N.Z. table tennis teams score successes

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32561, 22 March 1971, Page 16

N.Z. table tennis teams score successes

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) SINGAPORE, March 22. New Zealand advanced its claim for medals in the inaugural Commonwealth table tennis championships when play resumed yesterday. The men beat Ghana, 5-2, and the women defeated Canada, 3-2.

The win over Canada in the women’s section (group B) makes New Zealand favourite to play the winner of group A, probably England. New Zealand has yet to play Australia and Pakistan, but it had a convincing win over the Australians last week, and yesterday Australia lost to Pakistan, 1-3. This suggests New Zealand’s hardest remaining match in the section will be against Pakistan. The New Zealand champion, Mrs N. Trail suffered her first defeat on tour, against Canada. She was beaten by Miss V. Mesukaitis, who is seeded No. 2 in the women’s singles individual championship. The Canadian won, 21-12, 21-10. The other Canadian woman, Miss H. Simerl, was much weaker and lost to both Miss Y. M. Fogarty and Mrs Traill, and the New Zealanders also teamed splendidly to win the important doubles, 22-20, 22-20. In the men’s section. New Zealand beat Ghana, 5-2, after G. B. Murphy had lost the first singles. A. R. Tomlinson squared the rubber, and then New Zealand raced into the lead. J. R. Morris won one of his two singles, to give him a record of three wins from four matches.

On Saturday, the New Zealand men beat Australia, 5-3, and Canada, 5-1, bqt lost to India, 0-5. The women defeated Singapore, 3-2.

Eleven countries are taking part in the team championship. The top two teams in each group go through to the semi-finals and will then play a round-robin series to decide the titles. The results of New Zealand’s matches (with New Zealand names first): — MEN New Zealand 5, Canada 1: A. R. Tomlinson lost to L. Lee, 12-21, 21-12, 18-21; J. R. Morris beat M. Zults, 21-19, 21-14; R. E. Lee beat E. Caetano, 21-18, 23-21; Tomlinson beat Zults, 21-18. 21-15; R. E. Lee beat L. Lee, 21-13, 10-21, 21-12; Morris beat Caetano, 21-17, ,21-18. New Zealand 5, Australia 3: Tomlinson lost to Wuvanich, 1421, 14-21; Lee beat P. Pinkewich, 23-21, 13-21, 21-17; G. B. Murphy lost to A. Frankeburg, 11-21. 21-14, 22-24; Tomlinson beat Pinkewich, 22-20. 13-21, 21-13; Murphy lost to wuvanich, 15-21, 13-21; Lee beat Frankeburg, 21-18, 22-20; Murphy beat Pinkewich, 16-21. 21-17, 23-21; Tomlinson beat Frankeburg, 21-9, 21-18. New Zealand 0, India 5: Tomlinson lost to G. Jagannath 22-20, 13-21, 12-21; Lee lost to Merchant, 11- 11-21; Murphy lost to Mir Kasim All, 13-21, 21-16, 0-21; TomUnson lost to Merchant, 21-16, 19-21. 18-21; Murphy lost to Jagannath, 21-19, 19-21, 14-21. WOMEN New Zealand 3, Canada 2: N. Traill lost to V. Nesukaitis, 12- 10-21; Y. Fogarty beat H.

Simerl, 21-10, 21-14; Traill and Fogarty beat Nesukaitis and J. Hecht, 22-20, 22-20: Fogarty lost to Nesukaitis, 12-21, 5-21; Traill beat Simerl, 21-11, 21-5. New Zealand 3, Singapore 2: Fogarty lost to Tan Kek Hiang. 12-21, 16-21; Traill beat Peck No! Hoy, 21-18, 21-17; Fogarty and Trail beat Tan and Peck. 19-21, 21-17, 21-15; Fogarty lost to Peck, 14-21, 14-21; Traill beat Tan, 19-21, 21-19, 21-14.