Canterbury squash won by two N.I. youngsters

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33912, 4 August 1975, Page 18

Canterbury squash won by two N.I. youngsters

Two young North Islanders took both major titles in the Skellerup Canterbury squash championships which ended in Christ* church yesterday. A superbly fit Craig Blackwood (North Shore) beat the top-seeded Morris Billington <Mitchell Park* in three games. 10-8. 10-8, 9-6, and Jane Wood (Hawkes Bay) avenged an earlier defeat by beating Ros Stanton (High School Old Boys), 9-5. 9-0, 6-9, 9-4 Both must have felt that the »> ns amply compensated for

..their difficulties getting to 'Christchurch because oi the atrocious weather. Miss Wood did , not arrive until Saturday, the second day of the championships. The unluckiest player was undoubtedly Mark Devoy (Hamil* , ton — like Blackwood, a national colts representative — who just managed to catch the last flight out of Wellington on Friday and began his match against Barrie Matthews (Christchurch) at 11.40 ! p.m. He must have wondered ; ) whether it was all worth while i when he lost in five games, end-’ ’ ing at 12.45 a.m. Billington — a former Canter-1 , bury representative, now living; . in Wellington — was runner-up, ’ for the second successive year i but had several opportunities to i . 1 take his first provincial title. He hit the ball so hard in the| ■ earlv stages that it did not last | the first game. He raced away to i an 8-2 lead. But Blackwood kept; • rhe pressure on. saving two game;

points, auu eventually winning six points off successive serves tor the game.

Incredibly. Billington was again in a comm ana, ng position hi the secona at 8-4, but tne wiry ztucKlander saved another six match points and did not auow ills voluble opponent another point.

Blackwood was again down in the third — at 2-4 — but came oac-k with some drops, made with pin-point accuracy, to win the match. The vital rally was at 7-6; Blackwood won it. after a prolonged struggle, with a glorious I overhead backhand drop volley. Blackwood had a rather shaky start in the tournament — he survived two match points against Lyn Sparks (Burnside; in the first round, and was extended by Barry Gardiner (Celtic). He made the final with a much more convincing display against Barry’ McNeil (Old Boys), the second seed.

Billington struggled to make the final, beating a persistent Lawrence Skurr (Sumner) in five sets, after being down 2-4 in the final game.

Miss Wood played a magnificent all-round game against Miss Stanton, the South Island champion. Her cross-court drives were beautifully placed and her drops a joy to watch — though not perhaps for the unashamedly parochial local crowd.

She won the first game with ease — after the 20-year-old Miss Stanton took the first four points very confidently — and lost only one rallv in the second.

Miss Stanton olayed much better in the third — a very long game of 32 rallies — and after trailing early on. she won 9-6, as some of Miss Wood's drops hit the tin.

It seemed at this stage that the pattern of their last meeting would be repeated — Miss Stanton won in five after dropping the first two — but Miss Wood played a great thinking game, as «he had done throughout the match and had little difficulty winning, 9-4. Results:— MEN Championship Second round.—M. F. Billington Mitchell Park) beat V. J. W. Hargreaves (H. 5.0.8 3-9, 9-6. 9-6. 9-6; L. P. Skurr (Sumner) beat B. Matthews (Christchurch), 9-0. 9-7, 2-9. 9-6; C. A. Blackwood (North Shore) beat B. Gardiner Celtic), 9-2. 10-9. 1-9, 9-5; I. B. McNeil (H. 5.0.8. beat R. D. Monk (Christchurch), 9-0, 9-2, 9-3. Semi-finals.—Billington beat Skurr, 9-6. 5-9, 9-6, 5-9. 9-4; Blackwood beat McNeil, 9-2, 9-3, 9-3. Final.—Blackwood beat Billington, 10-8, 10-8, 9-6. Division 1 Final.—B. B. Trangmar (Christchurch) beat P. d’Auvergne , i Christchurch Rugby), 9-0, 9-4, 9-0. Division 2 Final—C. Hibbert (Christchurch) beat D. Walton (H. 5.0.8. 9-4, 9-5, 9-1. Division 3 Final.—M. Forster (Burnside) beat A. Cook (Christchurch), 9-1. 1-3. 9-1. Division 4 Final.—L. Walton (Shirley) beat B. Johnson (Hokitika). 9-4, 9-6, 9-6. Division 5A Final.—l. Thomas (Burnside) beat J. Bassett (Richmond), 9-0, 0-6, 9-7. Division SB Final.—J. Torode (Christchurch Rugby) beat B. South (Christchurch Rugbv), 6-9. 9-4, 4-9, 9-5. 9-1. WOMEN Championship Semi-finals.—R. Stanton (H. 5.0.8. beat M. Davenport (Burnside). 9-1, 9-4, 9-3; J. Wood (Hawke’s Bay) beat K. Graham (Burnside), 9-3, 9-4, 9-2. Final.—Wood beat Stanton. 9-5, 9-0, 6-9. 9-4. Division 1 Final.—C. Rhodes (H. 5.0.8. beat V. Dunstan (H. 5.0.8 ), 10-8, 7-9, 10-8. 6-9, 9-7. Division 2 Final.—L. Sutherland (Linwood) beat M. Stemmer (Sumner), 9-4, 9-4, 6-9, 10-8. Division 3 Final.—l. Cook (Wigram) beat J. Jackson (Christchurch), 2-9, 9-1, 9-6, 9-6. Bangkok talks The Laotian Ambassador to Thailand (Mr Anurack Rajasena) has flown home for consultations with his Government after a meeting with the Thai Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Pramarn Adireksan) and the Thai Undersecretary of State for ForI eign Affairs (Mr Phan Wan- ■ namethi). — Bangkok. don.