Chch A Close To Squash Lead

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32361, 29 July 1970, Page 18

Chch A Close To Squash Lead

Few long matches were played in the latest round of the Christchurch A grade squash rackets competition. Many competitors seemed jaded after their week-end of play in the Canterbury championships and were reluctant to be drawn into long rallies. Christchurch B still retains the lead with 42 points but as next week it has the bye, Christchurch A, which now has 39, will almost certainly go ahead. Other points are: High School Old Boys A 32, Christchurch C 31, Old Boys B 25, University A 22, Old Collegians 18, University B 17, Christ’s College 14. Christchurch B without S. C. Suckling could gain only alghi points from University B, and the match between the top players. B. V. Hamilton and N Rush, went the full distance, taking almost an hour. Both played good touch shots Interspersed with deep drives but these were infrequent and many of their drop shots were Jft above the tin.

An interesting match was played between H. W. Herd (Christchurch B) and J. Martin. Marton, a noted tennis player, volleyed well on his backhand and when he took the second game from the much older Herd he looked set for a win. However, Herd showed good courtcraft to keep his shots low and play only deep shots to Martin's backhand. Herd also volleyed decisively and this plus his flicked crosscourt drop enabled him to win the third and fourth games relatively comfortably. At the High Schoo) Old Boys' courts the Old Boys A team, headed by V. Hargreaves, gained eight points from University A. Hargreaves accounted for A. Naughton, although not as easily as in their last meeting, and P. Gallagher who. like Naughton, is a member of this year’s New Zealand University side, went down to S. Dixon in straight sets. University B’s only win came from the übiquitous J. Borren who was too quick and consistent for C. P. Murray. PINE WINNER In a match notable for some hard driving, J. H. N. Pine (Christ’s College) outdrove A. E. Dunlop (Christchurch C), scoring his team’s only points. The only other Christ’s College player to come near to a win being J. Taylor. Taylor came back strongly after being two games down to R. G. Pattinson, weathered two match points at B*6, levelled at 9-all to have one match point himself, before finally losing an excellent match 10-9 High School Old Boys A 8, University A 2 V. Hargreaves beat A. Naughton. 9-4. 9-1. 9-7: R. McCutcheon beat L. Plever, 9-2. 9-5. , 6-9. 9-6: S. Dixon beat P. Gallagher. 9-6. 9-1, 9-7: C P Murrav lost to J. Borren, 1-9. ' 9-6, 9-1. 9-7; C. P. Murray los» to J. Borren. 1-9, 9-6, 2-9. 6-9. , Christchurch A 8, Old . Collegians 2 D. R. Preston beat T. L. Wil* < Hams, 9-3, 9*4, 9-6; J. Mosely i lost to C. C. Kissling. 8-10. 4-9, , 9-10: D. Marshall beat M. R

Blank, 9-5, 8-10, 5-9, 10-8. 9-3 N. McGillivray beat J. Pearse 9-3, 9-4, 9-3. Christchurch C 8. Christ’s College 2 A. E. Dunlop lost to J. H. N. Pine, 4-9. 5-9, 3-9: J. S. Crosbio beat J. E. Mcßride. 9-0, 9-0, 9-1; R. G. Pattinson beat J. Taylor, 9-6, 9-3, 4-9, 5-9, 10-9. P. Steinmetz beat A. P. S. Robinson, 9-2 9*l, 9-7. Christchurch B 8, University B 2 B. V. Hamilton beat N. Rush, 9-10. 9-3. 3-9, 9-2, 9-0; L. G. Milne beat B. Johns, 10-8, 9-7, 9-1; N. W. Herd beat J. Martin. 9-4, 6-9, 9-3, 9-5; N. Idour lost to G. Whyte. 5-9. 2-9. 8-9.