Strong Badminton Team To Play At Oamaru

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28314, 27 June 1957, Page 15

Strong Badminton Team To Play At Oamaru

/CANTERBURY’S division I badminton team will play its first match of the season when it meets North Otago at Oamaru next week. For the last few seasons, Canterbury has been one of the weaker provinces in the Dominion, but the number of promising younger players in this year’s team suggests a change for the better.

Last season, Canterbury beat North Otago by 13 matches to 3. This was Canterbury’s only victory in this section, which was won by Southland, which beat Otago by five sets in the final. As Canterbury lost to Southland by only 10 games to 6 last year, with a weakened team, chances for this year appear bright. Three Clubs

An interesting feature of this year’s team of four men and four women is that it is chosen from only three clubs. R. Macefield, A. Duckmanton, and Miss A. Snow are from the Christchurch Club, R. Pattinson and Miss B. Webster play for Knox, and the three players hew to the representative team, A. Ghani and Misses G. Hopkinson and C. Swift, represent University.

This year’s team is stronger than that which beat North Otago last season, with the three University players and Pattinson replacing A. Roberts, D- Reid, Miss S. Fields, and Mrs M. Jeffereys. Macefield, ranked eighth in the Dominion last year, is in good form at present, and has been winning his club matches with ease. He has not been seriously challenged for his position at the top of the provincial ladder.

Pattinson, who has been a member of the representative team for

many years, is a very astute player. Ranked ninth in New Zealand, his speed about the court is his greatest asset, especially in doubles. The third player, Ghani, is a first-year student from Ma- 1 laya. Ghani has shown good form in his matches in Christchurch, and is very deceptive. Duckmanton has not played any club matches this season, as his team, Christchurch B, has had to be withdrawn from the competition. Miss Hopkinson, at the top of the women’s ladder, has shown tremendous improvement this year. Last season, she played in the C grade. Miss Hopkinson is very quick about the court, and her powerful smashing is combined with delicate net shots. Miss Webster, who at present holds the three Canterbury titles, is the top player for the unbeaten Knox A team.

The third player, Miss Swift, has represented Canterbury for several years in the lower grade teams. A member of the University team which won the B grade last year, Miss Swift’s play has improved while she has been playing in the top grade. Miss Snow iS an experienced representative player, who was runner-up in the Canterbury singles championships last year. The star of the North Otago team will be the New Zealand representative, Miss A. McKenzie. Miss McKenzie, who played particularly well against the Australians on their last visit, was run-ner-up to Miss S. Cox in last year’s national championships, and her match with Miss Hopkinson should be full of interest.

The other members of the North Otago side are not expected to be particularly strong, and the Canterbury side should be able to repeat last year’s victory.