Avonside’s big lead

Press, 23 July 1976, Page 17

Avonside’s big lead

Avonside I gained an unassailable lead in the A grade winter table tennis competition when it won its twelfth contest from as many rounds. The only team within striking distance of Avonside I. Selwyn, was restricted to a draw by Riccarton I and dropped five points behind the leader with only two rounds remaining.

Selwyn should have beaten Riccarton I. It led 6-5 before the final doubles and held a onegame advantage. Neville Brightwell and Wayne Adamson lost the first game to John Armstrong and Michael Hamel, but won the second game easily. They led 20-16 in the deciding game, but the junior. Hamel, responded to the guiding hand of his experienced partner and they kept the ball in play. Adamson made a series of errors and Brightwell missed a vital backhand as the Riccarton pair won six successive points and the match. Wayne Adamson won his three singles and was especially severe on Armstrong. But the ebullient Hamel took a game from Adamson and proved too sharp for Brightwell. Stephen Adamson fought determinedly to beat Colin Tipper and give Selwyn its sixth win. but Riccarton had the last say in the doubles. Although University captured

.only three matches from Avonside I. the students offered stern) resistance and eight matches' went to the deciding game.) Avonside. however, was success-1 i ful in seven of these matches. j ' Maurice Burrowes registered: jhis first win in four matches' ’against the University No. 1, Yee •Chow Boi. and Harry Redmond) I won his "grudge” match against

Chris Gross, who had eliminated) the seeded Redmond in an early) round of the Canterbury championship. Avonside 11 and Avonside HI had comfortable wins against the; bottom teams, Riccarton II and Avonside IV. respectively Kevin Duffy scored two of Avonside IV’s three wins and they were notable ones against! the in-form Barry Radford and

Jan Morris. But Mike Warren was at his best for Avonside 111 and his team was superior in the doubles. The defiant Bert Thompson and Graemp Main ensured Avonside II of an easy win by winning all singles. For the losing team, Stuart Armstrong gained an overdue win against Richard Dixon and Guy Halliburton also reversed the first round result against Dixon by winning the third game. Points:—Avonside I 24, Selwyn 19, Avonside TH 14. Avonside H 12, Riccarton I 11, University 8, Riccarton II 6. Avonside IV 2. Avonside 11 10, Riccarton II 2 S. G. Armstrong lost to G. C. Main. 12-21. 17-21; beat R H. Dixon, 19-21, 21-18, 21-19: lost to H Thompson. 12-21. 22-20, 14-21. R W. R. Mercer lost to Main, 18-21, 18-21; lost to Dixon, 14-21. 18-21: lost to Thompson. 16-21. 16-21. G. Halliburton lost to Main. 18-21. 19-21: beat Dixon. 17-21, 21-15, 21-18: lost to Thompson. ,7-21. 21-18. 21-23.

Mercer and Halliburton lost to Dixon and Thompson. 18-21. 18-21: Armstrong and Halliburton lost to Main and Thompson. 19-21. 14-21: Armstrong and Mercer lost to Main and Dixon. 20-22. 18-21. Avonside 111 9, Avonside IV 3 Miss J. G. Morris beat M. A Cox. 21-8. 21-16: lost tn B Wilson. 17-21, 14-21. lost tn K F Duffy, 16-21, 21-15. 20-22.

N B. Radford beat Cox, 21-5 21-5; beat Wilson, 21-17, 17-21. 21- lost to Duffy, 21-12, 18-21. 22-

M J Warren beat Cox. 21-6. 21-14; beat Wilson, 21-15. 21-14;< beat Duffy, 21-12, 21-17. Radford and Warren beat Wilson and Duffy, 21-14, 21-14; Miss Morris and Warren beat Cox and Duffy, 22-24. 2115. 21-14; Miss Morris and Radford beat Cox and Wilson. 22-24. 21-1 1. 21-14. University 3, Avonside I 1 Yee Chow Boi lost to M W Burrowes. 8-21, 19-21: lost to 1. A Stewart, 21-12. 21-23. 22-24; beat 11. 11. Redmond. 21-15. 21-5. C. A. Gross lost to Burrowes, 21-16, 17-21. 9-21; lost to Stewart. 14-21. 22-20. 12-21; lost to Redmond. 21-10. 17-21. 22-24. W L Stechman lost to Burrowes. 21-17. 12-21, 13-21; lost to Stewart. 17-21. 8-21; lost to Redmond. 21-12. 19-21, 17-21. Gross and Stechman lost to Stewart and Redmond, 21-19, 13-21, 15-21; Yee and Stechman beat Burrowes and Redmond. 13-21, 21-17, 21-13; Yee and Gross beat Burrowes and Stewart, 21-19. 21-19.

Riccarton I 14 games, Selwyn 14 M J Hamel beat V. N. Brightwell, 21-9, 21-18; lost to W D. Adamson. 15-21, 21-19. 11-21; beat ‘S. V Adamson, 21-17. 21-19. J Armstrong heat Brightwell, 15-21, 21-12. 21-17: lost to W. Adamson, 10-21. 16-21: beat S. lAdamson. 21-9. 21-13. ! C. J Tipper lost to Brightwell, 9-21. 15-21; lost to W Adamson, 14-21, 9-21: lost to S Adamson. 115-21. 21-16. 15-21 i Armstrong and Tipper beat ]Adamson and Adamson. 21-15, 21-15; Hamel and Tipper lost to Brightwel] and S. Adamson, 11-21, 'llB-21: Hamel and Armstrong beat Brightwell and W Adamson, 121-18, 14-21, 22-20.