Badminton decision in final round

Press, 12 July 1976, Page 21

Badminton decision in final round

The A grade badminton championship will be at stake when the two leading teams, Railway 1 and Knox, meet in the final round on July 31. Both had com-; fortable wins on Saturday, although Knox had slightly the better result, and now trails Railway I by only five points. Knox will also be encouraged by the fact that on Saturday it| beat Canterbury I, which the previous week had beaten Railway I: and there were also other indications that Railway I might have to tighten its play if it is to repeat its earlier win this season over Knox.

The major surprise for Railway I was its women’s doubles loss. The usually reliable combination of Glenys Waller and Pat Duckmanton made far more; mistakes than usual and neither) player hit the shuttle, especiallyi overhead, with confidence.

Nevertheless, their Hagley 1 opponents, Robyn Ritchie and. Pam Bader, showed good judgment in keeping the shuttle in| the air. which tactics paid; dividends in the deciding game.'.

Railway l’s only other loss was.; in the second men’s singles.' Here, Peter Curtain, who has; played consistently well this season, outlasted Jim Lang in a hard-fought battle. The only loss Knox suffered was the second men's singles. Brent Wilson (Canterbury) giving a vtery athletic display to take the firt set easily against Eoin Kirkland; and although Kirkland played better in the second set. he still had to bow to his fast-moving opponent.

Knox's very solid showing may have had something to do with its women having reversed their playing order, a move that has looked likely most of the season. Janet Miles fully justified her* promotion to No. 1 by beating! Christine Reay, who has been selected ahead of her for the Canterbury division I team. The usual No. 1, Sandra Chap-

man, decisively won her singles; but it was, perhaps, in the women’s doubles that the pair made the most impact. They kept their errors to a minimum in beating Miss Reay and Audrey Smith in straight games. Both mixed doubles went toi three games, in each case the Knox pair losing the first game.' Warren Edgecumbe and Miss; Miles, in particular, showed cool-' iness to win the vital points in 1 a close last game against 8., Wilson and Miss Reay. Section 11, which comprises the I bottom six teams after the first round, also looks set for an I exciting finish. Railway II hadi • its lead reduced to only three j points when it lost somewhat surprisingly to North Beach I. I Mike Nolan got North Beach : off to a good start when he beat the higher-ranked Lindsay Rob1 inson to two games, and the loss j of three of the four doubles ; cost Railway II the tie. Nolan, in • fact, had a good day — he played 1 an important role in two of

North Beach's doubles wins, gaining many points with shots; down the line. While the leading teams were engrossed in several close matches, Saturday’s spotlight also fell on Hagley 11. which before Saturday had won only six games all season, but took four off Canterbury 11, and only lost on a j count-back of games. The Hagley men. Greg Beale and Peter Watts, both had singles wins and if they had: taken their chances as well in! the men’s doubles could well; have swung the result Hagley’s way. A slow start cost them dearly in the third game. Points are:— Section I.—Railway 1 135. Knox' 130. Canterbury 1 86. Hagley I 73. Section II. —Railway II 77. i North Beach I and North Beach II 74, North Beach 111 70, Canterbury II 41. Hagley II 10. Railway I 6 matches, Hagley I 2 Singles.—G. Miller beat B. Williams, 18-14, 15-7; J. Lang lost ito P. Curtain. 9-15, 15-10. 8-15; • Mrs G. Waller beat Mrs R. •Ritchie, 11-3, 11-3; Mrs P. Duckmanton beat Mrs P. Bader. 11-7, 11-6.

Doubles.—Miller and Lang beat Williams and Curtain. 15-4, 14-18. 15-9; Mrs Waller and Mrs Duckmanton lost to Mrs Ritchie and Mrs Bader, 12-15. 15-7. 11-15: Miller and Mrs Duckmanton beat Curtain and Mrs Ritchie. 15-11, 15-4; Lang and Mrs Waller beat Williams and Mrs Bader, 15-4. 15-10.

Knox 7 matches, Canterbury I 1 Singles.—W. Edgecumbe beat C. Wasley, 15-7, 12-15. 15-6: E. Kirkland lost to B. Wilson. 3-15, 12-15; Miss J. Miles beat Miss C. Reay, 11-2, 6-11. 11-4: Mrs S. Chapman beat Mrs A. Smith, 11-4, 11-2.

Doubles. — Edgecumbe and Kirkland beat Waslev and Wilson. 15-3, 15-8; Miss Miles and Mrs Chapman boat Miss Rear and Mrs Smith. 15-3, 15-10; Edgecumbe and Miss Miles beat Wilson and Miss Reay. 11-15, 15-9, 15-12; Kirkland and Mrs Chapman beat. Wasley and Mrs Smith, 11-15, 15-3, 15-10. Railway II 3 matches, North Beach I 5 Singles.—L. Robinson lost to M. Nolan. 15-17. 7-15; I). Le Page beat J. Anderson. 15-5, 15-9: Mrs T. Perry lost to Miss D. Erikson. 10-12, 5-11; Miss G. Ellis beat Miss B. Lindsay, 11-3, 0-11, 11-8. Doubles.—Robinson and Le Page lost to Nolan and Anderson. 11-15, 16-18; Mrs Perry and Miss Ellis lost to Miss Erikson and Miss Lindsay. 11-15, 15-6, 10- Robinson and Mrs Perry beat Anderson and Miss Erikson. 11- 15-9. 15-11; Le Page and Miss Ellis lost to Nolan and Miss Lindsay, 11-15, 15-6, 10-15. Hagley II 9 games, Canterbury II 11 Singles.—G. Beale boat P. Burn. 15-9. 11-15, 18-15; P. Watts beat G. Girdler, 12-15, 15-10, 15-9; Mrs N. Sintes lost to Mrs N. Jacobs. 2-11, 0-11; Mrs C. Austin lost to

. Mrs J. Langford, Ml. 10-12. Doubles.—Beale and Watts lost to Burn and Girdles, 15-12. 8-15. 9-15; Mrs Suites and Mrs Austin lost to Mrs Jacobs and Mrs Langi ford. 2-15. 2-15; Beale and Mrs 1 -States beat Burn and Mrs Jacobs. • j 15-11, 15-11; Watts and Mrs Austin beat Girdler and Mrs Langford. > 15-11. 6-15. 18-17. North Beach II 8 matches. North Beach 111 0 I Singles.—-P. Whiting beat P. I: Boatwood. 15-10. 15-10; D. Ross i beat P. Wilson, 17-14. 1.5-10; Miss I, A. Ross beat Mrs R. Erskine, 12-9, • 11-2; Miss B. Maitland beat Mrs i K. Payne, 11-2. 11-3. Doubles.—Whiting and Ross beat Boatwood and Wilson, 15-10, : 10-15, 15-5; Miss Ross and Miss Maitland beat Mrs Erskine and . Mrs Payne. 15-2, 15-8; Whiting i and Miss Ross beat Boatwood and Mrs Erskine, 15-11. 13-15, 15-6; Ross and Miss Maitland beat 1 Wilson and Mrs Payne, 15-3, 10-15.