Tough day for Eastland badminton vets

WINNING PAIR: Eastland’s Ruth Ledger plays a shot in the women’s doubles in veterans’ Division 3 inter-association badminton in Gisborne on Saturday. At back is teammate Annabel Riwaka. They had two wins as a pair, although Eastland lost both ties, 7-2 to Hutt Valley in the morning and 6-3 to Wanganui (2) in the afternoon. Pictures by Paul Rickard

EASTLAND lost both their matches in veterans’ Division 3 inter-association badminton in Gisborne at the weekend.

Badminton Eastland hosted the third round of the competition. Visiting teams were Hutt Valley, Wanganui (2), Hawke’s Bay and Horowhenua Kapiti.

Eastland lost to Hutt Valley 7-2 and to Wanganui (2) 6-3.

Eastland team members were Alan Ledger, Ron Prebble, Linda White, Annabel Riwaka and Ruth Ledger from the Patutahi club; Sonia Jones from the Gisborne club; and Hawke’s Bay loan players Wayne Feck, Tony Bloomfield and Brian Boyd.

Local social players Keith Twiddy and Kevin Taylor played for Horowhenua Kapiti, who were short of players for the day.

In Eastland’s first tie of the day, Hutt Valley dominated the men’s doubles. All local partnerships — Bloomfield and Feck, Ledger and Feck, and Prebble and Boyd — lost in two games.

In the women’s doubles, Ledger and Riwaka lost their first game 21-18, but won a cliff-hanger of a second game 22-20. They then won the third 21-17.

Jones and White dominated their match from the beginning and won in two games.

Jones and Riwaka could not match the Hutt Valley pairing in the third women’s doubles, which meant Hutt Valley led 4-2 going into the mixed doubles.

Hutt Valley won all the mixed doubles, although Eastland had their chances.

New combination Bloomfield and Ledger lost their first game 21-19 after quite a battle and, despite their continued best efforts, they lost the second 21-19 as well.

Ledger and Riwaka played well but couldn’t match the opposition, losing in two games.

Prebble and White won their first game 21-13, but let the opposition dominated the second and won by the same margin. The third game was a real tussle but the local pairing couldn’t hold on and lost 21-17.

Against Wanganui (2), the visitors dominated the men’s doubles. Bloomfield and Feck, Boyd and Feck, and Prebble and Ledger all lost their matches in two games.

In the women’s doubles, Ledger and Riwaka continued their winning form of the morning. They won their first game 21-18 and lost the second, but were able to change tactics to take the third 21-12.

Ledger and Jones lost their first game 21-19 but were unable to keep it so close in the second and lost the match in two games.

Jones and White couldn’t match their opponents and lost in two games.

Going into the mixed doubles, Wanganui (2) led 5-1.

New combination Bloomfield and Jones dominated their match and won in two games.

Ledger and Riwaka lost their first game 21-14. They came back well in the second and the margin was closer, 21-18.

Top pairing Prebble and White lost their first game 21-16. They changed tactics and won the second 21-15. The third game was a battle of tactics, neither pair being able to dominate, but the consistency of Prebble and White enabled them to win the third game 21-18, and the match.

Eastland’s next ties will be in Hutt Valley on September 10.

Eastland 2 Hutt Valley 7

Doubles — Men: Ron Prebble/Brian Boyd lost to Alan Hasson/Martin Pike 11-21 14-21; Alan Ledger/Wayne Feck lost to Dave Cochrane/Martin Pike 10-21 17- 21; Feck/Tony Bloomfield lost to Cochrane/Brian Fisher 10-21 10-21.

Women: Sonia Jones/Annabelle Riwaka lost to Bev Braybrook/Leona Head 13-21 15-21; Jones/Linda White def Head/Sandra Howat 21-13 21-11; Ruth Ledger/Riwaka def Sharon Doole/Howat 18-21 22-20 21-19.

Mixed: Prebble/White lost to Hasson/Head 21-13 13-21 17-21; Alan Ledger/Riwaka lost to Pike/Braybrook 14-21 14-21; Bloomfield/Ruth Ledger lost to Fisher/Doole 19-21 17-21.

Eastland 3 Wanganui (2) 6

Doubles — Men: Prebble/Ledger lost to Graham Feist/Simon Beckett 13-21 16-21; Boyd/Feck lost to Feist/Colin Cranston 17-21 13- 21;Feck/Bloomfield lost to Beckett/Cranston 12-21 17-21.

Women: Jones/White lost to Anna Yuou/Kate Mathews 14-21 14-21; Jones/Ledger lost to Yuou/Jocelyn Cranston 19-21 11-21; Ledger/Riwaka def Cranston/Wendy Young 21-18 11-21 21-12.

Mixed: Prebble/White def Feist/Mathews 6-21 21-15 21-18; Alan Ledger/Riwaka lost to Beckett/Sue Haden 14-21 18-21; Bloomfield/Jones def Cranston/Young 21-11 21-14.

Other results: Hutt Valley 6 Horowhenua-Kapiti 3, Hawke’s Bay 7 Wanganui (2) 2, Hawke’s Bay 6 Horowhenua-Kapiti 3.