Railway Wins Grade But Loses Record

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31776, 5 September 1968, Page 18

Railway Wins Grade But Loses Record

Railway I won the inter-club badminton competition for the second successive year last evening but surrendered its unbeaten record by losing to Canterbury I in a close struggle.

Christchurch beat Mairehau in the other game and finished second. Mairehau was third and Canterbury fourth in the top half of the competition Railway was without its best player, G. A. Miller, who is with the New Zealand youth team in Australia, but his brother, R. L. Miller, who does not play A grade, almost won his singles, which would have gained the match for Railway.

A. G. Duckmanton cOuld not match the speed of L. Robinson in his singles match, and after he lost a long and tiring first game, 16-18, he made many errors in the second and lost it quickly. Robinson was able to retrieve Duckmanton's smashes which seemed winners and he drove his opponent back with forceful clean in preparation for an angled drop shot.

However, Duckmanton and R. L. Miller took only one game to discover the weaknesses of their doubles opponents and they combined well to win the second and third games comfortably. Mrs M. Miller and Mrs L. Bassett took longer to gain control In the doubles match. They lost the first game in setting, sneaked home in the second 15-13, then took command tn the final game. The teams came to the mixed doubles three matches all and they shared these, too. Canterbury won one more game than Railway, however. In the vital game in the Chrletchurch-Mairehau match, D. B. Reid (Christchurch) beat B. W. Crofts in setting in the third game. Neither player was able to gain the advantage and even in the third game, when Reid was leading 10-4, Crofts, sweating profusely, came back and gained a 4-1 advantage in setting. Undaunted, Reid played safely on his service and won 11-15, 15-12, 18-17. and gave Christchurch a 4-2 lead. Reid and Mrs M. Brown then held their mixed doubles and Christchurch won by five matches to three.

Results:— Canterbury I 10 games, Railway I 9 L. Robinson beat A. G. Duck

manton, 18-16, 15-5; J. Lang beat R. L. Miller. 15-12, 13-17, 15-11: Robinson and Lang lost to Duckmanton and Miller, 15-9, 7-15, 715.

Miss S. Bruce lost to Mrs M. Miller, 4-11, 4-11; Miss K. Pepper beat Mrs L Bassett. 11-6. 11-5; Misses Bruce and Pepper lost to Mrs Miller and Mrs Bassett. 17-14, 13-15, 5-15.

Robinson and Mie-s Bruce beat Duckmanton and Mrs Bassett, 18-13, 18-16; Lang and Miss Pepper lost to Miller and Mrs Miller. 17-18, 4-15.

Christchurch S, Mairehau 1 B. J. Wylie lost to P. V. Boatwood. 9-15, 5-15; D. B. Reid beat B. W Crofts, 11-15. 15-12. 18-17; Wylie and Reid lost to Boatwood and Crofts, 7-15. 15-10, 16-17.

Miss Re ay beat Miss S. Bench, 11-5, 11-4; Mrs M. Brown beat Mrs J. Moore, 11-0, 11-1: Miss Reay and Mrs Brown beat Miss Dench and Mrs Moore. 15-2, 15-8.

Wylie and Mis« Reay lost to Boatwood and Miss Dench, 9-15. 8-15; Reid and Mrs Brown beat Crofts and Mrs Moore. 15-5. 13-7.

Railway II 6. Knox 0 J. Findlay beat E. Ogier, 15-7. 15-11; M. Berry beat G. Chambers, 15-1, 15-8: Findlay and Berry beat Ogier and Chambers, 15-7, 15-5. Mrs P. Duckmanton beat Miss G. Mathers. 11-6, 11-3; Mrs A. K. Smith beat Miss S. Tilly. 11-2, 11-3; Mrs Duckmanton and Mrs Smith beat Misses Mathers and Tilly, 15-11. 15-9. Findlay and Mrs Duckmanton beat Ogier and M-iss Mathers, 15-2, 15-6; Berry and Mrs Smith beat Chambers and Miss Tilly, 15-11. 15-6

Canterbury II 3, University 3 H. Little lost to G. Ford, 12-15, 14-15; J. W. Patton beat RBentley. 15-13, 15-12; Patton and Little lost to Ford and Bentley. 5-15, 7-15. Mrs J. Brascll beat Miss L. Tucker by default; Miss J. Poo'.ey lost to Miss IP. Woolhouse, 7-11. 2-11; Mrs Brasell and Mies Pooley lost to Misses Tucker and Woolhouse, 13-15. 3-15.

Patton and Mrs Brasell beat Ford and Miss Tucker, by default; Little and Miss Pooley beat Bentley and Miss Woolhouse, 5-15, 14-18.