Hayes Upset In Squash (Press, 23 June 1977)

In a surprising upset during the A grade squash season, Rod Hayes from Christchurch Ai was defeated by 14-year-old Stuart Davenport, a pupil at Christchurch Boys’ High School and a player for Burnside B. Davenport won the match in four games with scores of 9-7, 5-9, 9-1, and 10-8. Hayes, the Canterbury No. 1 and preparing for a match against renowned amateur player Bruce Brownlee, struggled to assert himself, often playing defensively and allowing Davenport to capitalise on his mistakes. The defeat was notable as just a week prior, Davenport had only managed to score six points against Hayes. Hayes lost the third game with a significant margin and faced teasing from his teammates regarding his performance. Despite having game balls at crucial moments in the fourth game, he ultimately lost after Davenport secured the final point, which involved a lucky nick. For his impressive performance, Davenport was awarded the "player of the week" by Fendalton Wine Centre. The results had implications for the competition, allowing High School Old Boys A to take the lead in the standings after their overwhelming defeat of their B team. Other players from Christchurch, including Paul McFadzien, Barrie Matthews, and Bruce Trangmar, enjoyed victories, further demonstrating the team's strength. In the women’s fixtures, Saskia O’Brien from Burnside B faced an unexpected loss to Wendy Dann from Christchurch C in a closely contested five-set match. Meanwhile, Phillipa Lush, the top player from Christchurch, redeemed herself by overcoming Bette King, winning in three games. High School Old Boys A maintained their dominance in the league with a clean sweep against Christchurch B. The current standings showed High School Old Boys A leading the men's competition with 20 points, tied with Christchurch A, followed by Linwood and Christchurch B with 12 points. In the women’s section, High School Old Boys A was ahead with 64 points, with Sumner-Linwood trailing at 52 points. The overall results featured wins and noteworthy performances that highlighted the competitive nature of the squash league in Christchurch, setting the stage for exciting match-ups in the future.

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