Railway back on top in club badminton

Press, 28 May 1984, Page 25

Railway back on top in club badminton

Railway I, for so long the dominant force in Canterbury A grade club badminton, finally became the outright leader with a conclusive hammering of one of its closest rivals m the seventh round at the Skellerup Hall on Saturday. Railway was the joint leader at the end of the first round, but since then has been handily placed in the trail behind firstly South Brighton I, then Hagley I and BryndwrY.M.C.A. I. However, on Saturday the 13 points it gained from a convincing 7-1 win over Hagley I was enough to give it a twopoint margin at the top over Bryndwr-Y.M.C.A. I. Admittedly, Hagley I was below strength, with Alison Ross absent. That meant Diane Smith had to push up to No. 1. Miss Ross has only played in two rounds. She has won both singles matches, her two doubles contests with Miss Smith and both mixed games with Brian Williams. As it was, Railway dropped just two games. Those were in, the No. 1 men’s singles, where Williams held off Graham Sercombe in setting to win in straight games. The remainder of the contest was plain sailing for Railway I. South Brighton I edged out Bryndwr-Y.M.C.A. I, 5-3, but the result would have been even closer had it not been for an unfortunate injury to Bryndwr’s top woman, Paula Thorpe.

Playing Colleen Hellyer, who was out of touch and looking nothing like her national ranking of eighth, Miss Thorpe remarkably won the first game, 11-2, and had match points at 10-2 in the second when she fell as she turned to retrieve a shuttle returned to the back of her forehand court. She has suspected strained ligaments in her right knee. • Miss Thorpe was forced to retire and default her two doubles matches. That was particularly unfortunate as Trevor Campbell and Miss Thorpe have developed a successful mixed doubles combination in recent weeks. Hagley H had an easy win over Railway II; South Brighton II dropped two matches in beating the bottom-placed Knox-Canterbury; while Bryndwr-Y.M.C.A. II recorded a 5-3 win over Christchurch, the No. 2 mixed doubles win giving it a clear margin. Points after seven rounds: Railway I 79, BryndwrY.M.C.A. I 77, Hagley I 73, South Brighton I 70, Christchurch 55, Bryndwr-YAI.C.A. II 54, Hagley H 41, South Brighton II 27, Railway II 10, Knox-Canterbury 4. Christchurch 3, BryndwrY.M.C.A. H 5 Singles.—A. Duckmanton beat M. Reid, 15-11, 11-15,15-3; D. Lester lost to R. Mitchell, 815, 15-8, 10-15; Mrs R. Askew lost to Miss N. Robertson, 11-4, 3-11, 5-11; Miss L. Smith lost to Miss P. Froude, 5-11,11-7,11-6. Doubles.—Duckmanton and Lester lost to Reid and Mitchell, 12-15, 4-15; Mrs Askew and Miss Smith beat Miss Robertson and Miss Froude, 15-6,15-6; Duckmanton and Mrs Askew beat Reid and Miss Robertson, 15-12, 15-9; Lester and Miss Smith lost to Mitchell and Miss Froude, 2-15, 6-15. Railway H-l, Hagley II 7 Singles.—G. Rogers lost to C. Crosweller, 10-15,10-15; B. Wilson lost to Ng Hui Hua, 12-15, 12-15; Mrs K. Rogers beat Miss E. Henson, 11-4, 11-5; Mrs S. Fowler lost to Miss C. Moller,

8-11, 11-6, 5-11. Doubles.—Rogers and Wilson lost to Crosweller and Ng, 15-8, 7-15, 15-17; Mrs Rogers and Mrs Fowler lost to Crosweller and Miss Moller, 8-15, 11-15; Wilson and Mrs Rogers lost to Ng and Miss Henson, 15-9, 6-15, 2-15. Knox-Canterbury 2, South Brighton II 6 Singles.—D. Le Page lost to P. Gulasekharam, 3-15, 3-15; E. Kirkland beat R. Davidson, 155, 15-11; Miss L. Kitchingham lost to Miss D. Barrett, 0-11,1-11; Mrs A. Smith lost to Miss L. Buchan, 7-11, 5-11. Doubles.—Le Page and Kirkland lost to Gulasekharam and Davidson, 11-15, 17-16, 11-15; Miss Kitchingham and Mrs Smith lost to Miss Barrett and Miss Buchan, 5-15, 3-15; Le Page and Mrs Smith lost to Gulasekharam and Miss Barrett, 5-15, 5-15; Kirkland and Miss Kitchingham beat Davidson and Miss Buchan, 15-10,15-8. South Brighton I 5, BryndwrY.M.C.A. I 3. Singles.—S. Tetai beat M. Chamfers, 15-1, 15-5; P. Boatwood lost to T. Campbell, 1215, 15-10, 4-15; Miss C. Hellyer beat Miss P. Thorpe, 2-11, 1210, 11-0; Miss J. Hood lost to Mrs R. Reid, 11-4, 7-11, 6-11. Doubles.—Tetai and Boatwood beat Chambers and Campbell, 15-2, 15-8; Miss Hellyer and Miss Hood beat Miss Thorpe and Mrs Reid by default; Tetai and Miss Hellyer beat Campbell and Miss Thorpe by default; Boatwood and Miss Hood lost to Chambers and Mrs Reid, 15-17,10-15. Railway I 7, Hagley I 1 Singles.—G. Sercombe lost to B. Williams, 7-15, 16-17; G. Miller beat M. Porter, 15-6,15-4; Miss J. Clarke beat Miss D. Smith, 11-4,11-0; Mrs T. Perry beat Mrs B. Leopold, 11-0,11-3. Doubles.—Miller and Sercombe beat Williams and Porter, 15-6, 15-8; Miss Clarke and Mrs Perry beat Miss Smith and Mrs Leopold, 15-0, 15-2; Sercombe and Miss Clarke beat Williams and Miss Smith, 15-6, 15-9; Miller and Mrs Perry beat Porter and Mrs Leopold, 15-5, 15-2.