FINE PROGRAMME

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1935, Page 10

FINE PROGRAMME

BIG BADMINTON EVENT NORTH ISLAND TITLES. SPALDING SHIELD GAMES.

(By

“Shuttle.”)

One of the most comprehensive programmes scheduled for any major badminton tournament for some t»m e been drawn up for the North Island and Taranaki championships at the Coronation Hall, New Plymouth, on August 26, 27 and 28. Including handicaps, there pre no less than it events and, provided the entries are as good- as they shou.d be, the tournament. should be ope of the most memorable in the, history of the game in New Zealand. ■ ; . Five of the events, of course, are for the North Island and Taranaki titles, and other championship events include B and C grades. In the B, there are mens singles and doubles, women’s singles and doubles and combined doubles, but only men’s and women’s singles arc catered for in the C grade championstop list. There are five handicap events. The North Island championships for men’s singles will be the best of three gamds of 15 up, and the women and doubles the best of three of 11 up, both setting. The B and C grade championships are Of 21 points for men and 15 for women and doubles, both setting. The men’s handicap singles is of 21 points, ana the women’s singles and doubles are to be of 15 points, no setting.

Tournament officers are: President, Mr. C. J. E. Smith; vice-president, Mr. Rod Syme; committee, Messrs. R. Allan, P. L. Bennett, J. M. Blakeney, B. Collinge, C, W. Cook, E. Cox. I. Des Forges, L. Kay, R. H. Leece, C. Little, G. E. Madgwick, -N. G. Meuli, H. M. Purser, H. C. Read, A. B. Rogers, J. Tavendale, F. M. White; referee, Mr. C. jr. E. Smith; tournament treasurer, Mr. H. V. Gregory; secretary, Mr. ,C. H. Strombom.

One of the best performances so far of the Spalding Shield competition was Ratapiko’s in . taking four games fromi Inglewood in the -.final of Zone 3., • In-, glewood scored 184 aces to ( Ratapiko S • 125 and, considering that all the Ratapiko players are in their first years, the performance was extrem.ely creditable. In-j glewood, all the same, is going to be one of the most difficult sides in the .competition to defeat. - ... • In Zone 1, New Plymouth and Egmont art the finalists, New Plymouth having defeated St. Andrew’s by 10 games to 2 and Egmont having defeated Okato by 11 games to 1. ##' * - *

Left-handers are commonly regarded as great nuisances, and in . possessing two top flight players like J. Blakeney and H. M. Purser;, the New Plymouth club is really, fortunate. Bpth players were in fine form against St. Andrew’s and their terrific 7 smashing ' from any part of the court was 3 notable feature. Both seem able, without trouble, to smash well over their right shoulders, a factor that is disturbing to an opponent who has carefully played a good clear to the backhand corner. The Western Districts Association’s championships at Wanganui and - the Auckland championships at Hamilton are both scheduled for- August 29, 30 and 31. 1 « # • -* #

In the Auckland v. Waikato match played at Hamilton last-Saturday some brilliant play was witnessed by a large and enthusiastic crowd. Auckland won by 19 to 11. Some of. the principal results, Auckland players being mentioned first, were:— Men’s doubles: Weir and - Lawson beat Mallett and Bryant 15—7, . 15—10; Weir and Wilson beat Fow and Barnett 15—10, 15—18, 15—5; Hull and Neale beat Dempster and Crawford 15 —11, 13—15, 15 9; Anderson and Whitelaw lost to Fow ana Barnett 15—17, 15-9, 16-18; Anderson and Whitelaw lost to Dempster and Crawford 15—4, 15—13. Women’s doubles: Misses Ramsey and Wade beat Mrs. Fow and Mrs Edmond-, son 15—5, 15—7; Misses Ramsey and Wade beat Misses .Clough and Dempster 15—4, 15—4; Mrs. Wren and Miss Waters beat Miss Pilling and Mrs. Mendell 10— 15, 15—8, 15—11; Mrs. Wren and Miss Waters beat Mrs. Fow and : Miss Edmondson 15—12, B—ls, 15- 2 —B; Miss Brodie and Harrison beat Misses Clough .and Dempster 11—15, 15—4, 15—12; Misses Brodie and Harrison lost to Misses Mendell and Miss Pilling 6—15, 15—11, 9 15; One of the most thrilling matches was that in which Fow and Mrs. Fow play-

eiiiiiminiiiiimiH’iiiHmHMifMHitHtimiHMMihitintHiniHi ed the New Zealand champions, Hull and Mrs. Wren and lost after leading 13—10 in the third set by 9—15, 15—9, 17—18. The two pairs met in the final of the mixed doubles championship last year when the. win of Hull and Mrs. Wren was more pronounced.

The popular “Speedy” Dempster, who visited Taranaki with the Waikato team early in June, although beaten in some of his doubles matches, played particularly well himself and was unfortunate in having a partner - who was somewhat erratic.

Of the young players who caught the eye Barnett and Anderson were possibly the most impressive. Barnett this season had only played three games prior to the Waikato-Auckland match and although he cramped Fow’s style, somewhat in the doubles matches his performance was astonishing nevertheless. One of the best matches was that in which Bryant and Miss Clough, Waikato, beat Weir and Miss Ramsay, Auckland, 15—12, 10—15, 15—2. Bryant’s fine play at New Plymouth in June will be remembered by . all those fortunate enough to witness the Waikato-Taranaki match.