Kiwis stamp class in series win over Aussie

ROBYN EDIE/ Southland Times

IN FORM: Rachel Hindley and Daniel Shirley play the mixed doubles in the second New Zealand- Australia test.

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The Whyte Trophy is once again New Zealand's.

New Zealand showcased their badminton dominance over Australia when the young Kiwi team dished up a victory in the second of three tests in front of about 400 people at Stadium Southland last night.

After recording a 3-2 victory in the first test in Invercargill on Saturday night, for the seventh straight time New Zealand recorded a series victory over the Aussies.

It started with a golden move by the Kiwi think tank when the team made a selection switch, lining up Daniel Shirley and Rachel Hindley in the mixed doubles event, which was the opening match of the night.

In the first test New Zealand dropped the mixed doubles, which put them under pressure.

But while it was a tight contest Hindley, and Shirley in particular, started the Kiwi surge to yet another win in fine style, claiming the mixed doubles 23-21 23-20.

Joe Wu was at extremely short odds to topple Australia's Boris Ma in the men's singles and when he did just that, 21-8 21-8, New Zealand were coasting in the best-of-five matches.

In the third match the women's doubles pairing of Danielle Barry and Donna Haliday dropped their first game against Australia's Kate Wilson-Smith and Eugenia Tanaka. However, the determined New Zealand combo fought back, winning the next two games to ensure the Whyte Trophy remained in New Zealand hands for another year.

Rachel Hindley was far from convincing in her tussle with Leisha Cooper in the women's singles but still managed another win.

The only downfall of the night was in the men's doubles when Henry Tam and Daniel Shirley couldn't get home in a three-game thriller against Australia's Ben Walklate and Glen Warfe but at 4-1 New Zealand were still impressive last night.

What the series victory has done is set up a possible special night for Southland badminton followers come tomorrow.

With the series wrapped up heading into the third test at Stadium Southland it is tipped the New Zealand team will play Southland's James Eunson and Anna Rankin. The pair have been waiting in the wings during the opening two tests as Wu and Hindley have held the singles spots.

But it is expected they may step aside, giving Eunson and Rankin their first Whyte Trophy caps in the city where it all began for them.

The third test will start at 6pm tomorrow.

logan.savory@stl.co.nz

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