BADMINTON

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20763, 25 June 1937, Page 5

BADMINTON

(By Smash) The handicap events of the Timaru Club are now well under way and there have been some very tough struggles. • • • • The best game so far in the men’s section was between V. Oakey and J. Milliken. After a very hard game in which fortunes fluctuated, Milliken ran out the winner by a small margin. The petition of the top men has undergone another change. Heads, by defeating Oakey has taken first place. Heads plays a very versatile game and his form has been consistently good throughout the season. It is reported from Dunedin that Dickenson, who has represented New Zealand in both football and cricket, Is playing good Badminton and recently recorded a win over Abbott who eliminated him in the Otago championships last year. On this form Dickinson must be a serious contender for the Otago title this year. • • • • Although not yet definitely decided, it is regarded as practically certain that the 1937 New Zealand Badminton Championships will be held in Dunedin towards the end of August. In a letter to the Southland Badminton Association the New Zealand Badminton Association wrote stating that it would not import any more shuttles on its own account in the meantime. It had started indenting when shuttles were retailed in this country at 27/- a dozen but now that shuttles had been lowered to about 15/- a dozen first grade it had come to the conclusion that its object had been fulfilled.

The entries for the club championships events have new closed and It is fitting at this stage to make some comments on the various doubles formations. Every player with no matter how much or how little experience knows that good combination and understanding is a big factor in doubles play.

There are two recognised doubles combinations. —"The Side by Side” and “The Circular.” The one recommended by most authorities on the game is the circular combination. It is the only one worth considering. The idea of it is that the partners commence side by side but any shot near the net is taken by the player on the right and any shot at the back of the court is taken by the player on the left. The great advantage of this combination is that the player on the left covers the whole of the back of the court with his forehand. If the player on the left has gone back to take a shot over his partner's head on the right then he must run in while his partner crosses to the left of the court and prepares t run back. This start-: the circular movement. This circular combination then covers the whole of the court In the best attacking way possible, l.e„ on the forehand.

There is only one possible way to piay mixed doubles and that is for the woman to take the net and the man to take the back of the court. No woman player is powerful enough to clear or smash effectively from the back of the court. It must be clearly understood that neither the circular nor the mixed doubles combination means that the player taking the net should stand at the net and the player taking the back court should stand near the baseline. The idea according to authorities is to stand side by side as much as possible but to be ready to jump In or run back as the case may be. These combinations should be regarded as a guide as to which is your shot and which is your partner's shot.