Badminton Bold showing by Knox

Press, 11 May 1981, Page 18

Badminton Bold showing by Knox

Railway I. the loam which has dominated the A grade badminton competition in recent seasons, came as close to defeat as it has in two years when it got home only on games. 10 to eight, against Knox on Saturday. Knox.’a team which has slipped in the past season or two. struck its first blow when Eoin Kirkland beat his much younger rival. Andrew Duckmantoh. with surprising ease. Even when Kirkland took the first game it was expected that Duckmanton would last the better. However, if anything jt was Kirkland who set the pace and he was never in much danger of having to face a third game. Although her victory Was not quite so decisive. Lynda Kitchingham set Railway I further back when she won her singles against Robyn Erskine. Strangely enough the only singles Railway I’ got easily was the top men's, and here. Knox's Warren Edgecumbe has in the past made a habit of an early-season win against Geoff Miller. ■ •. . But Edgecumbe was never in the race this time, although the courage that has lopg been the hallmark of his play was still there despite the extreme difficulties of an asthmatic condition which has islowed him down this season. 0 Kirkland and Miss Kitchingham carried their good singles form through to the doubles when they piit Knox ahead. 3-2. :by winning their mixed doublft asin» Dn&k-’! ihanton and Jane Clarke. Miss Kitchingham. in particular, could do little wrong, winning many shots with her cross-court returns. Railway I levelled at 3-3 by winning, without much difficulty, the other mixed doubles, but it had the pressure back on it when Miss Kitchingham and Janet Miles combined to beat Miss Clarke and Robyn Erskine in the women's doubles.

s This was a fairly long game and i there may have been a consciousncss among all four players to r avoid mistakes rather than to look i for winners. In the deciding third t set. however, Miss Miles and Miss Kitchingham took an early initia--1 tive which they never relinquished, s This left the’ men's doubles as the t deciding match and with >’■ Edgecumbe not able to give his . best it was comparatively easy for j Miller and Duckmanton to pull t Railway I through. While the Railway I-Knox game - was the most intriguing of the > round there were others of interest, > too. Hagley 1. which has now got away to a five-point lead in the t competition, maintained its good - rtin with an 8-0 win against its No. ; 2 team. L It was a stroke o) good luck for Haglev 1 that it should' nitet > Haglev II on Saturday, as Hagley II > was without its top woman. Alison i Ross, who almost certainly would i have got the second team on the i board. *. Miss Ross, in company with Peter Whiting and Canterbury's 1 important new gain, Steve Wilson, was away at the Austin Cup : tournament in Auckland and this ; worked to South Brighton's advantage. It was able to stay close to ; the pace by earning maximum points against Mairehau, something it might not have done had Whiting been on hand to play for Mairehau. In Whiting's absence. Eric Ogier ..stepped up to No’. 1 and this made Boatwood his singles rival. ; The last time they had faced each ’ other at singles was in 1960 in the ■ final . of the Canterbury junior championship. The winner then, as it was again on Saturday, was Boatwood, although Ogier pushed him hard in the second of their two games. Christchurch gained its first win of the season by getting home narrowly against Railway II and Canterbury registered its second successive success.

