Play-off needed in table tennis

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33230, 21 May 1973, Page 3

Play-off needed in table tennis

At the completion of the two-day South Island club table tennis tournament yesterday, the champion team had not been decided. University and Selwyn both suffered a defeat and will play off for the title on June 1.

The two clubs met in a play-off to decide the summer inter-club championship; University won comfortably and must be favoured to repeat its success. Eight teams competed in the A grade event and after six rounds University was the only unbeaten team. The first six contests were decided over the best of five matches, but the final round was played to the best of 11 matches.

It was perhaps unfortunate for the students that they should strike the capable Riccarton team in the final round. Had this fixture been decided over five matches — three singles and two doubles — University would have emerged the victor, 3-2. But after R. W. R. Mercer had scored the narrowest of wins against Yee Chow Boi in the second series of singles, Riccarton held a slight advantage which it retained, eventually winning, 6-5.

Selwyn’s only loss was to University in the fourth round. Selwyn won both

I doubles matches, but the individual brilliance of the three Malaysians, Loke Sim Wong, Yee and Wong Chee Kong, was evident in the singles when they accounted! for W. T. Scott, V. N. Brightwell and J. Baxter respectively. UPSET BY SELWYN In the opening round, Selwyn upset Riccarton, 3-2. Scott beat the Canterbury Easter open champion, J. A. Armstrong, to; reverse the result of the Easter tournament, and H. P. Holt caused an even bigger surprise by outplaying the very accomplished W. D. Adamson. Avonside I, the successful club last year, prevented a three-way tie by defeating Riccarton, 3-2. The Riccarton-University clash was an absorbing contest which produced first-class table tennis. Loke, in spite of an absence from competitive play, was in the form that gained him a national ranking last season, and remained unbeaten in singles matches. Adamson, playing with good control and placing the ball Intelligently, and the dependable Armstrong each won two singles and combined to win their doubles. CRUCIAL MATCH But the crucial match was the encounter between Mercer, who had been overwhelmed by Wong in his first singles, and Yee, who lacked his usual confidence. To Yee’s credit, he came from well behind to win the second set after Mercer had easily won the first. In the deciding third game, Yee gained a 20-15 lead, but Mercer with clever placements, won the next seven points and the match. Results:— A GRADE Round I.—University 5, Hope (Nelson) 0; Selwyn 3, Riccarton 2; Avonside I 5, Linwood II 0; Avonside II 4, Linwood I 1. Round 2.—University 5, Linwood II 0; Riccarton 3, Avpnside II 2; Selwyn 4, Avonside I 1; Linwood I 4, Hope 1. Round 3 —University 5. Avonside II 0; Riccarton 4, Linwood II 1; Avonside I 5, Hope 0; Selwyn 4, Linwood I 1.

Round 4.—University 3, Selwyn 2; Riccarton 3, Hope 2; Avonside I 5, Avonside II 0; Linwood I 5, Linwood II 0.

Round s.—University 5, Linwood I 0; Avonside I 3, Riccarton 2; Selwyn 5, Hope 0; Avonside II 5, Linwood II 0.

Round 6.—University 4, Avonside I 1; Riccarton 3, Linwood I 2; Selwyn 5, Linwood II 0; Avonside II 4, Hope 1. Round 7.—Riccarton 6, University 5; Linwood II 7, Hope 4; Selwyn 7, Avonside H 4; Avonside I 9, Linwood 2.

World Cup.— France drew 1-1 with Ireland in a World Cup soccer qualifying match in Paris and must now beat the Soviet Union in Moscow next Saturday to stay in the competition. The winner will meet Chile or Peru to go to the finals in Munich. Asian elimination match results in Seoul: Israel 3. Malaysia 0; South Korea 4, Thailand 0; Japan 4. South Vietnam 0.