BADMINTON

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 246, 29 July 1937, Page 3

BADMINTON

ASHBURTON CLUB’S MATCH.

VICTORY FOR OLYMPIC TEAM.

(By “Czechoslovakian Backhand.”)

The score in the match on Saturday evening, 19 games to five in favour of Olympic ■ (Christchurch) against Ashburton, was not a particularly good indication of the run of the play. Nearly all the games were close, and seven of them were set, indicating that the run of play might easily have gone much more in favour of Ashburton, who were by no means at full strength being without three of their top men, T. L. Crooks, J. W. Pooley and G. H. Smith.

The Olympic Club has a good team, and were .just beaten by the leading team in the A grade competitions in Christchurch last week. The full team was playing against Ashburton, with the exception of one player who is Canterbury men’s singles champion. I. Gilchrist, although not feeling at all fit, had his man down by 19 points to 11 in the singles, but his opponent made a good recovery. Both. Misses F. Sutherland and J. Vincent, two junior players, showed greatly improved form against two more experienced players, winning their women’s doubles match and having their singles set, these games finally going against them. B. Spiers again showed that he is a greatly improved player. He won his singles easily and also hi 9 combined doubles with Miss Vincent. He has been playing only a short time but has picked up the game very quickly indeed and shows considerable courtcraft. He is very agile on the courts and never lets a shot go past that he can possibly return. Miss V. E. Dearsley pmt up a good fight and was unlucky to be beaten. The Alienton Club. Entries for the annual competitions of the Alleliton Club, which it is expected will start next Tuesday, total 92 for nine events. This total is quite satisfactory, and most of the members have entered. The largest field is in the men’s handicap singles, in which 20 will take part. The combined doubles and , the women’s handicap singles, with 13 entries each, are also well supported. There were several interesting ladder games on Tuesday. Results were: —J. A. Anderson 21, P. Barker 16 (tenth); W. T. Corbett 21, D. Silverwood 19 (third); Miss I. Clarke 15, Miss E. Carmichael 6 (third); B. Craighead 21, G. Craig 4 (thirteenth); Miss E. Eden 7, Miss Meeking 15 (fifth); R. O. Bathurst 10, R. T. Clarke 21 (seventh); Miss M. Horrill 8, Miss M. Graham 15. The team to play Christchurch on Saturday, particularly as far as women are concerned, is very much weakened owing to the non-availability of several players. This is disappointing, as it was hoped to field the best team for this match. Ashburton Club Activities. Due to counter attractions there was a poor atendance at the Ashburton Club’s night last Thursday and there were not sufficient present to justify trying out the new system of court control which it is proposed to adopt. All the players present entered for the club competitions, entries far which will close to-night.

The club will travel to Christchurch on August 21, when it will play its return match against the Olympic Club.

The Rules of the Game

Scarcely a night jiasses without one of the younger players asking some question about the rules. The rules are not particularly complicated, but as they are not in a readily available form few players in Ashburton are a hundred per cent, conversant with them. Consequently it is my intention during the next few weeks to discuss such of the rules about which there is ’obscurity and which require explana-, tion.

The first rules do not require reproduction in full. They deal with the courts and their measurements. The courts are about half the size of a tennis court. There is still doubt among many players about which lines they should play to in doubles and which in singles. In doubles they play to the outside lines, in services as well as in rallies, and to the inside back service line. In Singles they play to the inside side lines and to the rear service lines (the back boundary line). In service they take no notice of the back boundary line in doubles, and in singles no notice of the inside (or long) service line.. The rule dealing with the requirements of the net comes second. The net shall be made of fine tanned cord of 3-inch square mesh, 2 feet six inches deep. The top of the net shall be five feet in height at the centre and five feet one inch at the posts, and shall be edged with a three-inch white tape doubled and supported by a cord run through the tape, and strained over the flush with the top of the posts.

The posts, if practicale, are to be placed on the side boundary lines, otherwise at any distance not exceeding two feet from these lines. The rules go on to deal with the requirements of the shuttle. These must weifjh from 73 to B*s grains and shall ha.ve from 14 to 16 feathers fixed in a cork from 1 inch to 1 1-8 inch in diameter. The feathers shall be from 2$ to 23 inches in length, shall have from 2i to 2$ inches spread at the top, and shall be firmly fastened and cemented at a height of about one inch above the cork with thread.

Players, of course, have no need to test the shuttlecock for all these measurements, for the manufacturer ensures he gets one of the correct specifications. There is, however, an easy test for new shuttles. Tt shall be deemed to be of correct pace if when a

player of average strength strikes it with a. full underhand stroke with a reasonably tight strung racquet from a spot immediately above one back line at a line parallel to the sidelines and at an upward angle of approximately 45 degrees it falls not less than one foot and more than two feet six inches short of the back boundary line.

Owing to a peculiar variation of the law of ballistics, it will be found that the upward angle of 45 degrees does not give the maximum flight. The best angle at which to strike the shuttle is from 20 to 25 degrees. It will be noted that there is no rule whatever -giving any specifications about the racquet. The racquet in its present form has been adopted as the most convenient article with which to play badminton, which was long played with tennis racquets. There is nothing in the rules to stop players using tennis racquets, or even telegraph poles or beer bottles if they want to, but they would not find them very convenient. ‘

At the next opportunity I shall deal with the rules governing the doubles game.