TABLE TENNIS COMMENT

Southland Times, Issue 25746, 9 August 1945, Page 9

TABLE TENNIS COMMENT

OTAGO MATCHES AT DUNEDIN By PENHOLDER Otago again proved too strong for the Southland table tennis players m the first representative match played at Dunedin last Saturday night. Russell Algie, the present New Zealand champion, had little difficulty in winning all his games, some by margins of 21-2, 21-3 and 21-4. His hardest game was against Arthur Booth, who saw him to 21-19 in the first game after having a three or four point advantage most of the game. Booth had Algie fully extended with his ability to “angle his driving and his sound defence. Frank Foster, a pen-holder stylist, also went through without a loss, although he was seriously challenged by both Frank Lee and Tom Breayley. Don Millar, who still plays with one hand in his pocket, lost only one to Breayley. He is a pen-holder player of the old school and has been one of Dunedin’s leading players since the association was formed in 1935. Booth and Breayley were the most successful of the Invercargill players, winning four and three respectively. J. Marriott secured one while S. McDonald W. Andrews and F. Lee failed to break the “duck.” Lee was impressive for a first-year player and showed that with some more big matches he will be among Southland’s best. WOMEN PLAY WELL

The Townsend sisters were the mainstay of the women’s team and between them took games from all the Otago team. Valerie Townsend was outstanding and won six of her 12 games. Her ability to defend against the more aggressive players was a feature of her play. Ngaire Townsend scored a decisive victory over Miss D. Leathley, Otago’s No. 2 player, and took a game from their top lady, Miss R. Thomas. More was expected of Shirley Halligan, who has been playing brilliantly of late, but she could not handle the short play of most of the opposition. Strangely, her only game was won from Miss Thomas.

Edna Crowe was the only other to win a game. Mrs Ferguson and Olive Wilson had several very close games and were several times unlucky not to win the final points.