BADMINTON

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20496, 12 May 1938, Page 15

BADMINTON

WISDEN CUP MATCH PLAY IN HAMILTON VISIT FROM TARANAKI With the touring Australian players to appear in Hamilton next month and the New Zealand championships \ to be played in Bledisloe Hall later j this season, interest in badminton in 1 the Waikato this season has reached j unprecedented proportions, and this . should be reflected in the attendance ; at. the first representative match of 1 the season to be played at the Bledis- j loe Hall on Saturday evening. The match will be for the Wisden Cup between Waikato and Taranaki. The Wisden Cup was donated to j Western Districts (Wanganui) in I

1934 for inter-provincial competition. It is the major badminton trophy in the Dominion for provincial teams and in 1935 it was won by Auckland. Last season the Waikato Association wrested the trophy off Auckland, and some excellent badminton should be witnessed this season in Hamilton. Improving Taranaki Team The Waikato and Taranaki Associations have played annual matches for three seasons now. In the first season Taranaki failed to win a matchIn second match Taranaki won two out of 24 games, and last season they won 12 games out of 38. This great improvement has been well maintained, and this season Taranaki hope to do even better. Two teams will be coming, the A team competing for the Wisden Cup. The team is a strong one, with C. Spedding, the outstanding player. Spedding last season was runner-up for the New Zealand singles championship, and he should prove a great draw-card. R. Lewis, of Te Aroha, present Waikato and Auokland singles champion, is Waikato’s No. 1 player, and as he has prospects for New Zealand honours this season the games in which he will oppose Spedding will be full of interest. Waikato also have H. H. Fow, a previous title-holder, A. Dempster, and other strong players, and although Taranaki should provide a strong challenge, Waikato should be capable of holding the trophy. In the ladies’ section some further interesting games should be witnessed though Waikato, with Miss M. Edmondson, an ex-New Zealand titleholder, as No. 1 player, again appear t,o be the stronger combination. The matches will be played in Bledisloe Hall commencing at, 6 p.m. on Saturday. The six courts will be engaged throughout the evening, and many excellent games should be witnessed.