TITLE DEFENCE: Rod Bannister will defend his national doubles squash title this weekend with new partner David Guest. PHOTO/ STUART MUNRO A-270813WCSMROD-BANNISTER1
TITLE DEFENCE: Rod Bannister will defend his national doubles squash title this weekend with new partner David Guest. PHOTO/ STUART MUNRO A-270813WCSMROD-BANNISTER1
Wanganui's Rod Bannister will have to gel quickly with his new doubles partner if he is to defend his national title this weekend.
Bannister was to play in the Big Barrel Doubles Squash Nationals in Palmerston North with over-45 national champion Mike McSherry. But McSherry's late withdrawal means former Canadianprofessional and A-grader David Guest will take the court with Bannister instead.
"David and I have never played doubles together and we don't know each other's game," Bannister said. "It's a big ask for us to come out with a national title, however, both of us are going in to win not simply to make up numbers."
Bannister made the decision to play squash this season just under three weeks ago.
"I'm a work in progress regarding the fitness I require to play at the level I want to."
He is aiming to regain a spot in the New Zealand masters team for October's Test Series against Australia in Napier in October. That team is named in July.
"It'll be great to get the opportunity to play the Australians on home soil to get one up on them after our New Zealand team went down in Canberra in 2013."
Bannister won the Australian and New Zealand masters crown in the 45-49 age group in 2013 but missed the 2014 New Zealand Masters nationals due to injury.
