Narrow Badminton Win To N.Z.

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31441, 7 August 1967, Page 20

Narrow Badminton Win To N.Z.

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. New Zealand retained the Whyte Trophy in the two-day Badminton test against Australia which ended on Saturday night.

Australia drew with New Zealand 8-8 on match play, but New Zealand won the trophy by 19 games to 17 and 414 points to 360.

After the first day's matches on Friday, New Zealand trailed Australia 5-3 but made a determined come-back to win five of the last night’s eight matches. “The scores indicate the best team won,”'said the Australian captain, G. Robotham. The manager of the Australian team, Mr C. Cutt, described the series as “a good, hard, even contest with no excuses for Australia’s defeat”

On Saturday New Zealand showed the form it lacked during the first night's matches.

In the top men's and women's matches Australia managed to win only the women’s

singles, and of the four matches, this was the only one which went to three sets. Australia’s national title holder, A. Ong, was completely outclassed by the New Zealand team captain, R. Purser, and he only scored five points during their two-set match.

Ong’s play was not up to the high standard he displayed during the Australian’s three-week tour of New Zealand provinces before the test. The crucial game of the second day’s play was between the 19-year-old West Australian, C. Hardwick, and G. Jefferson.

Jefferson, who was making his debut in international badminton, narrowly defeated the Australian to put New Zealand into an 8-7 lead. Hardwick was beaten on setting in the second game after six match points were called.