TOPSY-TURVY TABLE TENNIS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31134, 10 August 1966, Page 13

TOPSY-TURVY TABLE TENNIS

■THE most topsy-turvy 1 senior inter-club table tennis competition to have been played in Christchurch for many years is now drawing to a close, and Selwyn fully deserves the unassailable lead it has attained with only one round of matches to be played. Not since Eagles beat Selwyn in their first-round match has Selwyn lost to any club team. Its trio of Canterburv representatives, V. N. Brightwell, H. P. Holt and Mrs T. May. has shown a slight but definite margin of superiority over the other clubs. Nowhere was this better displayed than its match last week with the strong, second-placed Avonside combination. Selwyn had to win this match to ensure that it would win the championship, and it did so by the convincing margin of 9-3. But, if Selwyn has clinched the championship, there are two teams which could finish second and another which could finish equal second. Eagles and Avonside are equal second at the moment with Wallabies Green only two points behind them. Eagles will meet Wallabies Green in the final round and, if Eagles is almost certain to gain three singles wins from J. Armstrong, the recent form of M. R. Spinks and G. R. Saunders for Wallabies Green suggests that Wallabies Green, which lost its first three matches and has lost only twice since, could continue its recent splendid form. Should Wallabies Green defeat Eagles, and so draw level with them on the points table, the position of runner-up will be decided by the match between Linwood and Avonside. Linwood’s record has been the

complete reverse of Wallabies Green, winning its first three matches and only twice more after that. However, Its excellent showing against last year’s champion team. Wallabies Red, last week, suggests that it will press Avonside closely. The matches this evening will be the last chance for the players to improve their positions on the Canterbury ranking list. This should ensure that, even if Selwyn has already won the championship, the games will be closely contested.