Avonside II on top

Press, 18 December 1976, Page 23

Avonside II on top

A contest which should have realised close and exciting table tennis failed to fulfil its promise when the two unbeaten Avonside teams met in the seventh round of the summer A grade competition.

Avonside II beat its top team, 9-3, and the last few matches were of academic interest only, because Avonside II won the first seven matches and gained an unbeatable lead. Credit rests with all three Avonside II players. The presence of the former New Zealand representative. Ling Nan Ming, gave Avonside II a slight advantage, but Bert Thompson and Richard Dixon were both ranked below the Avonside I pair, Barry Radford and Mike Warren, who had the country’s third-ranked woman. Jan Morris, as their third member. Avonside II made a great start and never looked back. Dixon, often erratic with his smashing, (struck form at the right time land smashed Warren off the I table, Thompson varied his chop (sufficiently to narrowly defeat (Miss Morris and Ling overcame a 13-18 deficit to win the first game from Radford and the second very easily.

' The first doubles could have I proved a turning point. Ling i did not play especially well and | the youthful Dixon was respons- ■ ible for winning many points. • But at the crucial stage in the third game, both Ling and Dixon consolidated and let Warren and Miss Morris make the mistakes. Thompson rubbed salt into Avonside I’s wound by beating Warren in a cliff-hanger third game and Dixon earned further laurels by beating Radford. Radford ended Thompson’s triumphant march _ end Miss

Morris was too consistent for Dixon, but Avonside II had established a winning break and Ling retained his unbeaten record with effortless wins in his other matches. University moved Into tilled place by defeating Riccarton I in an even contest. Yee Cliow Boi again served the students well and his three victories

advanced his winning sequence to 18. However, Yee found the capable juniors, Stuart Armstrong and Michael Hamel, tough opponents and conceded a game to both before winning the third with comfort. Richard Tan supported Yee verv ably. He is at Ms best when the attacking game is plaved and that was the case when he scored a surprisingly easy win against Hamel in what was probably the crucial match. Dallington moved off the bottom of the points table with a crushing. 11-1, win against Riccarton 11. Graham Lamb did his best for Riccarton and scored a notable win against Graham Condliffe, but that was his team’s only success. The steadfast defender, Peter Whittaker, won his three singles in straight games, and the Canterbury-ranked Dennis Kalin emulated Whittaker’s three wins but conceded a game to Stephen Adamson. Points: Avonside n 12, Avonside I 10, University 8, Riccarton I 8, Dallington 3, Riccarton n 2, Avonside m 1. Riccarton I S, Unlvoralty 7 S. G. Armstrong lost to Yee Chow Boi 22-20, 17-21, 17-21; beat R. Tan, 22-20. 21-15: beat Tai Teik Yaw, 22-20. 21-17. M. J. Hamel lost to Yu, 21-IS,

19-21, 12-21; lost to Tan, 14-21, I 14-21; beat Tai, 21-14, 21-14. ! G. Halliburton lost to Yee, -18-21 12-21; lost to Tan, 14-21, 114-21; beat Tai, 21-12, 26-24. Hamel and Halliburton lost to Tan and Tai, 21-16, 22-24, 16-21: Armstrong and Halliburton heat Yee and Tai, 21-12, 17-21, 21-16; Armstrong and ■ Hamel lost to Yee and Tan, 14-21. 16-21. Avonside II 9, Avonside I 3 H. Thompson lost to N. B. Radford, 13-21, 11-21: beat M. J. Warren, 12-21, 23-21, 21-19; beat Miss J. G. Morris, 21-19, 21-19. Ling Nan Ming beat Radford, 22-20, 21-11; beat Warren, 21-10, 21-14, 21-17; beat Warren, 21-10, 21-10. R. H. Dixon beat Radford, 21-14, 21-17; beat Warren, 21-16, 21-17; lost to Miss Morris. 13-21, 13Warren and Miss Morris lost to Ling and Dixon, 21-16, 9-21, 18-21; Thompson ano Dixon lost to Radford and Miss Morris, 14- 17-21; Thompson and Ling beat Radford and Warren, 21-18. 21-17. Riccarton II 1, Dallington 11 T. P. Green lost to P. Whittaker, 9-21. 15-21; lost to D. J. Kahn, 14-21, 18-21; lost to G. E. Condliffe, 19-21, 9-21. S. V. Adamson lost to Whittaker, 13-21, 19-21; lost to Kalin, 21-17, 7-21. 19-21; lost to Condliffe, 14-21, 20-22. G. D. Lamb lost to Whittaker, 21-23, 13-21; lost to Kalin, 19-21, 21-23; beat Condliffe, 21-14, 10-21, 21-14. Adamson and Lamb lost to Kalin and Condliffe, 9-21, 13-21; Green and Lamb lost to Whittaker and Condliffe, 14-21. 19-21; Green and Adamson lost to Whittaker and Kalin. 15-21, 21-12, 17-21. I Avonside HI » b»e.