SQUASH RACKETS CHRISTCHURCH TOO GOOD FOR TIMARU

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29799, 16 April 1962, Page 15

SQUASH RACKETS CHRISTCHURCH TOO GOOD FOR TIMARU

Without K. R. Green. B. J. Rippen and C. L. Ryan, the Tlmaru squash rackets team was unable to match Christchurch in the first of the season's home and away fixtures played In Christchurch yesterday. Tlmaru lost by four matches to nine, but should prove much harder to beat In the return fixture to be held at Tlmaru on May 37. Although Its three top players, G. L. Bird. F. N. Coe. and W. A. Green, were all successful. Tlmaru. as expected, could not match Christchurch in the lower positions, and the home team went to lunch after the morning's play in the happy position of having won five of the first six matches. Only E. R. Morris, who was beaten in four games by K. Marquet, lost in the morning. J. Rooney. C. G. Kissling. P. Andrews. C. A. McDonald and W. Thom having all recorded quite comfortable wins. In the afternoon. P. M. Hill, after beginning badly, took the final three games comfortably against J. W. Lewis; M. Sugrue who. although he has recently transferred to Christchurch, played for Tlmaru, was beaten in three sets by K. J. Brown, and M. D. Grant played very good squash to beat J. Gibson. Then D. R. Preston, almost Inevitably it seems, became involved in another long fivegame encounter. After saving nine match points. Preston just managed to win 10-9 in the final of his match with the hard-hitting young left-hander. M. M. Jones. Although Preston has had little squash this season and was hardly properly fit. he showed much of the determination and court coverage which characterised many of his splendid games last year. This was one of the best matches of the day and while

Preston, allowing his opponent too many opportunltias to display his powerful forehand drive and smash vary nearly tost, his was a very good effort. Coe was usually in command against Milne and should have won In straight games, but lapsed into a crop of simple •iron at the end of the third Although he is improving noticeably Milne still has some way to go before he reaches his best again. Green, in an interesting match, beat L. G Holder in four games, but may have been struggling much harder to win if Holder had been able to preas home the advantage of leading 8-0 in the fourth. Feature Match Then. In the final and feature match of the day Bird beat the top Christchurch player. O. A. Davidson, in five very dose games. The match was marred by a large number of errors, particularly from Bird, who nevertheless usually seemed to have the situation tn hand. Before his winning sequence of three. Bird, the present New Zealand junior titleholder, had lost twice In the final to Davidson, and now that Davidson has returned to the game, their encounter yesterday was of particular interest with the tournament season to come. In some ways the match proved a little disappointing. The players seemed content to endeavour to out-hit each other —most of Bird's opponents have found this an extremely unprofitable method of approach—and little variety of shot was seen. The players found the ball quite fast and the drop shot and lob bad to be played to perfection for success. Bird made nearly twice as many errors as Davidson, but he also scored many more winners off the ground, and with wellplaced and powerful volleys. Considering it was his first really hard game of the season. Bird seemed very fit, and with more variety of speed in his game, and a reduction in errors, he should have his best season. Davidson showed that it will take a very good player to beat him this season, and he convincingly confirmed hts position at the top of the Canterbury ranking list. No other local player could have extended Bird, and Davidaon for moat of the match, looked very good indeed. Results. with Christchurch names first, were:— G. A. Davidson lost to G. L. Bird. 6-9. 9-7. 6-8. 9-8. 7-8; L. Milne lost to F. N. Coe. 4-9. 2-9, 10-8. 7-9; L. G. Holder lost to W. A. Green. 4-9. 9-3. 6-9. 7-9: D R. Preston beat M. M. Jones, 9-7, 1-9, 7-9. 9-4. 10-9; M. D. Grant beat J. Gibson. 10-9. 1-5. 9- P. M. Hill beat J. W. Lewis. 9-10. 9-3. 9-3. 9-1; K J. Brown beat M. Sugrue. 10-8. 10- 9-0; E. R Morris lost to K. Marquet, 1-9, 9-», 7-9, 5-9; W Thom beat C. Wyberg, 9-0. 9-0, 9-O: P. Andrews beet A Appleby, 9-0. 9-0. 9-8; C. A. McDonald beat R. Haymes. 9-3, 9-3, 9-6; J. A. Rooney beat J. Butterfield. 9-1. 9-3. 9-0; C. C Kissling beat R. P. Pryde, 9-0. 9-1, 9-7.