Canty players in last eight

Press, 12 September 1988, Page 6

Canty players in last eight

Palmerston North

Canterbury has two survivors, Rod Hayes and Paul Viggers, among the last eight in the men’s open in the Railfreight national squash championships being contested at the Palmerston North club courts.

Viggers (Lancaster Park), a former New Zealand representative, was seeded only tenth but showed good form by knocking out the No. 7 seed, Robert Wyatt (Geyser City), in straight games in a third-round match yesterday.

Another former New Zealand player, Hayes (Christchurch), has gone through to the last eight without dropping a game, along with Scott Harrison (Ponsonby) and the top two seeds, Stephen Cunningham (Geyser City) and Glen Wilson (Mitchell Park). Linwood’s Craig Hibbert brought about an upset on Saturday when, after a titanic five-set struggle, he eliminated Neven Barbour (Henderson) in the second round. It was the first time in 17 years that the veteran Barbour has failed to make the quarterfinals.

But in the third round an impressive Michael McSherry (Titirangi) swept past an injured Hibbert. As expected Christchurch’s Jillian Oakley, the No. 7 seed, is also through to the last eight in the quarter-finals but will face the sharp No. 2 seed, Joanne Williams (Taihape), today. The aggressive junior, Philippa Beams (Christchurch), continued to attack in her third round game against the No. 4 seed, Cheryl Te Kani (Geyster City), and took a game off her highlyrated opponent. In the second round she had eliminated the No. 14 seed, Angela Toai (Eastern Suburbs). Also through to the last eight are the five times

champion, Susan Devoy (Henderson), Debra Shaw (Kaitaia), Donna Newton, nee Gurran (Remuera), Charmian Hayes (Eden Epsom) and a former New Zealand champion, Annette Owen (Royal Oak). Hayes took four games to subdue Sumner’s Justine Marriott.

Talk of the tournament was the disqualification of the Aucklander Dean Dryden for allegedly smashing one of the Parkview club windows when he was two games down in the third round against Phil Wallace (Remuera). However, the disciplinary committee has permitted Dryden to play in the plate events. • Meanwhile, the New Zealand Press Association reported from Sydney that Australia won the second and deciding test against New Zealand in ■ the masters squash series at Canberra yesterday. The six matches to four victory was a repeat of the first test score, but some close individual encounters suggest New Zealand could still gain a consolation victory in the third test bn Wednesday.

In the 50-54 years age group a cliff-hanger swung New Zealand’s way after Barry Gardiner, of Christchurch recovered from being 2-8 down in the fifth game to beat Australia’s Mai Perry.

Australian masters championship finals:— Men, 35-39: I. Freeme (Queensland) beat T. Naughton (N.Z.), 9-3, 3-9, 7-9, 9-7, 93; 40-44: B. Cook (Queensland) beat J. Borren (N.Z.), 97, 6-9, 10-8, 7-9, 9-4; 50-54: Fred Howell (South Australia) beat B. Gardiner (N.Z.), 6-9, 9-5, 9-1, 9-4. Women, 35-39: L. Wilson (Canberra) beat L. Gurteen (N.Z.), 9-3, 9-4, 3-9, 9-5; 50plus: L. Harvey (Northern Territory) beat M. Bowers (N.Z.), 9-2, 9-2, 9-5.