Waikato Looking Good For Title

Waikato are on target to win back-to-back Wisden Cup titles, the supremacy for inter-provincial badminton. As the only unbeaten team they easily put paid to Canterbury in the latest round of play 15-1.

They face Southland late tonight followed by Auckland in the final match tomorrow, all played at the North Harbour Badminton Centre.

This year hasn’t been a mundane tournament as there are a huge number of import players from nations such as Australia, China, England, Germany, Korea and elsewhere. Individually there’s a bronze medallist from the Seoul Olympics, gold medallist from the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, former top 20 ranking players and then the Kiwis who have been top 10 and medallist at world champs and Commonwealth Games too.

There wasn’t too much of a challenge for the TJ Weistra-led Waikato team when they took on Canterbury who have lost their best player, Asher Richardson to a hand injury and the fact Canterbury did not take up the option of using any imports. All of the wins against Canterbury were in straight games. Southland and Auckland could be a different story.

In the other contests Southland beat North Harbour 12-4 with New Zealand Whyte Trophy team member, Anna Rankin(Southland) scoring a solid victory over North Harbour’s Australian import, Leisha Cooper in straight games.

Auckland scored a 11-5 win over Waitakere as their women’s import Stephanie Shalini Sukumaran scored three strong wins. Keeping Waitakere on the scoreboard was Dan Shirley who completed the treble of wins in singles, doubles and mixed.

In the Slazenger Cup Wellington North are looking the best prospect to win their way up to the Wisden Cup in 2012. They put away Otago 13-3 and are the only unbeaten side in the competition.

Results:

Wisden Cup:
Southland 12 North Harbour 4, Waikato 15 Canterbury 1, Auckland 11 Waitakere 5.

Slazenger Cup:
North Harbour(2) 8(19 games) BOP 8(17 games), Auckland(2) 11 Waikato(2) 5, Wellington North 13 Otago 3.