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Cashmere has an extra incentive to win the premier men’s interclub competition title – the club’s only weeks away from celebrating their 100th anniversary.
The first step in their quest for championship honours will be to win Saturday’s semi-final against Burnside Park at Wilding Park. The winner of which will meet either Elmwood or Bishopdale in the final the following week. Cashmere would only earn a home final at their picturesque courts, supported by a centenary-celebrating crowd, if Elmwood lose their semi-final this week.
Burnside Park beat South Brighton 5-1 last week, while Cashmere were soundly beaten by the same score by Elmwood. Cashmere were without their top player James Meredith in the singles match-ups, which Elmwood won easily. Both Cashmere and Burnside
Park have strong top No 1s in James Meredith, the youngest of the Meredith brothers, and Remi Feneon. They did not play each other this season, but both claimed national titles in their respective age groups at this year’s New Zealand Masters Championships.
With a place in the final at stake Cashmere may include all the Meredith brothers – James, Matt and Tim – along with their young guns Liam Barrett and Lucas Evans, and the consistent Harry Weeds. Burnside Park’s ranks this season have included Jamie Poole, Liam Adams, Rene Dumont and, in recent weeks, 16-year-old Jake Parsons. The talented junior may be called on again this weekend, given Dumont retired from his singles last weekend.
Elmwood, last year’s competition winners, finished at the top of the table after an excellent season, in which they only recorded one loss. In the semi-final this weekend they play a plucky Bishopdale team that includes top players Will Schneideman and Jamie Garbett. Bishopdale lost a nail-biting clash against Te Kura Hagley last weekend on countback. Schneideman was forced to retire from the doubles and did not play the singles. It is not known if he will take the court this weekend.
Elmwood comes into the semi-final with all their players available, fit and on form. Last weekend, the Darling brothers, Elliot and Lawrence, and the Batt brothers, Eddie and Tom, were a force to be reckoned with in their singles. Elmwood’s win also included a strong showing from Elliot Darling and Tom Batt in the doubles against Matt and James Meredith.
Both semi-finals will be played at Wilding Park on Saturday.
- Points
Men: Elmwood 164, Cashmere 141, Burnside Park 128, Bishopdale 114, South Brighton 83, Te Kura Hagley 72, Edgeware Waimairi 44
Te Kura Hagley win women’s title
Te Kura Hagley are the women’s champions after a tight battle last weekend against Burnside Bishopdale.
It is the 30th time Te Kura Hagley (previously United) have won the title in the last 78 years.
Honours were split one all after the doubles, but Jade Feneon, who also won the top doubles with her mother Joelene, was Burnside Bishopdale’s only singles winner.
Petra Belzova, Michelle Kelsen and Adele Orangi won their singles for Te Kura Hagley to clinch the championship.
-By Diane Keenan