N.Z. badminton nominations

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 6

N.Z. badminton nominations

I PA Wellington I A tough-line policy from the i national selectors means that two promising players, Chris Bullen and Alison Ross (Canterbury), are missing from the badminton nominations for rhe Edmonton Commonwealth Games in August. In looking to medal-winning prospects, the selectors (Don Higgins, Jeff Robson, and Neil Thompson) have confined their nominations to seven, even though the rules allowed them to forward a team of 10 (five men and five women). The selectors have gone for dependability and all round strength in naming the four men and three women for the Games teams competition and the individual tournament of five events. The nominees, announced at last night’s national badminton management committee meeting! in Wellington are all established I New Zealand representatives. I Men: Ross Livingstone (Auck-I land), Richard and Bryan Purser! (Taranaki). Sieve Wilson (Otago). I Women: Alison Branfield. Mary Livingstone, and Alison Sinton (all Auckland). There is a .strong family affair in the team, with the husband and wife combination of the Livingstones, both present na-; tional singles champions, and the brothers, Richard and Bryan Purser, who are both overseas and will travel direct to Edmonton from London. Koss made a late bid for selec-

tion by providing upsets v.jt two solid singles wins agamst higher ranked players at last week-end’s trials In Auckland. But her doubles play let ner down slightly and allowed Sin ton to grab the vacant third spot. Although Bullen wag ranked higher than Wilson last year, the Dunedin player earned nomination with slightly better le suits on the British circuit earlier this year.