TABLE TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 255, 24 July 1937, Page 15

TABLE TENNIS

Championship Play COMMENT ON MATCHES The Hutt Valley Table Tennis Association’s championship ladder, up to and including the sixth round, is as follows:

With the last of the matches to be completed the first round of the Hutt Valley Table Tennis Association’s A grade competition now under way, interest is centred on the draw for the second round of the championship, which discloses that at this early stage the four leading teams are Empire No. 1, Hutt Cricket, Petone Tennis, and Alieetown Trinity. To date Empire No. 1 (two draws) and Petone Tennis (four draws) are the only unbeaten teams, Hutt Cricket having drawn one and lost to Empire, and Alicetown Trinity having two losses against them.

Indications are that the present leaders, Empire and Hutt Cricket, will have victories, but the Petone TennisAlicetown Trinity fixture should prove a good contest, with victory almost certain to be with the . former. Assuming that the result is as predicted, .the first round will conclude with Empire leading Hutt Cricket, followed by Petone Tennis, with Alieetown Trinity in fourth place with eight points, and four points from the leaders. With two points separating the three best, there are sure to be hard and exciting contests whenever they meet. Empire, the only team to defeat Hutt Cricket, had a very easy win when they first met, but if luck should favour the former losers when they next meet, the tables mighf~easily be turned. Hutt Cricket will also have a keen contest with the Petone Tennis team, who will naturally be right out to avoid the sharing of the spoils as in the first round, but with Roberts and Pyne now at their best, Croudis and Co. will be fully extended to take the major honours. Draws cannot be discounted, and in that event there are numerous possibilities, but no matter what the result. there is sure to be plenty of incident to maintain interest.in the championship throughout the season.

Qualify of Balls. At the men’s A grade ranking ladder matches held at the association hall last Saturday night there were numerous complaints regarding balls supplied for these matches. That there was cause for dissatisfaction there is no doubt, and if such matches are to be conducted for the purpose of improving the standard of play the officials in charge should see that a repetition of unnecessary dissatisfaction is avoided, for until players are supplied with the best a true indication of their

ability can hardly be expected. It has been proposed that the Hutt Valley players who are to participate at the North Island championships at Auckland next week should have the use of lhe ball for special practices, and surely these players will not be issued with balls similar to those used last Saturday. They would be better advised to arrange another source of supply. Handicap Comparisons. From a glance through the handicaps of Hutt Valley players at the recent Wellington Table Tennis Association's annual handicap tournament it appears that the handicapping committee of the city association places Hutt Valley players on a high plane, for players such as Halligan and Wall are placed on the same mark as D. Ilayvice and W. McFarlane. At the same tournament Hutt Valley lower grade players (to C grade) were, tn comparison with the city players, treated not very liberally. A <sole Hutt Valley entrant for the D, E, F. G and II trade players, A, J. Campbell (Empire), proved a worthy representative, being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the men’s singles. In the doubles, however, Campbell, paired with a eity player, W. Knudson, with whom he was successful in the event, winning the final 31-29, In the women's events the valley representatives were all eliminated early. However, the handicapping of the Hutt entrants cited earlier proves conclusively that the Wellington association now fully realises the possibilities of the improving type of game now associated with the inter-club play at present being played by • representatives of their ex-sub-associa- I tion. * Empire 2 v. Alieetown Trinity. Maintaining the form which has paved the way for eight consecutive wins, G. Martin advanced his unbroken sequence to 12 in the A grade match between Empire and Alieetown Trinity. At no stage of his play was Martin fully extended, although his score of 31-29 with Miss B. Strang indicates a close call. Martin, as usual, gained many points with his backhand driving, while his defence, truly tested, proved invaluable. A pleasing feature of the contest was the impressive manner in which R. Gray, captain of the team, gave glimpses of his best form to take the maximum honours. K. Bates’s play also approached what he is known to be capable of, his excellent driving against F. E. Smith being noteworthy. Of the Empire team, Miss B. Strang was the outstanding performer, being the only one to trouble the opposition seriously. F. E. Smith, although an obviously better player than results indicate, was once again disappointing, his solitary success being achieved against Henderson. Although J. B. Wilson has been seen to better advantage, his display was quite fair. One of the best members of the team when on his game is R. E. Mitcjiell. but on this occasion he gave one of his bad displays. Seventh Round Matches.

Played at the association hall, the Taita v. Hutt Cricket fixture did not produce brilliant table tennis, but the majority of the games being hard, the wide variety of talent participating created plenty of incident to maintain the interest of players.and spectators. The final score of 15 to 5 for Hutt Cricket did not indicate the difference in the respective merits of the teams, for the Taita team gave quite a sound display. For the winners, Roberts further advanced his claims as No. 1 player in the association by taking all four singles, which included a good win over G. Tustin, L. Pyne accounted for all but G. Tustin. B. Pegler recorded a similar performance to Pyne, this being the veteran’s best effort to date. During the last few matches Pegler has been consistently unlucky not to have bettered his performances, this being an overdue success which was warmly received. Newman, who has to date won exactly half his

matches, lost to G. Tustin and Miss M Walsh.

The outstanding Taita player was G. Tustin, who gave glimpses of his best in winning three singles. After improved displays it was thought that E. Batie would have won at least one single, but, as in the case of Miss Tustin, he too was quite unable to cope with the opposition. Apart from G. Tustin, Miss M. Walsh was the only other Taita player to notch a single, her success being achieved at the expense of L. Newman.

Empire No. 1 v. Empire No. 2. As expected when these two club teams met, Empire No. 1 had a comfortable win by 14 games to six. .The result of the match gives Empire an unbeaten record in the first round and a lead of one point over Hutt Cricket for the championship. For the No. 1 team J. J. Halligan easily accounted for the opposition, a noticeable feature of his game being his forehand driving, which was most consistent. A. T. Wood, playing against all except Mitchell, was in great form, his backhand driving being practically unplayable. This display was easily his best this season. Against Mitchell his opponent’s service caused him great difficulty, and it was to this factor that he was unable to really prevent the opportunities which Mitchell was quick to turn to good advantage. J. F. .Wall, who could only manage one single’, would do better if he adopted a more forcing type of game. Gaining an early lead. Miss Strang was never headed by A. R. Harding, who could find no counter for her splendid [driving and accurate placements, eventu- | ally losing the match 23—31. Apart from that loss Harding was successful in the remainder of his games. For the losers, R. E. Mitchell gave one of his good displays, his driving showing a great improvement, while his service was always troublesome. Miss B. Strang equalled Mitchell's performance in annexing two singles, her play, as usual, being of a high standard. F. E. Smith suffered through chib play, all his opponents having summed up the position very accurately with the exception of Wall, whom Smith beat 31 —18. Women’s Ranking Matches. The next series of women’s ranking matches will be held at the association’s hall on July 31, commencing at 7 p.m. Those wishing to play may do so by applying to the secretary of the association, Mr. S. J. Smith, at the hall that night.

W. D. L. Games. Ch. pts. F. A. Empire No. 1 4 9 — 74 46 10 Hutt Cricket 4 1 1 77 43 0 Petone Tennis 2 4 — 06 56 8 Alicetown Trinity 4 — o 64 58 8 Taita 1 3 2 61 Woburn .... 2 4 65 4 St. Ronans . — 2 4 50 70 2 Empire No. 2 1 — 5 43 77 2