Top badminton players seeking S.I. titles

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32382, 22 August 1970, Page 11

Top badminton players seeking S.I. titles

r’anterbury’s leading badminton players will have the opportunity of regaining their former ascendency when the South Island championships are held at Oamaru at the week-end. Last season’s championships were dominated by Otago and Southland players. The only Canterbury entry, P. V. Boatwood, was to have been one of the top seeds but was forced to withdraw when bad weather prevented him from reaching Dunedin in time.

This year, however, Canterbury will be well represented with the majority of its leading players making

the journey. These include P. V. Boatwood, G. Ellis, J. Lang, B. W. Crofts, C. Wood, B. Wylie, Misses J. Miles and A. Ross and Mrs K. Lean.

One absentee is the former New Zealand Thomas Cup Squad member and Canterbury singles champion for the last two seasons, 21-year-old G. A. Miller.

Described by a leading national administrator (Mr W. Compton, of Wellington) recently as “one of the finest prospects in years,” Miller would be certain to win the island title if fully fit.

Plagued by a back Injury last season. Miller was eventually forced to withdraw from the New Zealand squad and seek specialist treatment He began this season very quietly and was not available for any of the province’s Division I representative matches.

Last week-end’s three-day provincial championships were the first real test Miller had faced since last season. Although he still possessed speed and stamina and won two titles and was a finalist in a third, his back was still visibly giving him trouble; hence his decision not to play in Oamaru.

In Miller’s absence, Boatwood and Miss Miles appear to have the strongest chances of taking titles for Canterbury, both in the singles and doubles. Boatwood, who has won the singles title on two previous occasions, will face stiff competition from Southland’s M. Pascoe and possibly from Otago’s R. Maddigan, who was runnerup last year. Boatwood beat Maddigan but lost to Pascoe during the triangular meeting between Canterbury, Southland and Otago earlier this season. However, he had twice previously beaten Pascoe fairly comfortably.

With his Mairehau I club partner, Crofts, Boatwood should also have a good chance in the doubles, for the pair have won the title once before. Miss Miles faces a similar challenge in the women’s singles, especially from the talented Otago trio of Mesdames W. Richards, M.' Rennie and J. Fraser. She ;; has met little strong opposi-;; tion in inter-club play this > season, whereas her Otago ! opponents form the nucleus ! [ of a highly competitive;; Dunedin dub competition.;; Yet another strong chai-;! lenge will come from South-I! land’s Mrs L. Roy, who was 1 beaten by Mrs Richards in ; an upset in last year’s final.;; Miss Miles and Mrs !; Lean, the University club’s ;; doubles pairing, will find ;; Mesdames Rennie and;. Fraser, the present holders, ■! a particularly experienced I; and uncompromising pair of ;; opponents.