Central deliver capital success

CUP RETAINED: The Squash Central team with the Wairarapa Cup. Jacinta Harrison (left), Annaleise Faint, Rod Bannister, Chelsea Aim, Sally Stantiall, Corbin Faint, Jason van der Walt, Kaitlyn Watts, Stephen Bennett, Rebecca Clifford, Nick Stretton, Brandon Keenan.PHOTO/FILE 260915WCSUP01

THE Squash Central team, including Wanganui's Rod Bannister and Rangitikei's Sally Stantiall, comfortably won their annual one-day fixture against Squash Wellington on Saturday at Tawa Squash Club.

Central retained the Wairarapa Cup by winning 20 matches to four.

The team, managed by Wanganui's Kent Darlington, took out the morning round of matches 9-3, then pressed their advantage in the afternoon, 11-1.

Darlington said Wellington only had the services of Scott Galloway from their senior national men's lineup, while they did not have a senior national women's team.

"They were always going to struggle. In saying that, there were some good matches that pushed some of the Central players, especially the handful of five-setters played out.

"A lot of those were from some young talented juniors, which was a good test for the Central players who managed to come out on top."

Bannister beat Galloway 3-1, and then Scott Campbell 3-1. Stantiall rebounded from her 3-1 loss to Rhonda Christensen to beat Charlotte Galloway 3-0.

The meeting was good preparation for Bannister and Stantiall, who are soon off to the NZ Masters.