Table Tennis Convincing Canterbury Win Over Marlborough

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29205, 16 May 1960, Page 17

Table Tennis Convincing Canterbury Win Over Marlborough

Canterbury beat Marlborough by 31 matches to one when the annual table tennis contest between the two provinces was played at Blenheim on Saturday evening. The Canterbury players were in much better form than in the match against Nelaon in the afternoon, when they had started playing immediately after a five-hour car journev from Christchurch. y J. Armstrong was untroubled to win his singles matches for Canterbury, retrieving a s consistently as always. He gave R Sheridan and B. Neal, two good attacking players, no chance to take the initiative. Sheridan had an interesting match with T. R. D. Flint. The Canterbury player had difficulty in gauging the pace of the table in the first game, and found his defensive pushes going astray However, he was able to take the initiative on attack when the occasion demanded, and was never in danger of defeat. Play was more even in the bottom half of the men’s draw D D. M. Stewart was troubled by N Perry s backhand play in the first game of their match, but attacked with more confidence at the end Perry was unable to return most of the Canterbury player’s spin services.

J. A. Dowie was worried by the persistent defensive play of J. Taylor, and lost the first game' 21-13 In the second and third games Dowie hit and counter-hit very strongly, and won with ease. Dowie beat Perry 21-11 in the third game of their match, losing the second after leading 19-16.

Mrs P. Pretty won the only match for Marlborough when she beat Mrs T. May. The Marlborough player who had several fine wins in last year’s South Island championships played both her forehand and her backhand shots with the same side of the bat. The faster Mrs May hit the ball, the faster it returned and the Canterbury player was unable to dictate the play in the third game. Promising Junior The promising 16-year-old player. Miss M. McKay, present holder of the South Island under-18 title, played well against both Mrs May and Mrs J. Shadbolt. The lefthanded Miss McKay showed that she eould be a menace to the top players in the next few seasons. The Canterbury intermediates. Miss J. Ward-Holmes and Miss C. Halliday, both played well, with Miss Halliday showing the better form - In her first representative matches. She played intelligently for a convincing defeat of the experienced Mias M. Sheridan. Canterbury was again on top in the doubles matches. Results (Canterbury names first): Men's Singles.—J. Armstrong beat R. Sheridan. 21-3. 21-10; beat B. Neal. 21-10, 21-9. T. R. D. Flint beat Sheridan. 21-18, 21-15; beat Neal, 21-13, 21-15. D. D. M. Stewart beat N. Perry, 19-21, 21-15, 21-11; beat J. Taylor. 21-19, 21-15. J. A. Dowie beat Perry. 21-13. 20-22. 21-11; beat Taylor. 15-21. 21-11, 21-13. Men’s Doubles.—Armstrong and Flint beat Perry and Neal. 22-20, 21-8: beat Sheridan and Taylor. 2117, 21-11. Stewart and Dowie beat Perry and Neal. 21-14. 21-17: beat Sheridan and Taylor. 21-19, 21-17. Women’s Singles.—Mrs T. May lost to Mrs P. Pretty. 18-21, 21-14, 14-21; beat Miss M. McKay. 21-14, 21-12. Mrs J. Shadbolt beat Mrs Pretty, 21-14, 21-17; beat Miss McKay, 21-

MiJ 1 '! 5- J ’ Ward-Holmes beat iJ- A- Gosling, 21-14 21-9- beat Miss M. Sheridan, 21-11 12-21 ai Una Miss’Gol: 21"19. 2 21 ' 9: beat Mi “ Sheridan . • JY°k en JL Doubles.—Mesdames May Mi d Sh^ b ott beat Mrs Pretty and McKay 21-15, 21-16; beat Misses Gosling and Sheridan, 21-7, 23-21 Misses Ward-Holmes and Halliday S* at Q rS .» P^ etty . and Miss McKay. Il' 19 : . 21 ‘ 16: beat Mjsses Gosling and Sheridan, 21-19, 21-16. Mixed Doubles.—Armstrong and Mrs May beat Sheridan and Mrs Pretty, 13-21, 21-14, 21-13; beat Perry and Miss McKay, 21-15, 21-16. Flint and Mrs Shadbolt beat Sheridan and Mrs Pretty. 21-13. 21-16: beat Perry and Miss McKay, 21-11, 21-11. Stewart and Miss Halliday beat Neal and Miss Gosling, 21-9. 21-11; beat Taylor and Miss Sheridan, 18-21, 21-14 21-16. Dowie and Miss Ward-Holmes beat Neal and Miss Gosling, 21-12, 14-21, 21-18; beat Taylor and Miss Sheridan, 22-20, 21-11.