BADMINTON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22958, 13 August 1936, Page 4

BADMINTON

By Shuttle

CLUB HOURS Dunedin Twenty.—Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday afternoons. United.—Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday afternoons. Dunedin. —Monday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons. Balmacewen. —Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Maori Hill.—Tuesday. Thursday, and Saturday. FIXTURES Otago Championships.—August 17, 19, 20, and 24. North Island Championships, at Wellington.—August 24 to 29 inclusive. New Zealand Championships, at New Plymouth.—September 2 to 5, inclusive. VISIT OF OAMARU PLAYERS The Dunedin Twenty Club entertained visitors from Oamaru on Saturday evening last when a series of matches comprising six men’s singles, three men’s doubles, three women’s doubles, and six mixed doubles was played. Though the playing of singles is undoubtedly excellent practice, it is also regarded as being strenuous, particularly so when the players concerned, after a short respite, are expected to go out and play a hard doubles game. This matter did in no way detract, however, from the interest displayed and the obvious enjoyment of the players. The local side was really too strong for its opponents, but though the visitors did not manage to win a match, they certainly made matters interesting.

The Oamaru side was as follows: Mrs Mulligan, Mrs M’Dougall, Misses Newson, Romans, Darling, Hewitt, and Messrs Mulligan, Robbie. M’Dougall. Gedge, Feathers, Smith. The Dunedin Twenty team was represented by Mrs C. Clark, Misses Lilias Samson, K. Angell, O. Lovelock, M. Walker, D. Samson, and Messrs W. Abbott, J. Shand, J. Tansley, J. Howorth, R. Frapwell, and C. Clark. Of the visitors, the one who impressed the most was unquestionably S. M’Dougall, the ex-lawn tennis champion. In his match with Tansley, M’Dougall gave a good all-round exhibition, and his placements were cleverly executed. It was noticeable at times, however, that his game included a few tennis shots, and these could very well be eliminated without affecting his present form. Tansley, with youth on his side, managed to win the match after two sets, 15—13, 15—11, but M’Dougall made him work hard for each point. At one stage of the game the Oamaru man had a lead of nine points on Tansley, and in an exciting finish the local player headed off his opponent to score a two-point win. Abbott was matched against Mulligan, but he proved too strong an opEonent for the visitor, and won in oth’his games 15—6. Frapwell had an interesting threeset tussle with Gedge, eventually running out winner by 15—10, 4—15, 15— 10. Frapwell is playing more seriously at present, and his work at the net shows a decided improvement. In the rest of the men’s singles the local players won their games in two sets, Strand defeating Robbie 15—7, played a fine game at outsider left, but his crosses to goal were too strong. M’Knight, although on the light side, shows promise. Schofield is of more use on the wing. The shooting was very poor, as on numerous occasions when they were working hard for the equaliser, a well-placed pass would go yards out or over the bar. Chapman is suffering from a kick he received in the Otago-Australia match, but hopes to be playing next Saturday. Seacliff’s defeat of Technical was not unexpected. Along with Mosgiel and Roslyn-Wakari it has the honour of having registered nine goals in a match this season, and the three remaining opponents will find it hard to dislodge the team from its present leading position. CHATHAM CUP A change "has been made in the date for the South Island final of the Chatham Cup Association football competition. The game will now be played in Christchurch on August 22, instead of August 8, and the competing teams will be Western A (Canterbury) and All Blacks (Buffer). RECENT AUSTRALIAN r OUR In view of the divergent opinions as to whether the recent Australian tour would materially help the game in the Dominion, the following report of last week’s meeting of the Wellington Football Association is of interest. In introducing the report, a writer in the Evening Post states:— With the conclusion of the Australian tour of New Zealand there arose from the usual noisy and pessimistic minority a howl of despair at the socalled “ failure " of the tour, based no doubt upon the facts that the visit was not financially satisfactory and that New Zealand’s “ Soccer ’’ pride suffered a succession of unpleasant blows A plebiscite would almost certainly reveal that the majority of ’Soccer” enthusiasts consider the tour well worth while—a view which is definitely expressed by members of the council of the New Zealand Football Association in their unofficial capacities and by members of the Management Committee of the Wellington Football Association, both officially and privately. A short but illuminating discussion on the subject was provoked at the meeting of the latter body by the statements by the chairman (Mr W B. Hicks) and the sole selector (Mr George F. Aers) that, contrary to the gloomy ideas of the Jeremiahs, the Australians themselves took a bright view of “ Soccer " in New Zealand and that they made particularly complimentary reference to a number of the Wellington colts who played with and against them in the exhibition game recently. Other members of the committee spoke of the advice given to various local players by individual Australians. Mr J. Meltzer and Mr Hicks expressed the opinion that the tour would do a lot of good to New Zealand football. The latter suggested that the committee should endeavour to derive some further benefit from the Australians’ visit by calling a meeting of club secretaries and coaches to discuss how best to instil into all local players the methods of the visitors. Mr E. J. Gates was not so hopeful of being able to get players to understand the finer points of the game. Speaking from his own comparatively recent experience of coaching, he said that tactical instruction was frequently not absorbed. After careful preparation in the science of the game, a team often went on the field and ’’ made a lot of goats of themselves.” Mr J. Coleman: But the Australians have made them realise now that they can’t play football. Local players would now be more than ready to take advice and pul it into practice, said Mr Hicks. “Our only hope is the boys.” said the secretary (Mr B. A. Mabin). A great fault in New Zealand iootball, as pointed out by the Australians, said Mr Aers. was the habit of the wingers of pushing the ball too far ahead when centring it. Instead, they should square it, leaving their inside men a minimum of work to reach the ball. Comment was also made by members on the almost uncannily efficient positional play of the Australians. The Management Committee made no decisions, but their discussion indicated an appreciation of the Australian tour and of the need for further steps to take full advantage of it. For the benefit of the game in Wellington it would be wise for the W.F.A. to make a practical move in the direction suggested before the end of the present season.

