Sensational badminton success for N.Z.

Press, 3 August 1981, Page 30

Sensational badminton success for N.Z.

PA Auckland New Zealand recovered from a 2-7 deficit yesterday to sensationally regain the Whyte Trophy against Australia in the Auckland Badminton Hall.

The two-day contest finished at eight rubbers all, but New Zealand had clinched the trophy in the fifteenth match, when Steve Wilson and Philip Home defeated Mark Harry and Paul Kong to ensure that the team would win on a countback of games. The home team had an advantage of only two games 20-18, another indication of the evenness of the two teams. Australia won -the first test in Christchurch a fortnight ago on a two-game countback.

New Zealand levelled with a 10-6 success in the second international at Naenae, and, therefore, everything depended on the final clash in Auckland. Australia seemed almost unbeatable as it stretched their overnight 6-2 lead in the first rubber yesterday, when Darren McDonald beat the New Zealand captain, Chris Bullen. Then the remarkable recovery of New Zealand began. Robin Denton beat Audrey Swaby in two games, Steve Wilson maintained his superiority over Paul Kong and Philip Horne and Lyndsay Shirley beat Trevor James and Robyn Hobba in three games.

New Zealand now trailed 5-7, but could the recovery

be maintained? Then came, in the view of the New Zealand coach, Mr Richard Purser, the turning point of the contest.

Allison Sinton exposed the left-hander, Maxine Evans’s backhand, and fired many winners down that side to romp away to victory.

By now the small but enthusiastic gallery was stirred as it began to realise that the home team had a chance.

Denton and Karen Phillips immediately settled into a smooth-working combination against Julie McDonald and Sue Daly and victory for New Zealand was rarely in doubt.

By now the mathematicians had discovered that if New Zealand won the fif-

teenth rubber it could not be beaten for they had an advantage on games.

Yet it still seemed that the trophy might return to Australia as Wilson and Horne trailed in the first game 0-7. Horne was muffing service returns and Wilson had to resort to desperate round the back returns in an effort to counter Harry, who was hampered by a hamstring injury, and Kong.

Suddenly the New Zealanders began to click. Wilson’s smashes found gaps and in some thrilling rapid-fire exhanges close to the net he and Horne usually had the last word. The deficit was overcome and the crowd roared as the home team took the game. New Zealand were close to a

noted victory.

The momentum was maintained, and in spite of every tactic the Australians employed, Horne and Wilson moved closer and closer to success.

Finally it came. The Australians blasted away in a furious effort to halt the New Zealand run. The New Zealanders stood firm and at 6 p.m. a netcord by Horne was not returned and two New Zealand rackets went flying in the air in sign of their owners’ joy in victory.

New Zealand lost the final rubber, but few cared. The Whyte Trophy had been won.

Results (with Australian names first):

Saturday: Sue Daly beat Toni Whittaker, 11-5, 8-11, 11-2; Mark

Harry beat Graeme Robson, 1718, 15-9, 17-14; Mike Scandolera beat John Miles, 15-9, 15-6; Darren and Julie McDonald lost to Chris Bullen and Robin Denton, 3-15, 13-15; Audrey Swaby and Robyn Hobba beat Whittaker and Allison Sinton, 15-12, 15-13; Julie McDonald beat Karen Phillips, 11-8, 11-1; Darren McDonald and Scandolera lost to Robson and Bullen, 10-15, 15-5, 11-15; Paul Kong and Swaby beat Wilson and Sinton, 15-3, 16-17, 15-1. Sunday: Darren McDonald beat Bullen. 15-7, 10-15, 15-2; Swaby lost to Denton, 8-11, 4-11; King lost to Wilson, 4-15, 6-15; Trevor James and Hobba lost to Philip Horne and Lyndsay Shirley, 4-15, 15-5, 10-15; Maxine Evans lost to Sinton, 9-11, 1-11; Julie McDonald and Daly lost to Denton and Phillips, 6-15, 5-15; Harry and Kong lost to Horne and Wilson, 9-15, 6-15; Scandolera and Evans beat Robson and Whittaker, 15-5, 15-11.