They went home laughing

Press, 8 July 1976, Page 6

They went home laughing

University's senior table tennis players went home laughing after the eleventh round of the A grade competition last evening. They had recovered well to beat Riccarton II on a count-back of games after the matches had been tied, six-all—but a member of the opposition had made their task so much easier.

Riccarton II led, 6-3, after Ray Mercer had beaten Chris Gross at advantage points in the deciding game. University still had a show when Tai Telk Yaw surprisingly downed the national under 16 champion, Stuart Armstrong, who was unable to find his form and lost three singles.

Armstrong stormed from the hall, and when the University No. 1, Yee Chow Boi, accounted for Guy Halliburton—who had given a creditable display in his earlier singles—the score favoured Riccarton, 6-5. With Yee having played in the first two doubles, Rccarton had a great chance to clinch the contest in the final doubles. Mercer and Armstrong were to play Gross and Tai. but Armstrong had disappeared—and University claimed the match and contest.

Selwyn, without Bill Scott, had a dour battle before Neville Brightwell and Wayne Adamson won the last doubles to settle the issue. Scott’s replacement, Stepthen Adamson, was unable to win a singles, but he teamed with Brightwell to gain an important doubles win. Wayne Adamson, although losing the second game to Bert Thompson after leading 15-3, continued on his winning way; he has won 31 of his 33 singles this season. Brightwell, too, played his part by beating Thompson and Richard Dixon in the third games, but he succumbed to the loop-hitting of Graeme Main. Although Avonside IV, the bottom team, was unable to upset Riccarton I, the players had their moments. Micky Cox and Kevin Duffy very nearly toppled the third ranked Canterbury player, John Armstrong, and Tom Fraser gained his first singles win in 18 matches—the unfortunate victim being Colin Tipper. The unbeaten Avonside I was not tested by Avonside 111. but Barry Radford gained another notable success. He was ahead, 10-6. at ends against Harry Redmond (Avonside I) and stayed comfortably clear.

Points: Avonside I 22, Selwyn 18. Avonside HI 12, Avonside H 10. Riccarton I 10, University 8, Riccarton II 6, Avonside IV 2. Avonside 111 3, Avonside I 9

Miss J. G. Morris lost to L. A. Stewart, 17-21, 11-21; lost to M. W. Burrowes, 12-21, 19-21; lost to H. H. Redmond, 18-21, 25-23, 11-21. N. B. Radford lost to Stewart. 14-21, 13-21; lost to Burrows, 14-21, 19-21; beat Redmond, 15-21, 21-18, 21-13. B. K. Clark lost to Stewart, 21-23, 9-21; lost to Burrowes, 14-21, 17-21; lost to Redmond. 21-17, 15-21, 17-21. Radford and Clark lost to Burrowes and Redmond, 17-21, 19-21; Miss Morris and Clark beat Stewart and Redmond, 13-21, 23-21, 22-20; Miss Morris and Radford beat Stewart and Burrowes, 25-23, 21-16.

Riccarton I 8, Avonside IV 4 M. J. Hamel beat K. F. Duffy, 21-15, 21-16; beat M. A. Cox, 21-19, 27-29, 21-18; beat T. L. Fraser, 23-21, 21-17. J. Armstrong beat Duffy, 18-21, 25-23, 21-14; beat Cox, 21-15, 18-21, 21-17; beat Fraser, 21-13, 21-17. C. J. Tipper lost to Duffy, 19-21, 12-21; lost to Cox. 13-21, 21-23; lost to Fraser, 21-17, 19-21, 17-21. Armstrong and Tipper beat Cox and Fraser, 21-19, 21-10; Hamel and Tipper lost to Duffy and Fraser. 22-24, 21-19, 18-21: Hamel and Armstrong beat Duffv and Cox. 21-19, 21-19. Avonside II 5, Selwyn 7 G. C. Main beat V. N. Brightwell, 21-18, 21-16; lost to W. D. Adamson, 3-21. 6-21; beat S. V. Adamson, 21-19, 21-14. H. Thompson lost to Brightwell, 22-24,

21-13, 16-21; lost to W. Adamson, 9-21, 24-22, 10-21; beat S. Adamson, 22-20, 21-13. R. H. Dixon lost to Brightwell, 15-21, 21-19, 18-21; lost to W. Adamson, 21-19, 9-21, 7-21; beat S. Adamson, 21-7, 23-21. Thompson and Dixon beat Adamson and Adamson. 18-21, 21-16, 21-18; Main and Dixon lost to Brightwell and S. Adamson, 17-21, 19-21; Main and Thompson lost to Brightwell and W. Adamson, 21-15, 15-21, 17-21. Riccarton II 13 games. University 14 S. G. Armstrong lost to Tai

Telk Yaw, 14-21, 11-21; lost to C. A. Gross, 23-21, 18-21, 8-21; lost to Yee Chow Boi, 11-21, 19-21. R. W. R. Mercer beat Tai, 21-16, 21-17; beat Gross, 21-12, 19-21, 24-22; lost to Yee, 19-21, 13-21. G. Halliburton beat Tai, 19-21, 21-19, 21-13; beat Gross, 21-13, 18-21, 23-21; lost to Yee, 8-21, 13-21. Mercer and Halliburton beat Gross and Yee, 19-21, 21-17, 21-7; Armstrong and Halliburton beat Tai and Yee, 21-15, 21-5; Armstrong and Mercer lost to Tai and Gross, by default.