Avonside I still in the hunt

Press, 24 February 1977, Page 4

Avonside I still in the hunt

Avonslde I, which still holds : hopes of tieing the summer A grade table tennis championship with Avonside 11, had to overcome a determined fight back by Riccarton I in the twelfth round of the competition last evening. With two rounds remaining, Avonside I is two points behind the leader and, provided both teams win next week, the two Avonside teams will meet in the crucial final round. Avonside I made an excellent! start against Riccarton, and looked secure when it led 6-2. But the Riccarton trio respon-| ded in th? final series of singles;; Michael Hamel was too strong in the third game against Barry! Radford; Guy Halliburton had a very close but notable victory against Mike Warren; and Stuart! Armstrong gained the better of Bruce Clark in the third game, i The contest hinged on the final I doubles. Hamel and Halliburton had to win in straight games to give Riccarton victory; a win in! three games would have resulted in a draw, 15 games all. However. Warren and Radford I combined much better to win the [first, and it was rather surprisI ing that they dropped the second [The Avonside pair made a tre- ' mendous start in the deciding game; they were ahead 10-1 at ends at 14-2. Although they squandered points towards the |end, their lead proved unassailable. Clark played very well to win two singles for Avonside and Armstrong, after losing his opening singles to Warren, controlled I his play effectively to defeat Radford and Clark. It was a good night for Avon-; side, as both its other teams i were successful. Avonside 111, after a run of close misses, made no mistake in beating Riccarton 11. 10-2, and the top team, Avon(side 11, came home comfortably I against University. Canterbury’s No. 1 player ! Wayne Adamson (Riccarton II)’ [suffered his first defeat against iGraeme Rhind. Rhind, a very accomplished defender and a .hard-hitting attacker on occasions, dominated the first game |The second went almost point!

for point and Adamson saved a match point with a net. But Rhind was not to be denied, and won the second game at advant age points with a rocketing forehand smash. Points: Avonside II 20, Avonside I 18. Riccarton I 12 Umversity 10. Dailington 5. Riccar ton II 4, Avonside in 3. ~A * ?,n s|d e 1 *. University 4 H. H. Redmond lost to Ye? | Chow Boi. 17-21, 22-24; beat R Tan 17-21, 21-14. 2117; belt Tai Teik law 17-21. 21-16. 21-18 R H. Dixon lost to Yee 18-21 17-2'• beat Tan, 21-18, 14-21, 21-8- beat !? a ’- VJr } 9 - 21 <. 23 -«- H. Thomp- ; son lost to \ee 17-21 16-’’’ [beat Tan. 21-17, 21-17- beat Tai' 20-22, 23-21, 21-13 Dixon ;.nd Thompson beat Tan ar -d Tai, 21 ‘ 19 - 2,19 l Redmond and Thompson beat Yee and Tai. 1 21-7. 17-21 21-13; Redmond and |2l-l? n i7- 0 21. &l Yee * nd T>n ’ I Avonside 111 10, Riccarton II 2 I G. J. Rhind beat W, D. Anderson. 21-13. 23-21; beat G. D Lamb, 21-18, 21-15; beat S V Adamson, 18-21, 21-14. 22-20. j’ }Yo, Yat Jo S J o£,t t 0 Adamson. J???’ I 3 c be,t L *h-.b. beat 8 Adamson. 9-21, 21-14, 21-19. K. F. Duffy I? 5 !, 10 Adamson. 24-22 21-23, Lamb 22 ’ 20 - 21-18; beat S. Adamson. 21-13 21-7 Yates and Duffy beat Lamb and J A< (? n^ <>n v 2148 - 2I ' 10 ; Rhind and Duffy beat Adamson and [Adamson. 21-17, 21-6; Rhind and [ y ates beat W. Adamson and Lamb, 22-20. 22-20. I Avonilde 17, Riccarton I s W£ J - ar l en lost t 0 G- Halliburton. 20-22. 21-23: lost to M. |J. Hamel. 20-22. 18-21: beat S. G. Armstrong 18-21, 21-19 21-18. [£.•.?• Radford beat Halliburton, 2 .»l? ; 10,t t 0 Hamel. 21-18, 'til?? *» st t 0 Armstrong. 14-21. 19-21. B. K. Clark beat Halliburton, 21-14. 19-21 21-7 • beat Hamel, 21-9. 8 21. 21-15: lost to Armstrong 14-21 23-21 14-2! Radford and Clark beat'Hamel and Armstrong, 21-13. 2119; warren and Clark beat Halliburton and Armstrong. 21-1! 21-16: War ren and Radford beat Wal)»»w--tO 5, *nd Hamel, 21-10, 19-21, 21-11. I Dailington a bve