Late sport Sparks mark squash round

Press, 9 May 1979, Page 6

Late sport Sparks mark squash round

Extra spark was added to the latest round of the division one squash competition last evening by the arrival of a number of fire engines at the Christchurch club’s complex in Chester Street. The gas water heater for the showers had caught fire after the flue burst; the ceiling in the kitchen on the floor above was a little charred.

Everything happened so quickly that nobody on the five courts stopped playing and the most notable feature was the hasty emergence of the radio announcer. George Balani, from the shower-room, clad only in a towel. Because all the women’s matches were being played at Christchurch, the only top men’s game there was between Christchurch I and High School Old Boys 11. The win by Christchurch I took it to second place in the competition. Christchurch II won easily at Nos 1 and 4, with Rodney Hayes (winning 16 rallies in a row) and Mark Woodhead, but the middle two were outlasted. Balani added a further note of hilarity when, after winning a rally and applause with a particularly good shot in the second game, he threw down his racket and started to leave the court, unaware that the score was only 8-6.

At Burnside, the home team had a comfortable 8-2 win over Sumner, which suffered a number of injuries — Ron Marshall (ribs), John MacDougall (nose) and Ryan McCutcheon (mouth). Burnside now has a six-point lead in the competition, helped by the postponement of the match between its previous closest rival, Burnside 11, and University I. Linwood narrowly beat Bumside thanks to its strength in the bottom half with Gary Monk and Paul Carpinter. Suburbs scraped home against Old Boys I on a games count-back, 8-7; Les Plever had a good win over his opposite No. 1, Lindsay Walton (Old Boys), and Murray Carson had a fine start before conceding defeat to John Tolchard. In the women’s competition the two top teams met and by defeating Burnside 6-2. Christchurch II established itself at the top of the table. Joan Terrell was in especially fine touch in beating Burnside’s Saskia O’Brien, 3-0.

The match between the two Old Boys teams was highlighted by the excellent performance of Vai Dunstan who played above herself to take Bette King down In straight games. Two sisters, Jeanette McCutcheon (Sumner) and Kate Carpinter (University),. met in a

match between the No. Is on another court, Mrs Carpinter showing scant famfly affection in a 3-0 victory. Results:—

- * MEN Christchurch I 6, High School Old Boys II 4 „ , R - W. Hayes beat L. P. Skurr, 99-6 I G. Balani lost to L 3-9, 9-6, 9-7. 3-9, 4-9; ?o A bL clo, A r - lost to M - Thompson’ 4-9 ’ M - Woodhead beat L. Sherlock. 9-1, 9-5, 9-6.

c L, "*° o d *' University It 4 b Hibbert lost to B. D. Matlost WS t'r> °a’ ri 9 ’i 7 ’ 9 ’ H - Ma »hall M nq. r ■ xf 01 ? 11 !.’ 19 ’ 94 > 9 < u-y, G. Monk, beat P. Caroinbeat C° B cia 9 ’ 3 ’ 9 o' P ’ Jell yn>an beat C. Glasson. 9-1. 9-6, 9-4.

r B 7 r - l i? id h 1 1' Somner 3 u R - Marshall, ■eg, r 9 ’m 7 ’m^A 9 ; , L 11 - Shepherd beat M- McCutcheon, 9-2, 9-5, 94>; S Stephenson lost to J. A MacDougall, 10-3. 4-9, 6-9. 74h V. Price beat S. Doak, 9-3, 9-1* 9.4 Suburbs *. High School Old Boys 9-7 L ‘ B P in Ve <L C b w' V Walton, 9-3, Tnieh/?i M - Carson lost to M C ™ art !l 9 ‘ 3 ’ 9-5, 3-9. 2-9. 6-9; « 2 9 rn ?o n i Ost r t 0 T - George; O m anV’.4 P^^ lOW be “’ G ’

WOMEN Christchurch II s, Burnsldo 2 lain ■l 3 n m^nn OS „‘ n to L - Chamberbeat s 9 rvn 9 i’ 2 ’ 9 „ & ' 9; J - Terrel! □eat s,. o Brien, 9-1, 9-0 qj- w Dodgsnun beat A. Hooper, 's-7’, 9-5;

Hi9h J?,'.? “or* ' Z High R O d B ° ys 11 * 5-9 f v St t 0 V « Dunstan. 7-9, b g® sw at F ’ Orn, andy. 9-6, 9-0, 4, Christchurch Christchurch Bowan, 4-9, 6-9 70a* - ft'-s

Points:— . Me n.—Burniide r .. r

Bumside 16 ChH b r , l rch « 20, Sumner u ’ ChrtU C t urch m H University 8 w^ c \ ur £ h 1 »«• Boys n 6. High School Old 14. Suburbs < h0 °' °M Boys