Bird Squash Champion Again

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30794, 5 July 1965, Page 16

Bird Squash Champion Again

G. L. Bird (Timaru) won his third Canterbury squash rackets title by defeating D. R. Preston in the final by three games to one, yesterday afternoon.

Preston had a hard path to the final. He won an hourlong battle against G. P. Haddon in the second round and then went on to defeat B. J. Rippin in three hard-fought games. Bird, however, had a default win over P. L. Mackenzie in the semi-finals after losing only 10 points in two earlier matches. Mrs R. Woodhead won the women’s title without dropping a game. Her opponent in the final, Miss C. Swift, fought back well in the second game to lead 6—4 but could not match Mrs Woodhead's power and failed to score again.

Bird’s display in the 31minute final was a typical mixture of tremendous power and elementary errors. He began well by going quickly into a 4—o lead before Preston became used to his pace. Preston then won six points in a row from Bird’s errors. This game went to Preston 9—6. Preston continued on even terms with Bird in the second. but from 4-all, Bird went to 9—4 with five magnificent winners.

Another run of winners from 2—3 .in the third' game enabled Bird to forge ahead, and he finished the match on a high note with a fl—l win in the fourth. Much of the interest in the tournament centred on the performances of the four players nominated for this year’s New Zealand team K. R. Green was sadly out of form and was eliminated by R. G. Pattinson, D. R. Preston, by his wins over Haddon and Rippin, plus a good performance against

Bird, must have greatly improved his chances of selection. Results:

A Grade First Round. —R. Goodall beat L. G. Milne, 9-2, 3-9, 9-5. 9-7; B. J. Rippen beat P. C. Angland. 9-0. 9-0, 9-4. . . „ Quarter-finals. —G. Bird beat R. Goodall. 9-2. 9-0, 9-4: P. L. Mackenzie beat R- G. Pattinson, 4-9. 9-0 9-2, 0-9, 10-8: B. J. Rippen beat J. Pine, 9-7. 9-4. 10-8: D. R Preston beat G. P. Haddon, 4-9. 6-9. 9-7, 9-1, 9-5. Semi-finals. —Bird beat Mackenzie, by default: Preston beat Rippin, 91. 9-5. 10-9. Final.—Bird beat Preston, 5-9. 9-4, 9-3, 9-1. B Grade B Hamilton beat M. Riddell, 9-6 9-10, 9-1, 9-6: J. Crosbie beat D. Kennedy, 9-7, 9-3, 9-2: P. Kinney beat D. Marshall, 7-9, 6-9. 9-6. 9-3, 9-4. Quarter-finals. —Watson beat Donald, 9-4, 2-9, 9-6, 7-9, 9-4. Crosbie beat Hamilton, 9-0, 9-2. 9-2; R D. Monk beat Kinney, 9-2, 10-8, 4-9, 9-6: L. Williams beat N. A. Justice. 9-1, 9-0. 9-2.

Semi-finals.—Watson beat Crosbie. 9-5, 9-2, 9-0: Williams beat Monk, 10-9, 9-6, 7-9, 9-2. Final.—Watson beat Williams. 9-7, 9-5, 9-3. C Grade Semi-finals. —N. Herd beat B Prisk, 9-4, 4-9, 9-7, 4-9, 9-3; D Hearn beat J. Wesney. 9-7, 9-1, 6-9, 9-4. Final. —Hearn beat Herd, 9-3, 3-9, 9-6. 9-5. O Grade Semi-finals.—M. Adamson beat C. Page. 9-10. 9-2, 9-6. 3-9, 9-0: B. Qulrke beat F. Monck, 7-9, 9-2. 9-0, 9-6. Final.—Quirke beat Adamson. 9-7, 9-4, 9 5. WOMEN Quarter-finals. —Mrs R. Woodhead beat Miss L. Pledger, 9-0, 9-0, 9-1; Miss C. Andrew beat Miss S. Elvidge, 9-3, 9-5, 9-3: Miss C. Swift beat Mrs C. Arnesen, 9-0, 9-6, 9-0. Semi-finals.—Miss C. Swift beat Miss H. Lawson, 9-1, 9-1, 9- Mrs Woodhead beat Miss Andrew. 9-5, 9-3, 9-0. Final.—Mrs Woodhead beat Miss Swift, 9-0, 9-6, 9-0. A Grade.—Plate: W. A. Green beat K. R. Green, 9-4, 9-6, 1-9, 10- Classic plate; G. Haddon beat R. Goodall, 9-6, 9-2. 9-3. Consolation plate: M. Garrett beat S. Suckling, 10-9, 4-9, 9-7, 9-7. B Grade.—Plate: R. Haynes beat M. Riddell. 9-4, 10-8, 2-9.

2-9, 9-4. Classic plate: R H Donald beat T. p. Kinney. 9s' 9-5, 9-6. Consolation plate- Garrett beat Ullrich, 6-9. 9-2 »■> 1-9 9-6. ' C Grade.—Plate: J. Dickie beat J. R. Wade, 7-9, 9-2, 9.5 9 5 Classic plate: W. H. Cooke’ beat G. Graham, 3-9, 9-6, 9 2. 9 0 Consolation plate: C. p. Murray beat M. Boland, 4-9, 10-9, 109 9-6.

D Grade.—Plate: R. Smith beat K. Victor, 9-5, 10-8, 9-3. Classic plate: P. Burns beat P. Helmore 2-9, 9-6, 9-6, 9-1. Consolation plate: Leckle beat Reid, 9 5 9 6 9-7.

Women's Plate—Miss J. Stropson beat Miss P. Gleeson, 9-0 9-1, 9-5. Classic Plate.—Miss B Bowbves beat Miss C. Arneson, 9-4, 10 9 9-6.