BADMINTON MATCH TONIGHT

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30188, 20 July 1963, Page 9

BADMINTON MATCH TONIGHT

’T’HE touring Australian r badminton team will play the South Island at Invercargill tonight. The Australian team of K. Turner, G. Nelson. Mesdames K. Nesbit and D King is the same as that which beat Canterbury, 7-1, at Cowles Stadium last Saturday. The South Island team is N. Thompson (Southland), G. Hinton (Otago), Misses J. Davidson, and K. Williams, both from Canterbury. Thompson captained the last New Zealand team to Australia, three years ago He has been chosen as reserve for the Whyte trophy test in Wellington and is in the Thomas Cup squad. His strength is in doubles and mixed doubles—nn the latter he has won the New Zealand title several times. Hinton, a former Thomas Cup representative, is also better known as a doubles player. He is in the Thomas Cup squad for the tie against Australia in Auckland on July 29 and 30. It is unlikely that Thompson will beat Turner, but Hinton’s chances against the left-handed Nelson should be quite good.

The combination of Thompson and Hinton could

possibly notch a doubles win. This could be the best spectators’ match for the evening.

Misses Davidson and Williams will have to improve considerably on their doubles of last Saturday if they are to record a respectable score against Mesdames King and Nesbit. The latter pair had not played together before the tour but have had three matches since the Canterbury encounter to improve their already sound combination.

The women's singles could provide two close matches. It is not known if the Canterbury players will have the same opponents they had in Christchurch. Miss Davidson then lost in three games to Mrs Nesbit, who eliminated Miss Davidson's smash in the third by flat driving most of her shots. Miss Williams beat Mrs King by a big margin in the third game—the first two games being very close. Whichever way the South Island team is paired for the mixed doubles, the combination opposing Turner and Mrs King will have a most difficult task. Turner has delicate touch combined with a wealth of experience. Hinton, if he plays second mixed, should be able to match Nelson. This could be a close tussle.