15—11, Haworth defeating Feathers 15—11, 15—2, and Clark defeating Smith 15—10, 15—8. Mulligan and Robbie, when playing in the men’s doubles, showed themselves to be a formidable pair, and in their game with Tansley and Shand some bright play was witnessed. There was only a three-point difference in the score at the conclusion of this hardfought game. Tansley and Shand winning 24 —21. Feathers and Smith went down to Frapwell and Howorth 17—21, but this game, too, was productive of some bright play. M'Dougall and Gedge lost to Abbott and Clark 14—21, but tiredness was evident in the Oamaru pair. Abbott and Clark, a much more youthful combination, played well, and the former varied his play nicely The women’s doubles (two sets) were played to 11 up, and in the match between Misses Lovelock and Angell and Mrs M'Dougall and Miss Romans, won by the former pair 11—8, 11—7, the best of the play in this section was seen. The Oamaru pair showed good combination, and Miss Romans, an athletic-looking player, was particularly active about the court. Mrs Clark and Miss L. Samsi a won their match without serious opposition from Mrs Mulligan and Miss Newson 11—3, 11 —4, The final game in this section, Misses Walker and D Samson v. Misses Darling and Hewitt, was taken by the former pair 11 —6, 11 —4. Of the mixed doubles there was really only one hard and bright game witnessed, the rest being somewhat one-sided affairs. Frapwell and Miss Walker were made to fight sternly m a game that produced some long rallies before winning from Feathers and Miss Hewat 24—21. WISDEN CUP MATCH The Wisden Cup, presented by the New Zealand Badminton Federation and held by Auckland, was competed for between teams representing Waikato and Auckland in the Bledisloe Hall, Hamilton, recently (reports the New Zealand Herald). A series of closely-contested matches resulted, although Auckland retained the trophy by 13 games to 3. , , In the Singles Fow (Waikato) beat Wilson (Auckland) 15 —4, 13 —15, 15 —-5; Dempster (Waikato) beat Ellett (Auckland) 11—15, 15—7, 17—14. In the Mixed Doubles Dempster and Miss Clough (Waikato) beat Hull and Mrs Wren (Auckland) 15 —3. In the B grade event Auckland won by 11 matches to 5. MAORI HILL ACTIVITIES The Maori Hill Club held a Yankee tournament last week for Ladies and Men’s Doubles. . In the Ladies’ Doubles, Mrs Wilkinson and Mrs Jenkin proved to be the winners, their opponents in the final being Mrs Walker and Mrs Nicolson. , . . In the Men’s Doubles, Meek and Paterson beat Begg and Basire after a close game, the final score being 17— These tournaments have proved very popular with the club, and another for Combined Doubles is to be held on Tuesday, September 1. OTAGO CHAMPIONSHIPS The Otago championships, to be commenced on Monday evening, have again attracted remarkable entries. The number of players who have entered for the various sections was not available yesterday, but the secretary reports that the total entries received wilt be higher than that of last season. Individual entrants are particularly high, and with such a large number of CO’ petitors for the tournament, m eluding some outstanding players, there is every indication that the forthcoming championships will prove to be the most interesting yet held. On Monday evening Singles only will be played. B GRADE MATCHES With the exception of the match Balmacewen v. University, which was to have been played last night, the concluding round of the B Grade competition was played on Tuesday night, wnen Camac lost to Dunedin