A Diary of Sport GOOD BADMINTON BY WOMEN

Southland Times, Issue 24164, 28 June 1940, Page 9

A Diary of Sport GOOD BADMINTON BY WOMEN

Recruiting Affects Men’s Section

PROMOTED PLAYERS SHOWING FORM

By

SMASH

Tlie first round or the Southland Badminton Association’s A grade championship was completed last week and Britannia now is in the lead with Invercargill I in second place. The standard of play has been, in the main, satisfactory, particularly in the womens sections, which ..are little altered, but the men’s sections have suffered considerably by enlistments in the fighting forces. The promoted players, howevei. are shaping well and with a little more play in the senior ranks should measure up to the mark. All Saints scored a good win by a fairly wide margin—lo matches to 2— over Invercargill 11, but it was compelled to produce its best form. The match was a very good one to watch and was * productive of much good play. Hannay and Richardson were not quite at their best in the first set against Coward and Mullen and lost it 10-15, but thereafter they produced their best form and in spite of determined challenges from the opposition, they ran out 15-10, 15-10. Braithwaite and Dillon played much better than previously and gave Fraser and Maxted few chances.

Mitchell and Smith scored a comfortable win over Peters and Campbell but Mitchell was not at his best and Smith had to do a lot of retrieving to make up for his partner’s mistakes. All Saints reshuffled its women's pairs with good results, winning two out of three games. Mrs Braithwaite and Miss Ferguson combined well to’ win with little trouble from Mrs Thompson and Miss V. Fraser. Mrs Dillon and Miss Hallamore went down after a long three-set struggle to Mrs Prendegast and Miss Matheson, but Misses Basstian and Gibson carried too many guns for' Miss Rewcastle and Mrs Harvey. GOOD RECOVERY Braithwaite and Mrs Braithwaite were extended in the first set by Coward and Mrs Thompson, who took the set but thereafter the All Saints pair made no race of it. Braithwaite outmanoeuvred Coward and found many holes in the defence. Two of the mixed doubles were very keenly-fought matches and Smith and Miss Gibson only just got home at 18-16 in the third set from Maxted and Miss Matheson, while Dillon and Mrs Dillon had to go to 17-16 in the third before gaining the decision over Campbell and Miss Fraser.

Against Invercargill I, Britannia ran to an early lead of 5-1 in the doubles, collecting all of the women’s and two of the men’s. At this stage it appeared that the match was as good as won but Invercargill, strong in the mixed doubles as always, put in a run which very nearly carried it to victory. The result depended finally on the last mixed doubles, which Britannia, rather to its surprise, won comfortably. Challis and Shand played their best game to date against Dunne and Smith, who nevertheless fought back well. Their defence was very sound but they lacked the ability to make their smashes winners.

Wilson and Gimblett led 11-5 in the first set but then slumped badly and with Adam smashing well the Invercargill pair took the set without further loss. Gimblett struck a, good patch and Wilson found his form in the second set which went to Britannia and when Adam lost touch in the third the Britannia pair had no difficulty in taking the set and match. Thorburn and Cowie could do little right against Checketts and Barrett who scored Invercargill’s sole success in the doubles. Checketts was smashing well and was ably backed up by his partner. WOMEN’S VICTORIES Once again the Britannia women made a clean sweep of the doubles. Mrs Salisbury and Miss Stead did not allow Misses Tansley and Cutt any chances of settling down, Miss Stead in particular, playing first-class badminton.

Miss Deegan showed a return to her best form and with Miss Woods she was mainly responsible for defeating the Barrett sisters, who while trying hard always, do not vary their play enough. The hard-hitting Mrs Blackie and Miss Fraser were too solid for Misses Morton and Henry. Challis and Miss Woods did not begin well and dropped the first set to Dunne and Miss Tansley but when Challis found touch the Britannia pair were much too good. Shand and Mrs Salisbury had a night off and could do little against Checketts and Miss I. Barrett. Checketts at back court smashed very well and his good placing constantly had the Britannia pair out of position. Wilson and Miss Stead won the first set comfortably from Adam and Miss Cutt, but wilted under some strong smashing in the second. The third set was a very exciting affair with both pairs playing all they knew and it was not until 18-16 that the Invercargill pair was able to claim success. Gimblett and Mrs Blackie were no match for Sleeman and Miss L. Barrett who played solid badminton. Gimblett was not allowed many openings and Mrs Blackie was too keen, with the result that she was hitting too soon.

Iliorbum did not do himself justice with Miss Fraser and Smith and Miss Morton had little difficulty in winning in two sets. The fate of the match rested on the final mixed double between Currie and Miss Deegan and Barrett and Miss Henry. The Britannia pair rose nobly to the occasion and produced excellent form to win rather unexpectedly in two sets. Miss Deegan had to bear the brunt of the Invercargill attack, but she came through with flying colours and in fact with deep lobs to the backhand corner, followed with strong cross-court smashes, she frequently outplayed Barrett at back court. Fixtures for next week are: A grade.—lnvercargill I v. All Saints, Monday; Britannia v. Invercargill 11, Thursday. C grade.—lnvercargill v Britannia, Tuesday; All Saints v. Rimu, Wednesday; Winton a bye.