SYDNEY - New Zealand completed the third major victory over Australia in transtasman sport when they retained the Whyte Trophy in Kilsyth, Victoria.
Following the win by the Silver Ferns in the world netball championships 10 days ago and the All Blacks in the Bledisloe Cup clash on Saturday, the badminton
team clinched the trophy in the second of a three-test series being played in Australia.
However, they had to endure 5 1/2 hours of gruelling three-set matches to get there. Manager Grant Stone said of the 4-1 victory: "It was tough all the way."
The New Zealanders won the first test, 3-2, in Launceston on Sunday, but the Australians were much tougher in the second match, he said.
The New Zealanders went one up when the mixed doubles pairing of Sara Runesten Petersen and Dan Shirley fought back from a set down to oust Travis Denny and Kate Wilson-Smith 7-15, 15-8, 15-9.
The Australians equalised when Lenny Permana edged out Rebecca Gordon in their second three-setter of the series, 13-10, 7-11, 11-8.
In the men's singles, New Zealand's Geoff Bellingham lost his first set against Stuart Brehaut before showing his superiority, 10-15, 15-11, 15-9.
The pressure was then on Sara Runesten Petersen and Nicole Gordon to reverse their loss in the women's doubles in Tasmania. Their performance was the highlight of the night, winning 15-8, 12-15, 15-3 to clinch the trophy. Dan Shirley and John Gordon then won the men's doubles.
It is the fourth consecutive time the New Zealanders have won the trophy. They have now claimed it 14 times overall, compared with Australia's 17.
- NZPA
