Representative Badminton

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30158, 15 June 1963, Page 9

Representative Badminton

iPHE Canterbury division one and two badminton teams play their first representative matches of the season tonight at the Skellerup Hall, against Otago.

The division one teams, together’ with Southland, compete for the Neill Cup—the symbol of South Island badminton supremacy. The winner then plays the North Island winner, before the New Zealand championships in Hamilton in August for the Wisden Cup.

Otago for several seasons has been the leading South Island province. Last year it beat Canterbury 14-2, in 1961 15-1, and in 1960 16-0. The Otago team is the same as that which beat Canterbury at Dunedin last year. The men are Lee Tuck Chew, G. Hinton, R. Reid and G. Garry. Three have been nationally ranked— Lee seventh in 1961 and 1962; Hinton eighth in 1961 and ninth in 1962; Reid eighth in 1960 and 1962. Garry has been seeded at the New Zealand champion-

ships. Hinton and Reid have both represented New Zealand in Thomas Cup matches. The women, Mesdames D. Hay, M. Rennie, and R. Earland and Miss S. Field, are a strong, well-balanced side. Mesdames Hay and Rennie, ranked eighth and ninth respectively in New Zealand in 1962, have been nationaally ranked for several years.

Of Canterbury's team, all except P. Boatwood and Miss J. Davidson have played division one previously. This is the first time Miss B. Cormack has represented Canterbury, but she has played for Southland on several occasions. Boatwood won his three singles in top position for the division two team last season and will be trying to continue his good record.

As Miss Davidson was overseas last season, she did not play representative matches, and played only at the end of the season. She has shown an improvement and should give a good account of herself. The division two contest could develop into an even struggle. Last year Otago won 11-5. Canterbury has quite a strong team and will be anxious to revenge its previous defeat.