LAWN TENNIS JUNIOR SHIELD MATCHES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28179, 18 January 1957, Page 17

LAWN TENNIS JUNIOR SHIELD MATCHES

SEMIFINALS AT WILDING PARK

Four boys’ and four girls’ teams—including many of the best New Zealand juniors—will take part in the semi-finals of the Slazenger and Howe Shield interprovineial competitions at Wilding Park today. Finals will be played tomorrow. Slazenger Shield (boys) semifinalists. which have been found after the four zone tournaments throughout the Dominion, are Auckland, Hutt Valley, Wellington and Canterbury, and the Howe Shield competitors are Auckland. Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and Canterbury, At one time the competitions were run on a challenge basis like the Wilding Shield and Nunneley Casket of senior tennis, but an increase in the number of teams wishing to take part in recent years has made it necessary to group the teams into zones with the winners of zones meeting in Semi-finals and the final just before the national junior championships. The zone divisions are:—Northland, Auckland, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty; Hawke’s Bay, Poverty Bay. Manawatu, and Hutt Valley; Wellington, Taranaki, Wanganui, Nelson and Marlborough; Canterbury, South Canterbury. North Otago, Otago and Southland. Strong Auckland Teams Auckland has held the Slazenger Shield since the competition began in 1949 and Waikato won the Howe Shield last year. However, this season, Auckland has already eliminated Waikato in the final of the northernmost zone of the Howe Shield.

The Auckland teams look very strong in both sections, including many of the leading seeded players for sections of the national junior championships next week. The boys’ team is an especially strong one with J. Lockington and C. Pascoe, third and fourth seeded under 19. and A. Chester, top under 17 boy. Draw for the semi-finals today is:—Slazenger Shield: Auckland v. Hutt Valley; Canterbury v. Wellington. Howe Shield: Auckland v. Hawke’s Bay; Canterbury v. Wellington. It therefore seems likely that Auckland will reach both finals.

The Canterbury teams, boys led by A. D. Huston, who has played fairly well in the Wellington tournament this week, and the girls, led by the present New Zealand under 19 singles champion, Miss J. Davidson, should give Wellington good opposition. The teams are:— SLAZENGER SHIELD Auckland. — J. Lockington, C. Pascoe, G. Atkinson, A. Chester; reserve, R. Scherer. Hutt Valley.—B. Shute, P. Dibley, A. McDougall, M. Paul; reserve, N. Bond. Wellington.— R. Greenwood, B. Goggin, M. Simons, D, Henderson; reserve, R. Clarke. Canterbury.— A. Huston, G. Judge, B. Aldridge, G. Moss; reserve, D. Marshal. HOWE SHIELD Auckland. — B. Bryant, J. Glenie, A. Emery, M. Hatton; reserve, B. Wright. Hawke’s Bay.—P. Sewell, D. Salt, P. Esam, L. Sarah; reserve. J. Buxton or J. Farrell. Wellington.— F. Cliff, J. Kent, M. Johnston, J. Archibald; reserve P. Aitken.

Canterbury.—J/ Davidson, G. Hopkinson, J. Lambert, L. Mardon; reserve. C. Smith.