Badminton blog.

[wolfgang]

Thought this is a better place for this.

The World Team Badminton Championships or the Sudirman Cup just started in the Scotstoun International Arena also home to the National Badminton Academy. Events will go on for the whole of this week. Finals on Saturday and Sunday.

Scotland started well onMonday afternoon with a 4-1 win against New Zealand. England beat Malaysia 3-2 .......... which sucks. I was a bit unsure who to supportwith that one. Ilivein Malaysia for a few years in the past and don't really like the behaviour of some Scots during footie matches butthen again its such alongtradition just not sure why.

England and Scotland should do well as traditionally we have a good selection of women and mixed doubles that could compete among the world best. It is the only world event for men and women competing together in national teams (but there are mixed team events in Commonwealth Games and Continental Championships) so we should have a fighting chance mixing with the traditional stronger team from Asia. Enjoyed the 1997 event so might see it I could make it again this year.

Youtube link.


Homepage link.

http://badmintonscotland.org.uk/sudirman07/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=1&Itemid=51

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Used to play a bit myself actually. I've played against Simon Archer, Jo Goode and Julian Robertson in the past. Could do with losing some weight and playing league again.

 

[wolfgang]

You should. It is a good games and you must be good if you could spar with them.

Yesterday seemed like another good day.

Division 1:

China the defending champion looks like the favourite again after killing off the Thai team 5-0 on Monday. They go on to beat the England team 5-0 the next day. Hurrah. Sorry..... old habit.

Meanwhile in Divide 3:

Scotland beat Finland 4-1

Looks like a good team. Mostly young players but they have to call up a veteran out of retirement to play the single woman game. Probably as a back up and let Susan Hughes time to rest.

 

[wolfgang]

Found one video of 2 of the Scottish team, Emma Mason and Imogen Bankier this was from the All England 2007 in March. They beat the Japanese team 21-18, 21-14 after that interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsvBzgHUKQw

Imogen Bankier and Watson Briggs played in the mixed doubles yesterday, they claimed the first set of their match with Finnish pair Tuomas Nuorteva and Maria Vaisanen 21-14 before levelling the tie 1-1 with a 21-16 victory in the second.

 

[wolfgang]

Scots Watson Briggs and Imogen Bankier take on Kiwis Daniel Shirley and Renee Flavell on Monday 11 June 2007 in the Sudirman Cup.

 

[wolfgang]

On Monday Susan Hughes (Scot) was playing with a New Zealand's girl named Rachel Hindley. Found a picture of this 5'11" Kiwi girl for you lot.

If this don't proof badminton is a sexy game you lot should stop bonking your pot holes.

 

[SSM]

wolfgang wrote:

On Monday Susan Hughes (Scot) was playing with a New Zealand's girl named Rachel Hindley. Found a picture of this 5'11" Kiwi girl for you lot.

If this don't proof badminton is a sexy game you lot should stop bonking your pot holes.

Nope, not sexy.

It's that skinny poker she's holding only that makes her rack look big. Had it been a proper (tennis) racket, this Kiwi would be as flat as Henin.

SS

 

[wolfgang]

Thanks for your comment. However, we have questions about you for sometime now.

Looks like today is very important. China is expected to beat Malaysia so the England vs Thai games will be the main decider as to who will goes into the semi player off.

 

[SSM]

wolfgang wrote:

Thanks for your comment. However, we have questions about you for sometime now. Looks like today is very important. China is expected to beat Malaysia so the England vs Thai games will be the main decider as to who will goes into the semi player off.

I won't be watching but I'm quite sure... the feathers will be flying! :minikiev:

Shuttlecocks are the only cocques I have no use for.:green:

Enjoy the telly (England should prevail)

SSeace:

 

[wolfgang]

Goodness. Looks like China is heading for another wipeout. They are already leading in the match against Malaysia 4-0. Only the Men Singles to play.

Lin Dan [CHN] vs Lee Chong Wei [MAS]

Come on Chong Wei! He had beaten the Chinese before and the present head to head is 2:5 but it shows he can be beaten. Need to get at least one point off the Chinese and make it difficult to them English.

