Old Boys hold close lead in squash

Press, 26 August 1978, Page 20

Old Boys hold close lead in squash

High School Old Boys has narrowly retained its lead over Burnside I in the men’s senior squash rackets competition for the Wils.on Shield. Although it gained only two points from the strong Christchurch 1 team, these were sufficient to enable Old Boys to stay at the top of the points table. The points now are: Old Boys 38, Burnside I 36, Christchurch I 34, Sumner 28, University 28, Linwood 22, Suburbs 22, Burnside II 22, Christchurch II 10. For only the second time in its three-year history, the Frank Creighton “player of the week” award went outside the senior competition. It was awarded to Ted Hardiman (Linwood) for a fine recovery in a men’s intermediate A match against N. Meyers (University). Most interest in this round centred on the clash between High School Old Boys and Christchurch I. Without. Viv Hargreaves, who is in Invercargill for five weeks. Old Boys was able to scrape up just two points. For a while Lawrence Skurr seemed set to add his name to those who have beaten Rod Hayes in interIclub games. He led two games to one by playing a mild brand of aggressive squash which, in comparison to Hayes’ defensive style, made him look like Ken Hiscoe. Unfortunately for Skurr he was prone to unforced errors on the forehand at the back of the court and several times he allowed Hayes to regain service at vital stages. Hayes largely contented himself with driving firmly to the back wall, waiting for Skurr to err. On a few occasions Hayes decided to “go for shots” but this

proved costly and he quickly reverted to his safety-first policy. An improving John French (Old Boys) made Bruce Trangmer w.ork hard for a four-game win and Old Boys’ sole winner, Lindsay Walton, showed admirable staying power to win in the fifth game against Mark Woodhead. Walton has just had a long lay-off after a tendon injury. Sumner gained 1.0 points from a woefully depleted University side. With Paul McFadzien and Barrie Matthews away at the New Zealand Universities’ tournament. the team had two new faces, who tried hard but could not overcome the greater experience of the seasiders. The main feature of the Bumside 1-Christchurch II clash was in Jamie Bushell’s match with Jim Martin. Martin won the first two games narrowly with his usual mixture of lobs and drops but then completely ran out of steam, allowing Bushell to take the next three games for the loss of only one point. When Craig Hibbert plays Les Plever there is always entertainment and so it was in their latest duel. Both are keen to move the ball through the front wall and Plever especially, seemed

' close to succeeding with his t dynamic overhead shots. Plever had to win at least i one game to give his team i the match on games and this i he did in spite of a deter- ’ mined bid by Hibbert to win , in three. ; . For Suburbs, Peter Lublow i surprised by beating the ■ stylish Howard Marshall in i four games and Alan Dunlop i was too strong for Peter Jellyman after two torrid • games. I Results:— | Burnside I 10, Christchurch II 0 » N. D. Rush beat G. Balani, 9-4, ' 9-0. 9-7; R. Clements beat R. I). Monk, 9-2, 9-6, 9-1; J. Bushell - beat J. P. Martin. 9-10, 7-9. 9-0, r 9-1, 9-0; H. Shepherd beat C. . Matthews, 9-2. 9-3, 9-7. Sumner 10, University 0 ■ ■ R. 1 Marshall beat P. Monk, - 9-5. 9-5, 9-3: R. M. McCutcheon beat M. Lawrence, 9-4. 10.8. 9-7; J. A. MacDougal beat P Car- ’ pinter. 9-7, 9-2. 9-7; L. G. Milne [ beat D. Pocknail, 9-5. 9-4. 10-9. • Christchurch I 8, High School Old Boys 2 R. W. Hayes beat L. P. Skurr, ) 19-10, 9-7. 2-9, 9-3. 95; B. B Trang- ; nar beat J. French, 9-6. 9-7. 4-9, 4 9-6; L. Wilson beat T. George, 10-9, 9-2. 9-4; M. Woodhead lost 7 to L. Walton. 9-3. 9-6. 6-9. 2-9, 3-9. ’ Suburbs 6, Linwood 4 I L. Piever lost to C. Hibbert, c 8-10, 9-5, 5-9. 5-9; M. Carson lost r to M. D. Grant. 8-10. 6-9. 7-9; P Lublow beat H. Marshal]. 109. ; 9-0, 4-9. 9-6; A. E. Dunlop beat 3 P. Jellyman, 10-8, 10-9. 9-1. ’ Women: ; Christchurch IV 8, Christchurch ? ' 10 | J. Terrell beat B. Dewar 9-4, i 9-1, 9-2; J. Gemmell beat A. ; Pook, 3-9. 9-2. 9-3. 10-8; J Tanner 1 beat G. Sinclair, 9-0. 9-5, 9-0.