— 0, 6—3. X. F. Bedford. Auckland, beat A. R. Cant, Canterbury, ft—J, ft- 4. C. Angas. Canterbury, beat J. T Mayson, Auckland, 2—6, 6—3. 6—3. A. D. Brown. Canterbury, beat J W Gunn, Auckland, 14—12, 7- 5. DOCBLKS MATCHES. ( . Angas and R. (i. Pattinson, Canterbury. beat .T. T. Mayson and X. G. Stm t, Auckland. 6—3, 6-2. A. D. Brown and A. R. Cant. Canterbury. beat ,T. W. Gunn and X. F. Bedford. Auckland, 6 —4, 4—6, B—6.

DAVIS CUP.

AUSTIN AVAILABLE FOR BRITAIN. LONDON, January 19. It In reported that H. W. Austin is returning 'to international competitive lawn tennis, and will be available for the Davis Cup contest.