 

[wolfgang]

Malaysia is leading 15-12 in the first game.

Come on. Malaysia Boleh!

 

[wolfgang]

OK. The game in getting interesting. The Malaysian got the first set 21-17. Just one more set.

 

[wolfgang]

Exciting stuff. Yesterday China's coach have a team of 4 world beating single men to choose from but the world no.1 Lin Dan (CHN) requested to have a go again yesterday to play the on form Malaysian. Which ended with the Malaysian winning 21-17 21-17 to prevent a whitewash. The Chinese have only straight records of 5-0 's whitewash in this games since 2003.

So it was all update to England and they congrates they managed to beat Thailand 4-1 to book themselves for a first ever semi finals.

Scotland as usual glorious start of 2 straight wins which positioned for a promotional play off from the 3 group ended yesterday after losing to India 4-1.

Who ever design this Sudirman Cup system have done a great job. With no price money but only national pride and world ranking points to play for every teams form top to bottom have sent their best to play right from the beginning of the tournament so far.

Some personal thoughts. I am wondering looking at the results and so many up and coming players from the Scot team so far and the on form English side, does that means with a combined force could we build a great GB team that could claimed the top dog over Denmark dominance in Europe as early as the next 2 years in time for the Olympics Games? We need more great singles men players that could beat even the Chinese but who knows.

 

[jeffg]

Good result for England. Indonesia, Korea etc will probably prove far too strong next though.

On the wider context, England have been fortunate to have top mixed pairs for ages - Dew/ Perry (going back a few years!), Jo and Simon and now Gail/Nathan and Clark/Kellogg.

Mens singles - historically Ok in the European context although I can't remember Steven Butler, Darren Hall or Steven Baddeley ever beating the great Morton Frost, although there may have been the odd victory. Current crop Ghaffar, Smith etc just aren't quite even at top European level really.Ladies singles struggling TBH. Tracy (Hallam) coming back from injury but at 32 probably getting a little bit old.

Good to see Donna and Gail doing so well in the Ladies doubles, again top pair in the European context, but just a bit off World level.

Mens doubles a bit more encouraging, Blair (Scottish exile)and Clark - particularly Clark who was outstanding at the Worlds recently adding some consistency to his outrageous flair. Fantastic player to watch.

When Gail and Nathan retire from international comps probably within the next two years, I fear England might struggle. Interestinglyalthough my club's county Hertfordshire has 4 or 5 England Ladies players, Gail was the only one who turned up for all the senior County games.

Only 3 months left to get fit for next season

Jeff

 

[wolfgang]

Hi Jeff. Good point. This tournament seemed to be unique been biase towards countries with better doubles players that's why GB teams appear to do well. Even among the Scottish team the promising development is within the doubles players. Look forward to see what happens with Watson Briggs, Emma Mason and Imogen Bankier careers development. These teenagers helped to beat the USA team 3-0 yesterday. The real test was with more experienced Indian players which did demonstrate they are not quite there yet and they still need to train harder and better. Maybe they need more exposure.

 

[wolfgang]

For those who get Sky TV you get to watch mouth watering semi finals line up today from the Sudirman Cup from Glasgow - Sky Sports Xtra 1330 & 1830.

 

[jeffg]

wolfgang wrote:

Maybe they need more exposure.

And this of course was the reason Blair decamped to play for England (along with access to better coaches). Seems to have paid off for him.

Certainly England/ Scotland need to train harder, the regimes of the Chinese/ Korean players are many times tougher esp the Chinese. We are getting better though, with the imported Asian coaches over the past years such as Lee JaeBok, Park Joo Bong, and Rexy Mainaky, evidence Clark's improvement, harder training better diet lost over a stone. This shows it can be done but players need that motivation and commitment which is probably what the Chinese et al have that we don't.

I wonder if the Scottish players will get access to Badminton England coaches for the Olympics? If any of the SCottish players make the team of course.

This is one of the few times I wish I had access to Sky

Jeff

 

[jeffg]

webcast here

http://feidian.com/live_detail.php?rid=14

 

[jeffg]

What a start! England 1 Indonesia 0

:notworthy:Gail + Nathan win 22-20, 20-22 21-17