South Island Squash Rackets Team

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30179, 10 July 1963, Page 13

South Island Squash Rackets Team

O. L. Bini (Timaru) .No. 1. Aged 22. The new Osnterbury open champion—be alao won thu title two years ago—BM repreeented New Zealand in Australia in 1969. the year in which he won the first of his three successive nartional junior titles Since that year, when he greatly impressed Australians with his powerful stroke-play. Bird has often disappointed. But this season there is evidence of greater consistency and concentration, and he has added to his firm drives, more variety of shot. Bird remains the moat spectacular player in New Zealand, and few can match him ait his best

M. J. Simons (Christchurch). No. 2. Aged 23. Simons's rapid rise to prominence has been a major feature of the South Island scene. He was selected last year at No. 4 and as the new Christchurch champion and the runner-up to Bird in the Canterbury open, he has fully earned his promotion to second position. Probably the fittest of the present team. Simons displays splendid court agility and his touch play, at its best, is of fine quality. Quick to learn, Simons is a keen student of the game, and he has trained solidly for his successes.

K. R. Green (Timaru), No. 3.. Aged 33. The thirdranked New Zealand player. Green earned this high rating with some of toe finest squash of his career last season. He has been nationally ranked since 1960, and he won toe Canterbury open championship in that year and again in 1962. Green is a tenacious fighter, and has great ability to control a match and force his opponents to play the type of game he wants. This has proved a great asset when he has met Bird, against whom his record is better than that of any other South Islander.

F. N, Coe (Timaru), No. 4. Aged 36. A left-hander, and perhaps the -finest player who has never won the New Zealand title, Coe was run-ner-up in this event in three successive years from 1955 to 1957. The top-ranked New Zealand player in 1958, Coe was a national representative in that year and again in Australia in 1959. One of the game’s personalities, Coe won the first four Canterbury open titles. He is at present nationally ranked at No. 7 and this year has been in particularly good form. A fine all-round player with a wide variety of shots, he is one of the most knowledgeable of the country’s leading players.

G. A. Davidson (Christchurch)', No. 5. Aged 23. Davidson won the New Zealand junior title in 1957 and 1958, beating Bird in both finals. He represented New Zealand against the visiting Australians in 1958. At present ranked tenth nationally, Davidson won the Christchurch title in 1962 and was runner-up to Simons this year. Like Bird, an extremely firm stroke-maker, Davidson's strokes are beautifully produced and he is a deceptive mover, seldom being far from centrecourt position. Fitter now than for some time, Davidson has shown this season that he is again nearing his best