Badminton titles at stake

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31724, 6 July 1968, Page 11

Badminton titles at stake

Saturday, July Rugby: club matches; Canterbury v. Wellington at Christchurch; France v. Otago at Dunedin; Hawke's Bay v. East Coast at Napier; Wanganui v. King Co uh try at Wanganui; Bush v. Wairarapa at Ekatahuna; Auckland v. North Auckland at Auckland; British Isles v. Griquland West at Kimberley. League: club matches. Soccer: club matches. Cycling: national Hope Gibbons teams’ time trials at Levin. Table tennis: Canterbury open senior and junior championships. Indoor basketball: Canterbury v. Nelson at Nelson. Badminton: Canterbury v. Otago and Southland (both games at Dunedin). Squash: New Zealand championships at Palmerston North. Cricket: Australia v. Nottinghamshire at Nottingham. Tennis: Wimbledon open. Sunday, July 7.—League: Bay of Plenty v. Waikato at Rotorua. Table tennis: Canterbury open senior and junior championships. Squash: New Zealand championships at Palmerston North. Monday, July B.—Rugby: British Isles v. Boland at Wellington. Cricket: Australia v. Nottinghamshire at Nottingham. Tuesday, July 9.—Rugby: King Country v. North Auckland at Taumarunui; France v. Southland at Invercargill. Cricket: Australia v. Nottinghamshire at Nottingham. Wednesday, July 10.—Rugby: Christchurch Boys’ High School v. Christ’s College at Boys’ High School; St Bede’s College v. St Andrew’s College at St Bede's College; Xavier College v. Shirley Boys’ High School at Gamblins Road. Thursday, July U.—Rugby: North Auckland v. Thames Valley at Thames Valley. Cricket: England v. Australia, third test, at Edgbaston. Friday, July 12.—Cricket: Australia v. England, third at Edgbaston.

'THE men’s singles title in the Canterbury Badminton championships which begin in the V. R. Skellerup Hall on Monday weeks, should provide an absorbing final between G. A. Miller (Railway) and the titleholder P. V. Boatwood (Mairehau). Boatwood has won the title for the last three years but he was defeated by Miller in a club competition game recently—his first loss in four year’s in club singles matches. The title is a significant gaol for both. Boatwood has won the singles title four times and o ily R. G. Pattinson (5) has won more. A win to Miller would give him the title in his first year as a senior player. He is 18 years old. Last year, while still a junior. Miller was beaten by Boatwood in a tense open final. There are 21 entries in the men’s singles and Boatwood is seeded first, Miller second, G. G. Ford (Uni-

versity) third and A. G. Duckmanton (Railway), a former champion, fourth. In the women’s singles, Miss S. Field (Knox), who has twice won the title, but was absent from competition last year, has been seeded first ahead of Mrs P. Duckmanton (Railway), Miss C. Reay (Christchurch), and Miss L. Tucker (University). Miss Field comfortably won the Queen’s Birthday tournament women’s singles last month. Miss Field also defeated Mrs Duckmanton a fortnight ago in the club competitions. There are 16 entries in the women’s singles. Boatwood and Miller have joined forces for the men’s doubles and should have no difficulty winning the title. E. Ogier (Knox) and G. G. Ford are seeded second and B. G. Hadlee (Knox) has joined J. Findley (Railway) and they have been seeded third.

As if proof of the dictum that good singles players may not always be as good at doubles, Misses Tucker and Reay have been seeded ahead of Miss Field and Mrs Duckmanton in the women’s doubles.

leading stalwarts for many years, Mrs M. J. Shadbolt, will return to competitive play for the first time this season when she teams with her daughter, Miss P. Shadbolt, in the women’s doubles and with B. T. Edwards in the mixed event.