DOUBLE'SUCCESS FOR CASHMERE TENNIS CLUB

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29765, 7 March 1962, Page 11

DOUBLE'SUCCESS FOR CASHMERE TENNIS CLUB

TT is seldom in the Christchurch inter-dub lawn tennis competitions that the winning teams of both senior

men’s and senior women’s grades come from the one club. That has happened this

season with the honours to Cashmere; the last time was in 1953-54 when both winners came from United. Although the Cashmere club must be congratulated for this effort, it must be considered somewhat fortunate. There is no question about the women’s win. The team has been the strongest in each of the last four seasons and it was again unbeaten. But the men did not have to prove their superiority to win; it was not their fault, they did not have the chance and they have every right to accept their championship win with elation. The indications have been that United was the strongest team in the competition and a play-off between Cashmere and United was being looked forward to when last Saturday’s circumstances turned everything in favour of Cashmere and put an end to the competition. United suffered a loss to Woolston in the second round by 75 games to 79 and thus remained one point behind

the unbeaten Cashmere until the round before the last when they met. United won this by 4 matches to 1 with one unfinished. Cashmere and United were expected to beat their last-round opponents, Elmwood and North

Linwood, respectively, and thus be tested again in a play-off.

Fate and the competitions committee’s rules decided otherwise, for Cashmere won and United lost. United was without its top player, L. A. Gerrard, and it also began one match down because it had to default a doubles when A. L. Blackwell could not be there in time through a business emergency. The competitions committee is being strict in its enforcement of the default for lateness rule and this also affected a crucial match last season. The committee announced then it would accept no excuses for lateness. On top of this the United second player, A. D. L. Hunter, returning after some weeks of illness, lost a singles he was expected to win and in which he held match points. AU this was very nice for Cashmere but some may feel, not least the United team, that there has been rather a miscarriage of justice. So Cashmere finished with six wins to United’s five, but in records for individual matches United won 28 and lost 11 with three uncompleted and Cashmere won 24, lost 17 with one not completed. In the singles United won 21 and lost only four, two of them on the last day, whereas Cashmere won 14 and lost 13.

With those reservations the Cashmere club can be pleased with its double win. The men’s championship in the last 10 years has passed from Woolston to United. University twice, Opawa, University, North Linwood three times and now Cashmere which has not been far from the top most seasons. This time the records are: Cashmere, won 6, lost 1; United, 5,2; Woolston, 4,2; Elmwood, 4,2; University, 3, 4 Edgeware, 2,5; Opawa, 2,5; and North Linwood, 2, 5. The teams on the same points are in order of individual matches won.

Cashmere used only the five players—B. J. Shirlaw,

I. D. Armstrong, M. C. Healey, R. Minson, and S. Bullen. (United and University had nine, and the rest five or six.) These players are of an even standard, making the team a wellbalanced one which, if it did not have as good a singles record as the second team, had a better one in doubles. Best performances in singles ‘in the competition were:—

(Unit.) e 4 i L. A, Gerrard (Unit.) and G. D. Moss (Opawa) both played only three matches and won them.

Cashmere is one of three teams that have dominated the women’s competition since World War 11. North Linwood won four times, United eight, six of them from 1851-52 to 1856-57, then Avonside once in 1057-58, and Cashmere for the four season® since.

Throughout those four seasons the same five players have been almost entirely used—Miss J. Davidson, Miss K. Williams, Mrs E. Campbell, Mrs H. Lovegrove, and Mrs A. Ryan. Mrs Ryan dropped out at the end of last season and Mrs B. Watmuff replaced her, but Mrs Watmuff played only in the first half of the season. The records of Misses Davidson and Williams and Mrs Campbell are remarkable. In the four seasons Miss Davidson has played 18 singles with the loss of one, 15 wins out of 16 in the last three; Miss Williams has played 22 and lost one; and Mrs Campbell has played 23 and lost three. Taken back further Miss Davidson’s club record is almost as impressive. In the eight seasons she has played senior tennis she has played 46 club singles with 41 wins, three of the five losses being in the first two seasons. All women’s teams this season played seven matches and their wins were Cashmere 7, Avonside 6, Fendalton 5, Femside-Kaiapoi 3, United 3, University 3, Shirley 1, St. Albans 0.

Best performance* in singles were:—

P. W. L M. Agar (Wool.) 7 6 1 B. Crofts (Edge) 7 8 1 B. Crawford (N~ Lin.) 7 5 2 A. Brooke (Unit.] ) « 4 0 D. Wright (Unit.; ) 4 4 0 L. Watkins (Elrr 1.) 4 4 0 D. Preston (Univ.) 1 5 4 1 R. Mlnson (Cash.) 6 4 2 A. L. Blackwell

P. W. L Mrs E. Campbel] Mrs D. (Cash.) 7 7 0 McKlnnel Miss (Avon.) 7 7 • K. Williams (Cash.) 7 6 1 Mrs P. Leopold Mrs (Avon.) 7 • 1 P. Boatwood J. (Fend.) 7 « 1 Miss Davidson (Cash.) S S 0 Mrs L. Buxton (Fend.) 7 s 2 Miss H. BUck (Unit.) 4 4 0