BADMINTON: Improving Ellis gets senior callup

SHANE HURNDELL
Thomas Ellis may have been a late starter on the representative badminton scene but he's a fast developer.
So much so the Napier 18-year-old, who took up rep play two years ago, will make his debut for Hawke's Bay's top senior side in North Island division three encounters against Manawatu and Wanganui at Meeanee on Saturday. Ellis, who has the advantage of having a family court to train on, has displayed vast improvement since playing for the division four team last season.
"Thomas has been training hard and shows some real promise ... it's time he entered the realm of playing at the top level for his province," said Bay coach Kyle Tostevin.
Ellis joins former New Zealand rep Croydon Rutherford, Tim Forster and Kerry McIntyre in the Bay men's line-up.
Lynette Rogers is back in the Bay after a two-year stint overseas and joins Sam Taylor, Katie Bevin and June Crawford in the women's line-up.
"It's good to have Lynette back in the side ... she always gives 110 percent," Tostevin said.
The Bay's division four team will take on Taranaki and Oroua at Feilding. Bay player-manager Jude Anderson is expecting Taranaki to be tough as they were relegated from division three last season. However, she said her side has an ideal mix of experience and youth with three top juniors in 16-year-old Alan Bosselmann, Debbie Williams and Hayley Johnson joining experienced campaigners Wayne Stead, Jason Northe, Seas Cookson, Gordon McKay, Sue Williams and herself.
Hawke's Bay's division five team, which will travel to Waihi to play Waikato Four and Thames Valley, will be a mixture of former representatives and newcomers. Seventeen-year-old Oliver Whitehead migrated from England last year and Brad Fredrickson has played for Taranaki in the past while Jarad Inglis and Jono English are former Bay reps returning to the rep scene.
They join Bay Masters Two player Robyn English, Bay under-18 rep Nicole Sudfelt, Cheryl Hunter and Wishy Poowani in the side.
Hawke's Bay's Masters One and Two teams started their campaigns last weekend. Hawke's Bay One lost to North Harbour Three by 10 points on a countback after matches were drawn 6-all and sets 13-all before they beat Horowhenua One 8-4.
Crawford was outstanding for the Bay winning all six of her matches while Vaughan Coley was the best of the men winning five of his six.
Hawke's Bay Two lost 11-1 to Wellington North and beat Horowhenua-Kapiti 8-4.