BADMINTON

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20261, 2 August 1937, Page 11

BADMINTON

WISDEN CUP SUCCESS. WAtKATO BEATS AUCKLAND. HIGH STANDARD OF PLAY. One of the finest badminton exhibitions ever seen In Hamilton was staged In the. Bledisloe Hall, Hamilton, on Saturday, when Waikato were successful in a challenge for the Wisden Cup against Auckland by 10 matches to 6 and 24 sets to 16. All the matches were strenuously contested and there was never a great margin between the two teams. Auckland have held the trophy for the past two year's, and by their display Waikato enhanced their reputation as one of the strongest teams in the Dominion. A feature of the play was the fact that Waikato won seven singles out of eight.

Two old rivals in Fow and Wilson had a great tussle in their match and the former added to his unbroken list of victories against the Aucklander. There was never much between the pair and In the second set the games went to 13 all, Fow eventually winning the setting. The winner’s court coverage has never been better, and while both players maintained excellength the Waikato man had just the extra finish. Jn the second singles Lewis (Te Aroha), making his first appearance in Wisden Cup matches, revealed excellent stroking. He accounted for a very seasoned opponent in Hull. An exceptionally well-fought-out third set saw Lewis win one of the finest matches of the evening. The second Te Aroha member of the Waikato team, Johnston, also played very fine badminton, and was clearly superior to Shale. It is evident that in the two Te Aroha men Waikato has two very reliable recruits for their cup team.

Miss Edmondson’s Win. Not since the finals of the New Zealand championships last year had Miss Edmonson met Miss Ramsay, and after her showing on Saturday there can be little doubt that the Hamilton girl will retain the national title. She won from the Aucklander in three sets in the New Zealand event last year, but on this occasion she took the match in straight sets. There is little doubt that Miss Edmondson is much improved and her all-round strength shows only a minimum of errors. Miss Ramsay fought back with her usual tenacity, but her opponent’s ability at the net and with clever drop shots eventually told. Miss Dempster’s win

over .Miss SUtchbury was narrow, and, as the score indicates, fortunes fluctuated until the third set, when the Waikato representative, applying a little extra pressure, took the match. It was another excellent contest. The ease with which Mrs Yendell accounted for Miss Wade was one of the surprises of the evening, as although Mrs Yendell is a very much improved player it was thought that she would be extended by Miss Wade, who has been in the first flight of players in the Dominion for some seasons.

The only loss suffered by Waikato in the singles was in Mrs Colledge’s win over Miss Clough. However, the Hamilton girl was far from fit after a recent Illness. Incidentally In this connection Auckland were without the services of one of their leading players, Mrs P. Wren, who was not available through illness. Superior In Men’s Doubles. In the men’s doubles Auckland exhibited marked superiority and at no stage did the, holders of the cup appear likely lo be beaten in this department. Wilson and Anderson, a welltrmd combination, experienced difficulty in winning the third set in their match with Lewis and Johnston after the Waikato pair had won the first. Although Lewis and Johnston are both from Te Aroha they are not a regular club pair, and in consequence they ■(vere unable Lo work up really effective combination, although both played exceedingly well in the circumstances. Hull and Fhale, a new pair, carried too many guns for Fow and Dempster, Hull’s experience being invaluable. On his game he is still one of the finest doubles exponents of the game.

Chief interest in the ladies’ doubles centred in the meeting of Misses Ramsay and Wade (New Zealand titleholders) and Miss Edmondson and Mrs Yendell, and after a fine match, the Auckland pair hung on well to win.

With a margin of three matches to one, Waikato was well to the fore in the combined events. Perhaps the best of the matches was Lewis and Miss’ Dempster’s victory over a very fine pair in Wilson and Miss Wade. Johnston and Mrs Yendell had an easy win over £hala and Mrs Colledge, while there was very little between Fow and Miss Edmondson and Anderson and Miss Ramsay. Results were as follows, Waikato names mentioned first:— Men’s Singles—Fow beat Wilson, 15 —li. 18—16; Dempster beat Anderson. 13—15, 15—11. 15—9; Lewi* beat Hull. 15—8. 11—15, 18—17; Johnston beat Shale, 15 —11. 15—8. Ladies’ Singles—Miss Edmondson beat Miss Ramsay, 11—8, 13—10; Miss Dempster beat Miss Stitchbury, 11—9, 9—ll, 11—8; Miss Clough lost to Mrs Colledge. B—ls, 3 —15; Mrs Yendell beat Miss Wade, 14—9. 14 — 12.. Men’s Doubles—Lewis and Johnston lost to Wilson and Anderson, 10—15, 15— 8, 4—15; Fow and Dempster lost to Hull and Shale, 7 —15, 6—15. Ladies’ Doubles —Misses Clough and 1 Dempster lost to Miss Stitchbury and Mrs Colledge, 11—15. 15—9. 8—15; Miss Edmondson and Mrs Yendell lost to Misses Ramsay and Wade, 4—15. 15—6, 10—15. Combined Doubles—Fow and Miss Edmondson lost to Anderson and Miss Ramsay. 17—16, ||—ls, n—J5; Dempster and Miss Clough beat Hull and Miss SLitcbbury, 15—11, 17—15; Johnston and Mrs Yendell beat Shale and Mrs Colledge, 15—12. 15—13; Lewis and Miss Dempster beat Wilson and Miss Wade. 17—1 G. 12—15, 15 — 1 1. B Team’s Match. In addition to the Wisden Cup match Hie Auckland B team plaved the Waikato R team and after the closest of contests each side bad won eight matches, but Auckland had IS sets to Waikato’s 10. Results were as follows, Waikato names mentioned first: — Men’s Singles—Skcet lost to Boyes. 9—15. 6—15; rial Its beat Hardy,* 10 Whale, B—ls. 5—15; Miller beat I Scot I , 15—9. 15—2. Ladies’ Singles—. Miss Ailkon beat

Miss Crouoh, 14—12. 11 —1; Miss Sorby beat Miss Hansen, 11—6, 11— 3; Miss Pilling lost to Miss Inwood, 6—ll, 4—11; Miss Fow lost to Miss Bassett, 3—ll, 11—8, B—ll. Men's Doubles —Skeet and Miller lost to Boyes and Whale, 15—7. 12— 15, 6—15; Callis and Russell beat Pardy and Scott, 15—6, 15—7. Ladies’ Doubles —Misses Pilling and Sorby beat Misses Inwood and Ba-ssett, 18—15, 12—15, 15—10; Misses Aitken and Fow beat Mis-ses Crouch and Hansen, 7—15, 15—4, 15—7. Combined Doubles —Russell and Miss Pilling lost to Boyes an’d Miss Inwood, 9—15, 8—15; Callis and Miss Sorby lost to Whale and Miss Bassett, 9—15, 10—15; Skeet and Miss Fow beat Pardy and Miss Crouch, 15—7, 15 —9; Miller and Miss Aitken lost to Scott and Miss Hansen, 9—15, 9—15.