A Diary of Sport GRADE MATCHES NEARING END

Southland Times, Issue 24182, 19 July 1940, Page 9

A Diary of Sport GRADE MATCHES NEARING END

Badminton Fixtures REVIEW OF A GRADE GAMES By SMASH Last week’s B grade badminton matches brought the grade competition near its end, there being only one more series of matches to be played next week. This week, too, sees the end of the C grade matches, in which Britannia is the only unbeaten team. Team captains of all grades are reminded that the onus is on them to enter the result of their matches .on the sheet in Zealandia Hall. Otherwise, as so few results are handed in to the Press, the association has no means ot checking positions and places. For instance, the game set down for June 25, Kennington v. Britannia, B grade, has no entry made beside it. Has it been played? The country clubs are having difficulty in getting in to play matches, both Winton and Kennington at present having matches yet to play. A GRADE MATCHES The matches this week began with a family fight in the A section, when Invercargill I beat its JNo. II team by 11 games to 1. It is no exaggeration, however, to say that the slightest piece of extra luck would have given more games to the JNo. 11 team, for the number of games where setting was called upon was remarkable, no fewer than four of the 12 games being decided by this method. Miss Cutt and Miss Tansley had little trouble in defeating Miss Fraser and Mrs Thompson in two sets, for both their opponents were not dependable enough with their shots. They retrieved the hard one and mis-hit the easy strokes. The Barrett sisters were not playing at all well and were fully extended by Mrs Prendergast and Miss Matheson in three very close sets. Mrs Prendergast chased everything with a will, and Miss Matheson has improved her high clear and now gets much more depth. She and her partner, however, were too often caught out of position, and their court coverage on defence could be improved. Miss Morton and Miss Henry had to work hard for their win against Mrs Harvey and Mrs Adams, as is shown by the score of 15-14, 15-11. The A pair, however, was more consistent than the B’s, who too often lapsed into error when they had the rally almost won. Mrs Adams is a decided acquisition to the Invercargill Club, for she is well equipped with strokes and, most important of all, is willing to run about and keep on her toes. In the top men’s doubles Dunne and Smith were too consistently severe for Mullen and Coward, and seldom gave an opportunity to their opponents to smash for an ace. They kept them low and hard, and in the long run forced Mullen or Coward to put up a “sitter. Both B team players would have been dangerous against tactics other than these. Sleeman and Adams distinguished themselves by losing to Maxted and Fraser, who thoroughly deserved their win, and indeed, with a small amount of luck would have won in straight sets. The second A grade - match this week was played on Wednesday night and resulted in a win for Britannia by seven games to five, with sets as close as 15 to 13. The three men’s doubles were won by All Saints rather easily, while the reverse was the case in the women’s doubles, though the third doubles was a close game. Braithwaite and Dillon at last struck something like form against Challis and Shand, who were not placing deeply enough. Dillon’s smash was working well, and neither of the Britannia players could cope with it. Mitchell and Smith were too consistent for Gimblet and Currie, and were never seriously troubled, winning in straight sets. Richardson and Skelt, jun., won the first set easily from Scott and Thorbum and lost the second. Tire All Saints pair ran up to 14-4 in the third set, but it took them 10 hands at service before they could obtain the final point, while Britannia worked its way up to nine. DROP SHOTS SUCCEED Mrs Salisbury and Miss Stead were hard pushed in their first set with Mrs Braithwaite and Miss Ferguson, but ran out very easily in the second. Miss Basstian and Miss Gibson got an early lead in both sets from Miss Fraser and Mrs Blackie, but their opponents soon found that they were very vulnerable to dropshots and scored heavily with this form of attack. Mrs Dillon and Miss Hallamore won the first set from Miss Deegan and Miss Brown, but over-eagerness lost them the next two sets, as both were too keen to smash for winners. Miss Deegan played the outstanding game here, and really saved the day. Challis and Miss Stead won in three sets from Braithwaite and Mrs Braithwaite, in a game which was a good exhibition of combined play. Challis was at the top of his form, and his placements were exceedingly accurate, while Braithwaite has never put so many shuttles out of bounds. Mitchell and Miss Hallamore did not strike form against Shand and Mrs Salisbury, who played Mitchell from side to side till they got him out of position. Smith and Miss Ferguson defeated Currie and Miss Deegan in three long sets, the first set, especially, being very close. In each set the All Saints pair was behind, but managed to pull up. Gimblett and Mrs Blackie were too sound all round for Richardson and Miss Basstian, Mrs Blackie in particular being very severe at the net. Next week’s matches are as follows: B grade.—July 22, Invercargill v. Winton, at Winton; July 24, Britannia v. All Saints II; July 25, Kennington v. All Saints I, at Kennington. WHIPPET RACING HANDICAPS FOR TOMORROW The following are the handicaps for the Invercargill Whippet Club’s meeting to be held on its track, Oteramika road, tomorrow at 2.30 p.m:— Maiden Flat Handicap.—Silver Gift, Blue Peter, Cappy Ricks, Drummer Boy, all scratch. NOVICE HANDICAP.—Honest Sandy, Blue Peter, Silver Gift, Drummer Boy, Mittens, all scratch. IMPROVERS’ HANDlCAP.—Beaupartir, Gold Tip, Honest Sandy, all scratch. Second Class Handicap (Whittingham Cup).—Hot Ah’ 11yds, Great Surprise 14yds, Brew Nug 14yds, No Joke 14yds, Beaupartir 14yds, Osborne Beauty 14yds, Happy King 14yds, Blue . Peter 14yds. Open Handicap (O’Byrne Cup).— Royal Irish 12yds, Brew Nug 14yds, Great Surprise 14yds, Beaupartir 14yds, Osborne Beauty 14yds, Daring Deed 13yds, Margaret Bell 12yds. Maiden Hurdle Handicap.—Honest Sandy 20yds, Gold Tip 20yds, Cappy

Ricks 20yds, Nuggett 20yds. Second Class Hurdle Handicap.— Brew Nug 20yds, Ginger Jack 15Ayds, Whang 20yds, Silver Slipper 20yds.