A, United lost to Dunedin Twenty A, and Dunedin Twenty B lost to ISunedin B. DUNEDIN TWENTY A v. UNITED The only set that the Tvyenty team lost in its match with United was a Men’s Double, Gray and Williams, after an exciting and keenly contested three-set struggle, eventually defeating Frapwell and Howarth, B—ls. 15—12 18— Clarke and Green, the other Twenty pair, took both their matches in straight sets. In both the Women’s Doubles and me Mixed Doubles, the Twenty players were seldom seriously opposed, and they took the match by 11 games to one. A rather unusual accomplishment toi two players to go through a season without being defeated is the record of Clarke and Green, of the Twenty Club. In all their games in the B Grade matches this season they have not lost a match, and this says a great cieal for the consistency of these two clubmen. Both these players were not m the team which was defeated by Balmacewen earlier in the season, however, and whether the above result vvould have been altered or not is a matter of conjecture. DUNEDIN A v. CAMAC Li if game with Camac, Duncclm A had a comfortable win by nine' games to three. Cam c managed to secure one Men o Double and two Mixed Doubles, when Gourley and Wildey defeated Armitage and his partner, and Stark and Miss J. Li,.siifc and Reid and Miss Banna tyne defeated their respective oppo nents. All the Women’s Doubles were taken oy the Dunedin players, who were really too strong for the Camac representatives, DUNEDIN B v. DUNEDIN TWENTY B In the match Dunedin B v. Dunedin Twenty B, won by the former by seven rubbers to five, some interesting play was soon. Against Rmgland and Waugh and Esquilant and Oliphanl, Kerr and Goldsmith won both their games, and though not as youthful a pair as any of their opponents, they gave bright and fast displays. In the Women’s Doubles the Twenty players only managed to take one set, and in the mixed events both sides broke even. NOTES A presentation was made at the Management Committee meeting of the Wellington Badminton Association (states the Dominion) to Dr G. Marshall. a vice-president, who has been transferred to Dunedin Dr Marshall will be greatly missed in Wellington Not only was he one of the founders of the association, but he was one of its most enthusiastic members. The post of vice-president was not regarded by him as being merely one where lie could be in the limelight without having to do any work. He regarded the position as one where he would be given the opportunity of furthering a game which he had so much at heart. At his best too, he was a very fine player. There will be two local players making the trip to New Plymouth to take part in the New Zealand Championships earlv in September—Miss Mavis Kerr, of the Dunedin Club and Miss Margaret Bolwell. of the Dunedin Twenty Club. Miss Bolwell is the present holder of the South Island Ladies’ Singles Championship, and. with Mrs Clark (also of the Twenty Club), she holds the South Island Ladies' Doubles Championship Miss Kerr, who is a stylish player with a well-equipned armoury of strokes, has been olaying excellently of late, and it will be interesting to see how both these players fare at the New Zealand Chamnionships Miss Kerr received a high compliment on the standard of her play from the visiting professional of the game. Mr J F Dmdin. during his visit to Dunedin, This, no doubt, will add further interest to her nrogress. and local enthusiasts null wish both Miss BoiwcP and Miss Kerr the best of luck at the forthcoming ohamninnships.