By NEVILLE IDOUR
Although unable to win major honours at the Cousins Shield and Mitchell Cup in Lower Hutt last weekend, the Christchurch Club squash teams both performed up to expectations.
Seeded third, the Cousins Shield men’s team won its first round against Royal Oak 3-2 but the wins were decisive.
Rod Hayes was severe in demolishing Shane Smith 10-8, 9-0, 8-2, while Bryan Simpson allowed his opponent just six points.
After overcoming early nerves, Craig Hibbert also won well in four sets.
Don Preston was a surprise loser, finding the young Craig Maxwell too fast.
The semi-final against Mitchell Park proved much closer than the eventual final, and Christchurch was within an ace of victory.
First up, Don Preston just could not cope with the pace and power of junior New Zealand rep John Mills.
The second match was vital and Bryan Simpson ran his heart out before losing to former New Zealand rep. Shane O’Dwyer, 8-10, 9-5, 9-10, 2-9.
Simpson reached game ball in both advantage games first, but on each occasion it was O’Dwyer who exerted the pressure at these crucial stages, using his experience well.
Rod Hayes then met the often brilliant David Oakley and although losing the first set, Hayes had taken the stuffing out of Oakley and won handsomely, 5-9, 9-5, 9-7, 9-0.
Hayes’s regular dead nick winners in the later stages delighted the vocal gallery.
Laurie Wilson then found his opponent, Bevan Sherwood too strong and experienced, while Craig Hibbert, in spite of lapses in concentration,
gave Christchurch its second win by beating former Cantabrian Morris Billington in five sets.
The women’s team was narrowly beaten, 3-2, by Khandallah in the first round.
Unfortunately the top two, Philippa Idour and Lorna Symes, could not find their best shots and lost to opponents they should have beaten.
Both showed their ability however, by hanging on and keeping the ball in play.
Mrs Idour lost the first two sets to Jocelyn Afford but fought back, relying on length. In spite of two match balls, she lost 10-9 in the fifth.
This was the decider, as Agnes Huriwai and Joan Terrell both scored fine wins.
In their first plate match the girls lost, 4-1, to a strong Henderson team.
Idour was the only winner, finding improved form to soundly beat Stella Boswell, while the other women all had their moments in spite of losing.
Their final match against Thorndon saw the benefits of the hard match play revealed.
Idour narrowly lost to Kay Glenny, top Wellingtonian in five sets.
Symes started badly but recovered to score a fine win over Bronwyn. Barton.
Terrell and Huriwai were both in commanding form, while Wendy Dann produced her best form against a higher graded opponent, although she lost in four sets.
Rod Hayes and Philippa Idour are both playing in the Sun Alliance NZ Open which begins this weekend in Auckland and their form last weekend should see them at their best against formidable opposition.
