Badminton lead suffers dent

Press, 25 July 1986, Page 8

Badminton lead suffers dent

Air New Zealand’s lead in the A grade inter-club badminton competition took a dent on Tuesday evening when sixteenth-round matches were contested.

While it was beating Hagley 11, 6-2, its rival for the title, Railway, was achieving an 8-0 victory over the second bottom side, South Brighton. Thus A.N.Z.’s advantage was whittled from five to three points, with five rounds remaining. Railway’s win was not as easy as the scoreline implied. None of the singles matches was won without a battle, while two of the four doubles, 15-11, 15-7, by Mark Waldin and Gillian Barns, required Railway to work hard.

Once Graham Sercombe had overcome a determined Mike Porter in the top men’s singles, A.N.Z. always had an advantage over Hagley IL The high point of Christchurch I's 6-2 win over Bryndwr-Y.M.C.A. was John Fletcher’s three-game triumph over the Canterbury

championship finalist, Mark Chambers. The victory consolidates Christchurch’s hold on third place. The other match of the round resulted in probably the most hollow 'of the winter. Christchurch II had its second win of the competition when, assisted by three wins by default, it edged out .Hagley I on a points countback. This is not to say that Hagley I deserves any sympathy. It is the second time this season it has only produced three players for a match. Points after 16 rounds: Air New Zealand 173, Railway 170, Christchurch I 142, Bryndwr 127, Hagley I 86, Hagley II 77, South Brighton 65, Christchurch II 56. Christchurch I 6, Bryndwr-Y.M.CA. 2

Singles.— J. Fletcher beat M. Chambers, 13-15, 15-8, 152; D. Lester beat M. Reid, 1816, 7-15, 15-10; T. Perry beat J. Hood, 11-4, 3-11, 11-0; R. Haley beat H. Woods, 9-12, 11-1, 11-2. Doubles. — Fletcher and

Lester lost to Chambers and Reid, 7-15, 8-15; Perry and Haley beat Hood and Woods, 15-6, 15-3; Fletcher and Mrs Perry beat Reid and Miss Hood, 12-15, 15-12, 15-10; Lester and Miss Haley lost to Chambers and Miss Woods, 615, 15-7, 11-15.

Hagley I four games, 138 points, Christchurch II four games, 167 points

Singles.— B. Williams beat N. Leeming, 15-10, 15-12; K. Julian beat T. Thompson, 158, 15-0; T. Watts lost to L. Smith, 10-12, 8-11; Miss D. Dean (Christchurch) won by default.

Doubles.— Williams and Julian beat Leeming and Thompson, 15-8, 15-8; Smith and Dean won by default; Leeming and Smith won by default; Julian and Miss Watts beat Thompson and Miss Dean, 15-10, 15-6. Hagley II 2, Air New Zealand 6

Singles.— M. Porter lost to G. Sercombe, 9-15, 18-16, 915; P. Mundy beat A. Duckmanton, 15-7, 15-11; E. Hen-

son lost to P. Thorpe, 5-11, 211; C. Moller lost to F. Pizzey, 1-11, 1-11. Doubles. — Porter and Mundy lost to Sercombe and Duckmanton, 8-15, 15-10, 1518; Henson and Moller lost to Thorpe and Pizzey, 0-15, 5-15; Porter and Miss Henson beat Sercombe and Miss Pizzey, 15-7, 11-15, 15-3; Mundy and Miss Moller lost to Duckmanton and Miss Thorpe, 14-17, 215.

Railway 8, South Brighton 0 Singles.— M. Waldin beat N. Barns, 15-12, 15-13; G. Miller beat A. Spinks, 18-15, 15-11; G. Barns beat L. Ellis, 11-5, 10-12, 12-11; K. Rogers beat V. Adams, 11-12, 11-3, 11-3.

Doubles.— Waldin and Miller beat Barns and Spinks, 15-8, 13-15, 15-9; Bams and Rogers beat Adams and Ellis, 15-11, 15-8; Miller and Mrs Rogers beat Bams and Miss Adams, 15-13, 15-8; Waldin and Mrs Barns beat Spinks and Miss Ellis, 15-11, 15-7.