Tough test for Knox in badminton

Press, 1 May 1978, Page 20

Tough test for Knox in badminton

For the second successhe week. Knox had to struggle hard to maintain its unbeaten record in the fifth round of the A grade inter-club badminton competition at Skellerup H.all on Saturday. Six of the eight contests went to the deciding set. honours in ! those matches being shared [three apiece before Knox finj ished with an over-all 5-3 margin lover Haglcy I. I .The most impressive performiance for the losing team was given by its top man. Brian Williams. He was matched against the fomidable Warren Edgecumbe, who. only four days earlier, had been beaten by the Otago international, Steve Wilson, in the men's singles final at the Canterbury Anzac tournament. Williams had only won one previous inter-club match this season, but he extended Edgecumbe to three sets and only needed a little luck to have been successful. Williams won the first set and the second went to setting with Edgccumbc taking that, 17-14. The third was close with Edgecumbe again gaining the decision. Eion Kirkland’s bad patch continued when he suffered his fourth successive defeat — this time in three sets against Charles Waslcy. The women’s singles were also shared. Janet Miles had 100 much finesse for Karen Burn, but Jenny Hood had a fine win for Ilagley against Gillian Brookes. Edgecumbe’s skills were evident as he won both his doubles events, but Walsey and Miss Burn outlasted Kirkland and Mrs Brookes. Ilagley looked likely to level the match score when, in the final doubles. Misses Burn and Hood handsomely won the first set from Miss Miles and Mrs Brookes.

But the Knox pair, sadly astray with their touch in the first set, found their combination and complemented each other much better in the next two. They took the second easily and raced to a 10-2 advantage in the decider. The young Ilagley pair rallied to 10-7 before losing their service and that was to be their final opportunity. North Beach I. the leader although it has vet to have the bye, lost two matches against its club’s second team. Peter Whiting and Alison Ross were decisive winners in the singles for the No. 1 side and they combined for a simple mixed doubles win. Robyn Erskine , had a good day for the losing’ team. She beat Sandra Chapman in straight sets, won her mixed doubles with Mike Nolan also in straight sets, and teamed well with Diane Erickson to test Miss Ross and Mrs Chapman. The strong Railway team cruised to a 7-1 victory against Canterbury I. Geoff Miller, Glonys Waller and Pat Duckmanton retained their perfect singles record although Mrs Duckmanton was taken to three sets by Noeleen Sintes.

Phillip Burn gained Canterbury’s only win against Lindsay Robinson and it was achieved with surprising ease. The Canterbury players gave bold showings in three of the four doubles events, especially the

.men’s doubles, but the exj perience of the Railway combinations told ih the end. University made a brave bid to move off the bottom of the com petition, but was beaten on a count-back of games bv Canterbury 11. Nui Jacobs played an import ant role in Canterbury's victory by winning her three matches the only player in either team to do so. Lynda Kitchingham won her singles comfortably for University and she partnered Grant Girdlcr to a mixed doubles sue cess. It was the fourth win from I five matches by the combination this season. Results — University 8 games, Canterbury II 9 games Singles—C. J. Chong beat C Goh, 15-4, 15-7; G. Girdler lost to D. Le Page. 10-15, 8-15: Miss E. Chan lost to Mrs N. Jacobs. 9-11, 6-11; Miss L. Kitchingham beat Mrs E. Barry, 11-l, 11-2. Doubles.—Chong and Girdler beat Goh and Le Page. 15-10. 15-9; Misses Chan and Kitchingham lost to Mrs Jacobs and Mrs Barry, 7-15. 6-15; Chong and Miss Chan lost to Goh and Mrs Jacobs. 5-15, 11-15: Girdlcr and Miss Kitchingham beat Le Page and Mrs Barry. 15-4, 11-15, 15-3. Railway 7, Canterbury 1 Singles.—G. A Miller beat R Wilson. 15-2, 15-6: L. Robinson lost to P. Burn, tt-15, 6-15: Mrs G. Waller beat Mrs A. Smith. 11-0, 11-2; Mrs* P. Duckmanton beat Mrs N. Sintes. 11-8, 6-11, 11-2. Doubles —Miller and Robinson beat Wilson and Burn, 13-4, 9-15. 15-10; Mesdames Waller and Duckmanton beat Mesdames Smith and Sintes. 15-12. 15-9, Miller and Mrs Duckmanton beat Wilson and Mrs Smith. 15-0, 15-0; Robinson and Mrs Waller beal Burn and Mrs Sintes, 17-14, 15-9. North Beach I 6, North Beach II 2 Singles.—P. Whiting beat M Nolan. 15-10. 15-1; D. Ross beat G. McWilliams. 15-5. 15-11; Miss A Ross beat Miss D. Erickson. 11-5. 11-1; Mrs S. Chapman lost to Mrs R. Erskine, 8-11. 6-11. Doubles.—Whiting and Ross beat Nolan and McWilliams. 15-12. 15-5; Miss Ross and Mrs Chapman beat Miss Erickson and Mrs Erskine. 15-6. 18-15; Whiting and Miss Ross boat McWilliams and Miss Erikson. 15-3, 15-8: Rojtf and Mrs Chapman lost to Nolan and Mrs Etskine, 10-15, 11-15. Knox 5, Higley I 3 Singles.—W. Edgecombe beat B. Williams, 11-15. 17-14. 15-12; I. Kirkland lost to C. Waslev. 4-15. 18-16. 3-15; Miss J. Miles beat Miss K. Burn, 11-9, 11-2; Mrs G. Brookes lost to Miss J Hood. 8-11. 11-9. 4-11. Doubles - Egcuumbe and Kirkland beat Williams and Wasiey. 15-5, 17-14; Miss r Miles and Mrs Brookes beat Misses Burn and Hood. 4-15. 15-3, 15-7: Edgecumbe and Miss Miles beat Williams and Miss Hood. 6-15. 15-2, 15-5; Kirkland and Mrs Brookes lost to Wasley and Miss -Burn, 15-5. 8-15. 5-15. Points: North Beach 1 61. Rail way 54. Knox 48, North Beach II 35, Hagley I 20, Hagley n 17, Canterbury I 17, Canterbury II 16. University' 12.