EASTERN’S LAST BIG MATCH OF SEASON PLAYED

Southland Times, Issue 23773, 22 March 1939, Page 11

EASTERN’S LAST BIG MATCH OF SEASON PLAYED

The Eastern Southland lawn tennis representative team completed its fixtures for the season when it played Northern Southland at Gore on Saturday. Both sides were without the services of some of their leading players, who were taking part in the OtagoSouthland match at Invercargill, and the Eastern team on the day was definitely superior. The standard of tennis was good, however, and some keenly fought matches were witnesses. The Northern team included a number of young players, who gave sound displays against their more experienced Eastern opponents. The visiting women in particular impressed the spectators with their all-round soundness and they secured the honours for the day by one set.

A player of considerable promise is Miss Doris McDonald, who played first woman for Northern. Miss McDonald is only 16 years of age and from her display against Mrs D. S. McLeod on. Saturday it would appear that she is following in the footsteps of Miss Rebe Wilson, who comes from the same district. Miss McDonald beat Mrs McLeod 7-4 and thoroughly deserved her win. Mrs McLeod is a player of experience and it appeared at one stage of the set that her well-placed lobs and tosses would win her the day, but the young northern player’s all-round soundness made up for her lack of experience and she won the, set after an outstanding display of hard driving on both hands, sound volleying and good overhead work. Her only trouble was that she appeared to “lose her court” on occasions and she hit too many balls that would have gone yards over the base and side-lines.

Another young player who shows promise is H. Dillon, a pupil of the Gore High School, who played fifth in the Eastern men’s team. He gave an allround good display and won three matches. It was his first tryout in representative matches and he played with confidence. His service still lacks sting and his drives too are not very powerful but he places very nicely and keeps an excellent length.

BROKEN SEASON The Eastern Southland Lawn Tennis Sub-Association has had a very broken season, competition matches having been postponed frequently because of rain and representative fixtures. The majority of the clubs in the senior section have played only two matches since Christmas. Citizens is the only club that has not been beaten so far this season and if it secures a win over Wyndham next Saturday it will probably win the competition. It will still have to play St. Andrew’s and Gore but it is most unlikely that either -of these teams will provide any serious opposition. The Wyndham team will be much stronger now that Brian Whelan is playing top and it is quite possible that the southern club will be the club to secure a win on Saturday. If this proves to be the case these two teams will have to play off for competition honours.

The draw for Saturday is: Citizens v. Wyndham at Wyndham; EdendaleWyndham v. Gore at Gore. Although the match has not been drawn to be played on Saturday, St. Andrew’s will probably play Anglican. Several representative ladder matches have been played during the last few weeks and the men’s ladder, in particular, has been altered considerably. The ladders are now as follows:— Men: B. Whelan, D. S. McLeod, L. T. Cockerill, C. A. Sharp, C. Mason, D. M. McLeod, W. Irvine, E. McFarlane, D. Scott, I. Gardiner, G. Gardyne, H. Dillon, W. Leishman, E. Wyeth, D. Williamson, Phelan, Currie, Chaplin, Zwimpfer, Parsons, C. Rout, Mcßride. Women: Mrs D. S. McLeod, Mrs W. Irvine, Miss M. Whelan, Miss L. Jopp, Miss A. Sherborne, Miss E. Graham, Mrs E. McFarlane, Miss L. Rice, Mrs Woodward, Mrs L. T. Cockerill, Mrs Penney, Mrs T. Scott (Gore), Miss G. Shearer, Miss M. McLeod, Mrs D. Scott (Wyndham), Miss Fleming, Mrs Stirling, Mrs Allison, Miss Currie, Miss L. Wallis, Miss P. Williamson, Miss Strang.