Badminton Railway well ahead

Press, 30 May 1983, Page 22

Badminton Railway well ahead

Railway hammered its closest rival, South Brighton I, to increase its advantage to a huge 24 points after the sixth round of play in the A grade badminton competition at the Skellerup Hall on Saturday. The 7-1 thrashing means Railway has dropped just four matches in the six rounds this season. With only one round remaining before the teams split into two groups of four for the final three rounds, the break between the top and bottom halves is quite distinct. Railway, Hagley I, South Brighton I and Bryndwr I will contest the top half, with South Brighton I, Christchurch, Bryndwr II and Hagley II filling the last four spots. The solitary success for South Brighton I came in the top men’s singles match, where the improving Prasanna Gulasekharam outlasted Graham Sercombe to win in three sets. Yet he led, 12-4, in the second, before squandering that advantage. South Brighton II had to work hard for a 5-3 win over Hagley 11. Peter Whiting convincingly beat Shane Tetai, then combined with Gary Paskell and Michelle McMullan for Hagley’s three victories. Christchurch had a good win over Bryndwr 11, the highlight being the fine effort of John Fletcher, in his first A grade game, beating David Reid, then winning both his doubles matches.

Another new name in the senior ranks, Trevor Campbell, also had a day to remember, beating David Bell in three games, in Bryndwr I’s contest against Hagley I. Campbell’s win, and his doubles victory* with Mark Chambers were Bryndwr’s only bright moments as Hagley cruised to a 6-2 win. Points after six rounds: Railway 80, Hagley I 56, South Brighton I 54, Bryndwr I 49, South Brighton II 33, Christchurch 30, Bryndwr II 21, Hagley II 13. Hagley I 6, Bryndwr I 2 Singles.— B. Williams beat M. Chambers, 15-12, 15-6; D. Bell lost to T. Campbell, 15-9, 12-15, 4-15; Miss A. Ross beat Mrs W. Duder, 11-3, 11-1; Miss J. Hood beat Miss P. Thorpe, 11-4, 11-7. Doubles.— Williams and Bell lost to Chambers and Campbell, 15-18, 8-15; Miss Ross and Miss Hood beat Mrs Duder and Miss Thorpe, 15-5, 15-5; beat Williams and Miss Ross beat Chambers and Miss Thorpe, 155, 17-16; Bell and Miss Hood beat Campbell and Mrs Duder, 18-14, 12-15, 15-1.

Railway 7, South Brighton 11 Singles.— G. Sercombe lost to P. Gulasekharam, 15-17, 1813, 6-15; G. Miller beat C. Crosweller, 15-4, 15-3; Miss J. Clarke beat Miss D. Barrett, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8; Mrs R. Stanton beat Miss R. Adam, 12-11,11-5. Doubles.— Sercombe and Miller beat Crosweller and Gulasekharam, 15-6, 15-13; Mrs

Stanton and Miss Clarke beat Miss Barrett and Miss Adam, 15-5,11-15,15-7; Miller and Mrs Stanton beat Gulasekharam and Miss Barrett, 15-3, 15-8; Sercombe and Miss Clarke beat Crosweller and Miss Adam, 15-7, 15-10. South Brighton II 5, Hagley 11 3

Singles.- S. Tetai lost to P. Whiting. 8-15, 1-15; P. Boatwood beat G. Paskell, 15-3, 157; Miss A. Williamson beat Miss T. Watts, 11-5, 11-1: Mrs J. Banbury beat Miss M. McMullan, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6. Doubles.— Tetai and Boatwood lost to Paskell and Whiting, 15-12, 13-18, 7-15; Miss Williamson and Mrs Banbury beat Miss Watts and Miss McMullan, 15-4, 15-1; Tetai and Mrs Banbury lost to Whiting and Miss McMullan, 6-15,18-16, 7-15; Boatwood and Miss Williamson beat Paskell and Miss Watts, 15-1, 15-8. Christchurch 6, Bryndwr II 2 Singles.— A. Duckmanton lost to M. Reid, 16-17, 15-5, 1517; J. Fletcher beat D. Reid, 15-12, 15-12; Mrs T. Perry beat Miss N. Robertson, 11-6, 11-3; Mrs P. Duckmanton lost to Miss F. Pizzey, 11-2, 9-11, 7-11. Doubles.— Duckmanton and Fletcher beat Reid and Reid, 15-7,10-15,15-8; Mrs Perry and Mrs Duckmanton beat Miss Robertson and Miss Pizzey, 154, 15-9; Duckmanton and Mrs Duckmanton beat M. Reid and Miss Pizzey, 15-3, 15-7; Fletcher and Mrs Perry beat D. Reid and Miss Robertson, 15-6, 18-13.