Badminton Clean Sweep For Canterbury

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31090, 20 June 1966, Page 7

Badminton Clean Sweep For Canterbury

Playing badminton at late hours and in low temperatures appears to have helped Canterbury produce a more robust band of representative players this year than for many seasons past.

The division I team broke a long drought by beating Southland convincingly in the Skellerup Hall on Saturday night; the division II side took a confident step towards retaining its South Island supremacy by conceding only one match out of 16 to the Southland B team.

The Canterbury juniors promoted confidence for the future with a good win against their southern counterparts. While Canterbury has won the South Island division II contest for the last three years, the province’s record at the top level has not been impressive, and Southland—traditionally a strong side—has often proved the stumbling block. Over-all Supremacy

On Saturday night, however, Canterbury swept Southland aside by 13 matches to three In the division I encounter. Although six of the games won by the home side were reasonably close, there was no doubting Canterbury’s over-all supremacy. \ The victory was particularly gratifying to A. G. Duckmanton and D. B. Reid, the captains of the Canterbury division I and II teams respectively. For several years they have been In Canterbury sides that were well beaten by Southland teams; Saturday night was their time for retribution. Canterbury’s division II team lost only three sets in its landslide 15-1 win and the Canterbury juniors beat Southland, 13-4-For- the division 1 team, thp «and match was the first its bid to win the Neill Cup for South Island supremacy; It meets Otago at Dunedin in the second leg next month. Given New Leek

The introduction of the Malayan University student, Ho Kai Yen, and the promotion of B. W. Crofts gave the Canterbury men’s team a new look. Southland's confidence began to diminish when its team discovered that Duckmanton was at No. 4, instead of hie usual place at 1 or 2.

This reshuffle also had its effect on the division II team Reid and B. E. Wylie, two players with considerable experience in the higher grade, were far too good for their opponents The Canterbury women generally had too much variety of shot for their Southland opponents, and most of the matches In the two divisions were won comfortably by the home side Southland’s captain and international player, N. R. Thompson, tried hard to rally his side with three fine exhibitions, but Canterbury held the whip hand in most of the games.

Unexpected Collapse Ho Kai Yen, playing No. 1 for Canterbury, suffered an unexpected collapse at a time when he was well on the way to beating Thompson in the feature singles match of the night. Ho won only one point out of 22 after taking the first set and holding his opponent to eightall in the second.

At the hopeless position of 1-14 In the third set. Ho recovered his touch. He saved four match points and pulled up to 7-14 before n netted return ended his brave but futile fight-back. P. V. Boatwood beat the former national Junior champion, C T. Young, in a game of changing fortunes which also went to three sets. Boatwood Intelligently blocked Young’s chief avenues of scoring in the deciding set but the Southlander contributed to his defeat by misjudging several shots to the baseline and sidelines and with serves which were far too shallow. A number of Young's shots simply invited Boatwood's smash. Duckmanton scarcely raised a bead of perspiration in winning his singles but Crofts encountered in N. F. Hamilton a relentless retriever who won many points by sheer doggedness. By concentrating on getting every shuttle back across the net. Hamilton won the first set 1714 after Crofts had led 14-7. Bist from then on Crofts’ better technique and Hamilton’s lack of a smash gradually led to a win by the Canterbury man. Cembined Perfectly One of the best exhibitions of badminton was in the ton men's doubles, when two Individualists. Ho and Boatwood pooled their talents to beat Thompson and Hamilton. The game went to setting in the second set after a close and entertaining first set. Canterbury's top women. Misses S. Field and B. Cormack, had some moments of uncertainty in their singles matches against Misses B. Howell and I*. Beer respectively but their eon ststency of shot and better court coverage gave them the upper hand. Miss Newell endeavoured to match Miss Field's power game with the strength of her forehand shots, but this was

not enough to bring success. Miss Beer, having extended Miss Gormack thoroughly in the first set, collapsed against the stream of firm shots from the former Southlander in the second set.

Mrs M. Brown played with calm deliberation to secure wins in all her matches and although Miss R. Waites lost her singles to Miss F. Matheson she displayed excellent control at the net in assisting Duckmanton to achieve a resounding mixed doubles win. Results, with Canterbury names first: Division I Men’s Singles.—Ho Kai Yen lost to N. R. Thompson, 15-12, 8-15, 7-15: P. V. Boatwood best C T. Young, 15-11, 11-15, 15-10; B. W. Crofts beat N. F. Hamilton, 14-17, 15-8, 15-5: A. G. DbCkmanton beat K. Eliiotte, 15-3. 15-3. Women’s Singles.—Miss S. Field beat Miss B. Newell, 11-4, 12-9; Miss B. Gormack beat Miss L Beer, 12-9, 11-1; Mrs M. Brown beat Mrs D Southby, 11-9, 11-6; Miss R. Waites lost to Miss F. Matheson, 11-3, 2-11, 6-11. Men’s Doubles.—Ho Kai Yen and Boatwood beat Thompson and Hamilton, 15-11, 18-13; Crofts and Duckmanton beat Young and Eliiotte, 15-11, 131-5, 15-8.