Points:— Hagley I 69, Railway 1 64. South Brighton 63. Mairehau 40, Canterbury 35, Knox 22, Railway II 30, ' Bryndwr I 29. Bryndwr 12. Christ- ■ church 17, Haglev' II 14, University < 6 ’ ' 4 Results:— Knox 8 games, Railway I 10 Singles.— W. Edgecumbe lost to ; G. Miller. 4-15, 2-15; E. Kirkland beat A. Duckmanton, 15-10. 15-5; Miss J. Miles lost to Miss J. Clarke, 6-11, 8-11; Miss L. Kitchingham beat Mrs R. Erskine, 7-11, 12-9, 11- . 4. Doubles.— Edgecumbe and Kirkland lost to Miller and Duckman- , ton. 7-15. 9-15; Miss Miles and Miss : Kitchingham beat Miss Clarke and Mrs Erskine, 17-16, 10-15, 15-4; ■ Edgqcumbc and Miss Miles lost to ; ■’Miller afid Mrs Erskine. 7-15, 10-I's; ’’ Kirkland and Miss Kitchingham beat Duokmanton and Miss Clarke, 15-9, 18-17. Hagley I 8, Hagley II 8 Singles.— B. Williams beat M. Chambers, 15-9, 15-4; D. Ross beat D. Bel], 15-4, 15-3; Miss J. Hood beat Mrs B. Leopold, 11-5,11-8; Mrs / V. Cooper beat Miss V. McDonald, 11-1, 11-2. Doubles.— Ross and Williams , beat Chambers and Bell, 15-11, 15-5; , Miss Hood and Mrs Cooper beat 1 Mrs Leopold and Miss McDonald, ti 15-3, 15-0; Williams and Miss Hood :■ ' heat Chambers and Mrs Leopold, ' 15-7, 15-9; Ross and Mrs Cooper beat Bell and Miss McDonald, 15-6, 15-8. Christchurch 5, Railway II 3 Singles.— R. Manderson beat G. Scrcombc, 15-7, 12-15,15-6; L. Smith lost to G. Rogers, 12-15, 8-15; Miss C. Erikson lost to Mrs K. Rogers, 11-12, 8-11; Mrs S. Goddard beat Mrs N. Thornley, 11-1, 11-3. Doubles.— Manderson and Smith beat Sereombe and Rogers, 15-7,15-9; Miss Erikson and Mrs Goddard beat Mrs Rogers and Mrs Thornley,

12-15. 15-10. 15-11; Manderson and Miss Erikson lost to Sereombe and Mrs Thornley, 14-17. 8-15; Smith . and Mrs Goddard beat Rogers and Mrs Rogers, 15-5, 15-10. H Singles.— G. Girdler beat M. ,*• Reid, 15-10,15-9; H. Ng lost to J. Le Heron, 6-15, 10-15; Miss D. Barrett lost to MisS W. Thorpe, 8-11, 5-11; Miss S. Bendle lost to Mrs J. Moore, 4-11, 3-11. Doubles.— Girdler and Ng lost to Le Heron and Reid, 17-18,15-12,11-15; Miss Barrett and Miss Bendle • lost to Miss Thorpe and Mrs Moore, 4-15, 7-15; Girdler and Miss Bendle lost to Reid and Miss Thorpe, 4-15, 9-15; Ng and Miss Barrett lost to Le Heron and Mrs Moore, 12-15, 1- - 15. South Brighton 8, Mairehau 0 <• Singles. - P. "Boatwood beat E. J Ogier, 15-7, 18-16; G. Prasanna beat "I J. Goodman, 15-2, 15-9; Miss A. Williamson beat Mrs N. Sintes, 115, 11-2; Miss R. Adam beat Ms J. Tucker, 12-10, 11-6. Doubles.— Boatwood and . Prasanna beat Ogier and Goodman, j 15-5, 15-9; Miss Williamson and t Miss Adam beat Mrs Sintes and Ms y. Tucker, 15-8, 15-7; Boatwood and • Miss Williamson beat Ogier and Mrs Sintes, 14-18, 15-10, 15-6; Prasanna and Miss Adam beat Goodman and Ms Tucker, 15-8,15-7. * Bryndwr II 3, Canterbury 5 Singles— S. Tetai lost to D. Le . Page, 15-6, 7-15, 9-15; D. Reid lost to A. Spinks, 14-17, 6-15; Miss D. .. Sherlock beat Miss J. Feek. 11-0, 11-6; Miss J. Saunders beat Mrs A. ? Smith, 11-0, 12-9. Doubles.— Tetai and Reid lost to Le Page and Spinks, 10-15, 12-15; Miss Sherlock and Miss Saunders lost to Miss Feek and Mrs Smith, 15-8, 9-15, 10-15; Tetai and Miss Sherlock beat Le Page and Miss Feek, 13-18, 15-12, 15-5; Reid and Miss Spunders lost to Spinks and Mrs Smith, 7-15, 14-18.