BADMINTON

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 252, 5 August 1937, Page 3

BADMINTON

CHRISTCHURCH CLUB’S WIN. THE MATCH ON SATURDAY. (By “Czechoslovakian Backhand.”) The victory of the Christchurch Club against Allenton on Saturday by 28 games to four was more or less expected. Under the circumstances Allenton, playing with a team far below its best, performed with credit, in some'instances giving the visitors close games. The main weakness of the home team was in its women, who did their best but were outclassed. Seven players who should have been in the Allenton team were not playing. This number comprised nearly half the team and represents too many absentees. Some had good excuses foi not playing and others did not. The club has done its best to arrange an attractive match programme for its members this season, and if players do not support it, no one could complain if the defaulters were penalised in some manner, such as being left out of the team for the next match (if any). Absent players, particularly if they are high up in the team, throw a heavier burden on practically all the other members. Consequently it was pleasing to note some of the young Allenton players turning out and doing quite well under the circumstances. These included J. A. Anderson, who won his singles, after a close game. P. Barker, faced with players of much more experience, did creditably. He should not overdo the drop shot he is cultivating, although by all means he should endeavour' to perfect it. I do not think it was good policy for him to let his partner take all the back shots in the combined doubles. In this game he was unfortunate, as the Allenton pair established a good lead, only to have it taken' from them in the cqncluding stages of the game. Miss M. Weston and Miss’B. Jury both did good work at vai'ious stages of the evening. The most successful player for Allenton was C. E. Morriss who notched two wins. He seems to have recovered from his recent long indisposition which has kept him from playing. In what was probably the best game of the evening, R. Horrill ran J. W T , IX Fisher, who must be accounted one of the best players in Canterbury, very close. It. O. Bathurst played well all the time, and had a runaway win in his singles. He was unlucky to lose his men’s doubles, in which only one point separated the two pairs. Miss J. Meeking did the best of the women, giving Miss T. Poole a good game. Allenton Club Activities. There was not a large attendance at tho Allenton Club’s night on Tuesday, and most of the evening was spent iu the first rounds of the club competitions. Ten games were played, all in singles events. B. Craighead, who had four start on J. A. .Anderson, won by more than his handicap, but otherwise there were no surprise results. W. T. Corbett and D. Silvenvood, seeded men in the championship singles, had comfortable wins. Results were:— Women’s Championship (A grade)— Miss J. Meeldng 15, Miss I. Clarke 10; Miss E. Meredith 15, Miss I. McLennan 2. Women’s Handicaps—Miss I. Clarke 15, Miss E. Eden 14. Men’s Championships (A grade)— W T. Corbett 21, R. T. Clarke 10; D. Silverwood 21, I. Stevenson 11. B. grade— W. F. Sotham 21* A. Porter 8. Men’s Handicaps—R. Horrill 21, K. G. Fowke 6; R. O. Bathurst 21, S. M. Graham 15; P. Barker 21, A. Porter 8; B. Craighead 21, J. A. Anderson 16. Only two ladder games were played. W. T. Corbett again defeated D. Silvenvood for third place and P. Barker beat W. F. Sotham for twelfth, the score in both cases being fairly close. Faults. The next section of the rules concerns faults. A fault made by either player of the side which is in puts the server out; if made by a player whose side is out, it counts an ace to the side that is in (a point is described as an ace in the rules). Attention should be given to the following definitions of faults: (a) If the service is overhand (a service shall be deemed to be overhand within the meaning of this rule, if the shuttle at the instant of being struck is higher than the server’s waist). (b) If, in serving, the shuttle falls into the wrong half court, or falls short of the short service line, or beyond the long" service line, or outside the side boundary lines of the hall court into which the service is intended to be sent. (c) If the server’s feet are not in the half court from which service is at the time being taken, or if the feet of the player taking the service are not in the half court into which the service is being sent (rule 15 deals further with tho latter part of this rule. The person served to must retain contact with the ground inside the court with some part of both feet until the service is delivered). It should bo noted that a service is delivered as soon as the shuttle is struck by the server’s racquet. A foot on the line is out of court. (d) If during the service the server or his partner makes, in the opinion of the umpire, preliminary feints, or otherwise intentionally baulks his opponent. (e) If, either in service or in play, the shuttle falls outside the boundaries or passes through or under the net, or fails to pass tho net, or touches the roof or side walls, or the person or the dress of any player. A shuttle falling on any line is held to have fallen in the court or half court of which such lino is a boundary. In the case of shuttles striking the roof, a- local rule is usually made to apply in which some form of let is allowed, although strictly speaking the rules do not provide for this. (f) If the shuttle in play be struck

before it crosses to the striker’s side of the net. The striker, may, however, follow the shuttle over the net with liis racquet. A shuttle is in play from the time it is hit by the racquet of the server until it touches the ground, or tho person, or dress of any player, / or until a fault or let occurs. (g) If, while the shuttle is in play, a player touches the net or its supports with racquets, person or dress. (h) If the shuttle he hit twice in succession by tho same player or be hit by a player and liis partner successively, or if the shuttle be not distinctly hit (i) If a player obstructs his opponents.