Steve Maitland, the newest A-grader in Canterbury squash, showed he is fast becoming a threat to all the top players when he pushed Tristan Franklin (Lancaster Park) to five games in the latest round of the men’s open grade inter-club competition.
The Christchurch II player led Tuesday night’s contest two games to one and held two match balls in the fifth (at 8-5 and 8-6) before finally succumbing after several handouts at 8-8. It must have been some consolation for Maitland that the two games he won helped Christchurch II to a win on countback.
Meanwhile, Christchurch I and Burnside I still share the competition lead after both teams dropped only one rubber in their contests this week.
The manner in which Burnside I’s top player, Nigel Lloyd, lost to the former international, Rod Hayes (Christchurch), was the surprise of the round. Hayes, at 35 now eligible for Masters squash, needed only 25min to beat a lack-lustre Lloyd in straight games. The pair had seemingly taken almost as long to sweep the court before the match. There were more than enough clean winners from the racket of Hayes to titillate spectators, but Lloyd was strangely error prone and not as fast as usual around the court. Two or three mis-hits found the floor, rather than the tin.
Burnside I won two of the other rubbers in straight games, but the No. 3, Chris Wasley. was taken the full distance by CTV frontman George Balani. Burnside still leads women’s open de, though upset by Christchurch, 8-2, the latest round. The main surprise was Leonie Ward’s five game victory over A -grader, Judith Casbolt.
Marist, in second place, halved the gap to four points with a win over Christchurch Football on a countback of
games. Results:
MEN Christchurch I 8 Burnside II 2 R Clark beat D Gardiner 9-6 10-9 10-8, Burnett beat R Clements 9-0 9-3 9-10 9-0, W Seebeck beat B Gardiner 9-6 9-1 9-5, E Post lost to D Morrison 4-9 6-9 5-9.
Burnside I 8 Chch III 2 N Lloyd lost to R W Hayes 6-9 1-9 7-9, P. Bremmers beat G Hayes 10-9 9-4 9-0, C Wasley beat, G Balani 9-0 3-9 9-1 7-9 9-2, C Campbell beat L Wilson 9-0 9-3 9-7.
Christchurch II 6 (10 games) Lancaster Park 4 (8 games) S Maitland lost to T Franklin 5-9 9-2 9-5 3-9 8-10, M Greenslade beat G Monk 9-6 9-2 1-9 9-3, S Mitchell beat C Fraser 9-2 2-9 9-4 9-1. M Peacock lost to G Nuttridge 9-5 6-9 9-5 4-9 5-9.
High School Old Boys 6 (107 points) Chch Football 4 (100 points) P Viggers beat P McFadzien 6-9 9-4 9-2 9-4, L Skurr beat C Thompson 6-9 9-2 9-3 9-3, W J Tolchard lost to F Williams 9-6 9-4 6-9 1-9 5-9, G Parker lost to I Borley 7-9 0-9 4-9.
Points: Christchurch I and Burnside I 32, Lancaster Park and Christchurch Football 22, Christchurch II and High School Old Boys 18, Burnside II and Christchurch III 8.
WOMEN Lancaster Park 8 Richmond WMC 2 T Roughan lost to K Walton 1-9 6-9 7-9, C Sowden beat C Lamond 9-7 4-9 9-4 9-0, A Hindson beat R Carter 9-4 3-9 10-9 9-2, K Gilray beat S Bellamore 7-9 9-5 9-7 9-4.
Christchurch 8 Burnside 2 L Ward beat J Casbolt 9-3 1-9 9-5 4-9 9-2, G Munnerley lost to S Wasley 5-9 0-9 6-9, S Brown beat K Grundy 9-2 9-7 6-9 9-3, C Sayer beat A Todd 4-9 9-5 9-3 2-9 10-9.
Marist 6 (8 games) Christchurch Football 4 (7games) A Harliwich lost to F Walker 1-9 2-9 3-9, R Gardiner lost to J McFadzien 9-10 7-9 9-4 9-7 7-9, C Cantwell beat K Baird 9-2 10-8 9-2, R Agass beat S Moorfield 9-3 9-4 4-9 9-6.
Points: Burnside 30, Marist 26, Christchurch 24, Lancaster Park 18, Chch Football 14, Richmond 8.
