Super vets win one, lose one

Eastland representatives returned from Hamilton with a win and a loss in the third round of Division 2 of the super veterans' inter-association badminton competition.

They beat Hawke's Bay, five matches to four, and lost to Auckland (2), six matches to three.

Ra Leach, of the Patutahi club, made her debut for the super veterans after last playing representative badminton in the 2017 veterans' team.

Alan Ledger and Annabelle Riwaka (Patutahi) and Kevin Lee (Gisborne club) returned to the team after being unavailable for the second round. Edward Li, from North Harbour, returned to play for Eastland. The other team members were Ron Prebble, Linda White and Ruth Ledger (Patutahi). Regular Manawatu loan player Matheus Batlajeri has withdrawn from the team for the year, due to an injury.

The first tie was against Hawke's Bay. Last year Eastland lost to them, so the team were determined to do better this year.

In the men's doubles, Lee and Li had a fantastic match before losing 15-21 20-22.

Li and A Ledger defeated their opponents in two games.

Prebble and Ledger had a close first game, losing 18-21, but couldn't maintain the momentum and lost the next 4-21.

In the women's doubles Riwaka and Leach dominated from the beginning, winning in two games.

Leach and Ruth Ledger continued the domination and won 21-13 21-11.

The top pairing, White and Ledger, had a closer match. They won the first game 21-18, and continued their strategic play to win the match in two games.

This was the first time in many years that the women had won all their matches against Hawke's Bay.

In the mixed doubles, all matches went to three games.

Lee and R Ledger had an awesome match. They lost their first game 9-21, but turned the tables and held off the opposition to win the next two games, 21-19 and 21-18.

Li and Riwaka won their first game 21-13, but let the momentum slide and lost the next game 14-21, and eventually the third 16-21.

In the final mixed match, Prebble and White won the first game, lost the second and, after a battle, lost the third game by two points.

Later in the day, Eastland played Auckland (2). The men's doubles were all extremely close. Li and Ledger started solidly with a 21-9 win. They were then put under pressure but held off their opponents to win the second game 22-20.

Li and Prebble played a consistent match. They won the first game, allowed their opponents to get away from them in the second, and changed their tactics and won the third.

Prebble and Lee had a tough first game, losing by two points, held off the opposition to win the second, and lost a tight third game by two points.

The women's doubles were dominated by Auckand (2). Riwaka and Leach won their first game 21-14, but lost the next two games, 21-16 and 18-2.

All matches in the mixed doubles were close, with some excellent badminton played.

Li and Riwaka lost in two games, the first by only two points.

Ledger and Leach played a tactical match and won in two games, 21-17 21-17.

Prebble and White fought well and changed tactics but couldn't stop their opponents winning in two, 17-21 17-21.

Eastland defeated Hawke's Bay, 5 matches to 4

Men's doubles: Ron Prebble/Alan Ledger lost to Stan Codlin/Alan Hassan 18-21 4-21; Ledger/Edward Li defeated Steven Gee/Peter Lo 21-18 21-16; Kevin Lee/Li lost to Hassan/Gee 15-21 20-22.

Women's doubles: Linda White/Ruth Ledger def Lynda Watson/Lynsie Linnell 21-18 21-15; Ra Leach/Ledger def Linnell/Liza Hughes 21-13 21-11; Annabelle Riwaka/Leach def Watson/Hughes 21-9 21-12.

Mixed doubles: Prebble/White Lost to Codlin/Linnell 21-12 13-21 19-21; Li/Riwaka lost to Hassan/Watson 21-13 14-21 16-21; Lee/Ledger def Lo/Hughes 9-21 21-19 21-18

Eastland lost to Auckland (2), 3 matches to 6

Men's doubles: Prebble/Lee lost to Neil Bunkall/George Pearcey 20-22 21-18 20-22; Prebble/Li def Pearcey/Paul Hood 21-16 11-21 21-17; Ledger/Li def Kho Tong Ho/Hood 21-9 22-20.

Women's doubles: White/Ledger lost to Cathy Hu/Deidre Sterling 7-21 6-21; Leach/Ledger lost to Hu/Zuchin Yeh 2-21 8-21; Riwaka/Leach lost to Helen Gallagher/Yeh 21-14 16-21 18-21.

Mixed doubles: Prebble/White lost to Bunkall/Gallagher 17-21 17-21;Ledger/Leach def Pearcey/Sterling 21-17 21-17; Li/Riwaka lost to Kho Tong Ho/Hu 19-21 13-21.