Double defeat for super vets

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Eastland representatives returned to Gisborne with two losses after their first-round ties in the 2023 inter-association super veterans’ Division 2 badminton competition in Hawke’s Bay.

They played Waikato and Hawke’s Bay.

Eastland team members were Ron Prebble, Alan Ledger, Sheree Gray, Annabelle Riwaka, Ruth Ledger, Ra Leach and manager Linda White (all from Patutahi Badminton Club); regular loan player Matheus Batlajeri, from Manawatu; and Phil Carter, from Hawke’s Bay.

The first tie of the day was tough, as Waikato dominated all matches.

In the men’s doubles, Eastland were no match for a team of newcomers to the grade.

Waikato also dominated the women’s doubles and the mixed doubles, winning all the matches in two games for a tie score of 9-0.

The afternoon tie against Hawke’s Bay was close.

Over the past few years, results of clashes between Eastland and Hawke’s Bay at this level have see-sawed. Last year, Eastland won; this year, Hawke’s Bay did, 5-4.

In the men’s doubles Hawke’s Bay had two comfortable wins in two games, against Carter and Prebble, and Carter and Batlajeri.

Prebble and Alan Ledger lost their first game 21-14, won the next 21-16 and lost the third 21-14.

In the women’s doubles a new combination, Ruth Ledger and Leach, won their first game fairly easily. Their opponents changed their tactics, but the Eastland pairing were able to keep ahead to win the second game 22-20 and with it, the match.

Gray, returning to representative badminton, partnered Riwaka and Ruth Ledger in women’s doubles, and they won both matches in two games, outwitting the opposition at crucial times.

After the men’s and women’s doubles, the tie was even, 3-3.

In the mixed doubles, Batlajeri and Riwaka were no match for their opposition, who dominated.

Alan Ledger and Leach played a tactical three-game match. They lost the first game 21-16, then refocused and took the next 21-16.

In the third game they couldn’t stop the opposition. After some exciting shots and exhausting rallies, they lost 21-18.

Prebble and Gray dominated their games, playing consistently well to win 21-14 21-12.

The next ties for the interprovincial competition are in Feilding in June.

Eastland 0 Waikato 9

Men’s doubles: Ron Prebble/Alan Ledger lost to Stu Morgan/Alan Neal 11-21 12-21; Prebble/Matheus Batlajeri lost to Morgan/Peter Kimber 14-21 10-21; Phil Carter/Batlajeri lost to Neal/Kimber 15-21 4-21.

Women’s doubles: Sheree Gray/Annabelle Riwaka lost to Raewyn Wallace/Faye Post 7-21 14-21; Gray/Ruth Ledger lost to Wallace/Willie Mentzel 12-21 7-21; Ra Leach/Riwaka lost to Mentzel/Post 3-21 12-21.

Mixed doubles: Prebble/Gray lost to Morgan/Wallace 13-21 17-21; A Ledger/Leach lost to Neal/Post 14-21 6-21; Carter/R Ledger lost to Kimber/Mentzel 7-21 11-21.

Eastland 4 Hawke’s Bay 5

Men’s doubles: Prebble/Ledger lost to Stan Codlin/Alan Hassan 14-21 21-16 14-21; Prebble/Carter lost to Steven Gee/Codlin 11-21 10-21; Carter/Batlajeri lost to Peter Lo/Gee 9-21 6-21.

Women’s doubles: Gray/Riwaka defeated Lynsie Linnell/Liza Hughes 21-14 21-18; Gray/Ledger def Linnell/Lynda Watson 21-14 21-10; Ledger/Leach def Watson/Hughes 21-12 22-20.

Mixed doubles: Prebble/Gray def Codlin/Linnell 21-12 21-14; A Ledger/Leach lost to Lo/Hughes 16-21 21-16 18-21; Batlajeri/Riwaka lost to Gee/Watson 13-21 10-21.