Against Auckland, Taylor and Batlajeri lost their first game 21-18 and won their second 21-14 but couldn’t maintain the momentum and lost the third 21-16.
Lee and Batlajeri played skilfully to win their first game 24-22 and take the match with a 21-16 win in the second.
Prebble and Lee struggled from the beginning and lost in two games.
In the women’s doubles, Ledger and Riwaka showed determination in the first game, winning 21-17, but lost the second 21-18 and the third 21-13.
White and Ledger lost their match in two games.
White and Riwaka lost their first game narrowly, then refocused and took the next game 21-17 and the last 21-11.
In the mixed doubles, Taylor and Ledger worked hard to outwit their opponents but lost in two games.
Lee and Riwaka combined well to win in two games.
Prebble and White took their first game 21-12, lost the second, and comfortably won the third, 21-10.
Overall, Auckland (2) won the tie 5 matches to 4.
Hawke’s Bay lost to Waikato, so Eastland had to play Hawke’s Bay again.
Eastland had recently played Hawke’s Bay and defeated them 5 matches to 4.
Taylor and Batlajeri struggled to get their rhythm and lost in two games.
Taylor and Prebble played consistently and were able to narrowly win the first game 21-19 and then dominate the second, winning 21-13.
Lee and Prebble took a while to settle. They lost the first game 21-14, then came back in the second to win 21-18. The third became quite a tussle, with some brilliant play and fluctuating fortunes for both sides. Eventually the Gisborne pairing took the third game 24-22.
In the women’s doubles, Ledger and Riwaka showed determination from the start and were able to hold off their opposition to win narrowly 21-17, 21-18.
A new partnership — Ledger and Ingram — continued the winning run and won in two close games 21-19, 21-13.
White and Riwaka lost their first game 21-18, but refocused and took the second 21-19. However, Hawke’s Bay dominated the third, winning 21-13.
Batlajeri and Riwaka set the scene in the mixed doubles by winning their match in two close games.
New combination Lee and Ingram followed suit, dominating from the beginning and winning in two games.
Prebble and White lost their first game, then refocused and won a see-sawing second game 27-25. However, Hawke’s Bay dominated the final game, winning 21-12.
Eastland took the tie 6-3, finishing the team’s season on a winning note.
Auckland (2) 5 Eastland 4
Doubles — Men: Ron Prebble/Kevin Lee lost to David Xu/Peter Xu 11-21 11-21; Kevin Lee/Matheus Batlajeri defeated Peter Xu/Tony Kwan 24-22 21-16; Batlajeri/Kevin Taylor lost to Kwan/Daniel Lee 18-21 21-14 16-21.
Women: Linda White/Annabelle Riwaka def Elaine Dunn/Angela Fletcher 15-21 21-17 21-11; White/Ruth Ledger lost to Sarah Gordon/Fletcher 10-21 17-21; Riwaka/Ledger lost to Gordon/Jill Partridge 21-17 18-21 13-21.
Mixed: Prebble/White def David Xu/Dunn 21-12 11-21 21-10; Kevin Lee/Riwaka def Kwan/Fletcher 21-15 21-7; Taylor/Ledger lost to Daniel Lee/Partridge 16-21 14-21.
Eastland 6 Hawke’s Bay 3
Doubles — Men: Lee/Prebble def Stan Codlin/Brian Fisher 14-21 21-18 22-20; Taylor/Prebble def Codlin/Tony Bloomfield 21-19 21-13; Lee/Batlajeri lost to Bloomfield/Fisher 15-21 16-21.
Women: White/Riwaka lost to Lynda Watson/Brenda Barber 18-21 21-19 13-21; Lee Ingram/Ledger def Watson/Jenny Carmichael 21-19 21-17; Riwaka/Ledger def Barber/Carmichael 21-17 21-18.
Mixed: Prebble/White lost to Codlin/Watson 13-21 27-25 12-21; Taylor/Ingram def Fisher/Barber 21-12 21-16; Batlajeri/Riwaka def Bloomfield/Watson 21-18 21-17.