Women's Doubles. Misses Field and Gormack beat Misses Newell and Beer, 15-11, 15-7: Mrs Brown and Miss Waiteg, beat Mrs Southby and Miss Matheson, 15-3, 15-13. Mixed Doubles.—Boatwood and Miss Gormack lost to Thompson and Miss Matheson. 9-15, 4-15; Ho Kai Yen and Miss Field beat Young and Mrs Southby,' 15-4, 15-8; Crofts and Mrs Brown beat Hamilton and Miss Newell, 6-15, 15-11, 15-9; Duckmanton and Miss Waites beat Eliiotte and Miss Beer. 15-1, 15-6. Divislan II Men's Singles.—W. Edgecumbe beat J. Hamilton, 15-1, 15(4; B E. Wylie beat H. Toromata, 15-6. 15-8; D. B. Reid beat J. Fletcher, 15-3, 15-2; R. Miller beat C. Southby, 15-5, 15-6. Women’s Singles.—Mrs. M. Miller beat Miss S. Wilkes; 11-0, 6-11, 11-1; Mrs N. Wylie Wst to Mrs J. Walker. 11-7, 3-11,32-11: Miss D. French beat Mrs E. Eliiotte. 11-4, 11-0; Miss E. ’ Stevenson beat Mrs T. Henfiessy, 11-6, 11-0. Men’s Doubles.—Miller and Wylie beat Hamilton and Fletcher, 15-5 15-6; Reid and Edgecumbe beat Toromata and Southby, 15-0, 15-8. Women’s Doubles.—Mrs Miller and Miss French beat Mesdames Walker and Eliiotte. 15-llv 15-8; Mrs Wylie and Miss Stevenson beat Mrs Hennessy and: Miss Wilkes. 15-3, 15-6. Mixed Doubles.—Reid and Mrs Miller beat Hamilton and: Miss Wilkes. 15-5, 15-10; Wylie and

Mrs Wylie beat Toromata and Mrs Hennessy, 15-1, 15-5: Miller and Miss French beat Fletcher and Mrs Walker, 15-1, 15-2; Edgecumbe and Miss Stevenson beat Southby and Mrs Eliiotte. 15-7, 15-12, Junior Boys’ Singles.—G. A. Miller beat R. Jones, 15-6, 15-7; G. Ellis beat T. Smith. 15-4, 15-3; M. Berry beat G. Bonnlface, 15-8, 15-8; L. Robinson lost to M. Pascoe, 16-18, 3-15. Girls’ Singles.—N. Oliver lost to G Dowling. 11-5, 5-11, 5-11: M Hodgson beat P. Holtz, 12-9, 11.6; K. Goddard beat B. Lowe, 12-10, 11-12, 11-3; D. Bennett lost to B Muirhead, 4-11, 1-11. .Boys’ Doubles. —Miller and Ellis beat Jones and Pascoe, 15-10, 15-12; Berry and Robinson beat Smith and Boniface. 15-11, 17-14. Girls’ Doubles.—Misses Oliver and Hodgson beat Misses Dowling and Holtz. 15-10, 15-7: Misses Bennett and Goddard lost to Misses Lowe and Muirhead, 15-8, 7-15, 8-15, Mixed Doubles.—Miller and Miss Oliver beat Jones and Miss Dowling, 15-7, 15-3; Ellis and Miss Hodgson beat Smith and Miss Holtz, 15-7, 15-3; Berry and Miss Goddard beat Boniface and Miss Lowe, 10-15, 15-4, 15-5; Robinson and Miss Bennett beat Pascoe and Miss Muirhead, 15-0, 15-0.

Lower Grade Badminton Results Cf lower grade badminton matches:— B Grade.—Bryndwr Y.M.C.A. 13, North Beach 3; Canterbury 11, Army 5; Railway 11. Knox 5; St. Paul’s 205 points, New Brighton 186 points; Central 9, Avonside 7; Selwyn 9, South Brighton 7. C Grade. —University 15, Burnham 1; South Brighton 12. St. Paul’s 4; Canterbury 11. St. James 5; Bryndwr Y.M.C.A; 186 points, Lincoln College 166 points; Selwyn 11, Knox 5; Christchurch 175 points. Ashgrove 169 points. President’s Grade.—Christchurch 12, New Brighton 3; Beresford 11’. Central 4; Ashgrove 14, South Brighton 1; Army 11, North Beach 4; Railway 9, Mt Pleasant 6. E Grade.—St. Albans 9. Wesley 7; Olympic 14, Railway 2; University 198 points, Kaiapol 197 points; Canterbury 9 North Beach 7: Sydenham Methodist 10. Bryndwr Y.M.C.A. 6; Hei Hei 12. Rangiora 4. F Grade. —Lincoln College 13, Avonside 3; Christchurch 15, Selwyn 1.