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New Zealand has 10 players taking part in the Australian Youth Week in Canberra and at the mid- point already has two successes.

The team of Nik Mitchell – Brad Johnston and Andi Boughey – Matthew Brown won the Australian Youth Teams. They finished second in the 10 team round-robin qualifying, 14 vps behind the team of Shane Harrison, Jessica Brake, Stephen Williams (Australia) and our own Nick Jacob but a comfortable 15.74 vps ahead of third place. The top two teams met in a 4 x 12 board final, Harrison having a 6.5imp carry forward advantage.

Mitchell won the first two sets 45-19 and 27-11 but lost the third 5-33 to lead by 7.5 imps with 12 boards left.

There were 6 huge swings in those last 12 boards, three a side, one of the biggest going to the Kiwis on this deal:

 

The New Zealand North-South pair bought the contract in 2, scoring two tricks more than they needed to in returning with +110. In the other room, 4 was reached, not a good idea even if 4 could be made. The New Zealand pair took all bar one of their tricks and scored +800 for 14imps.

The final session scores were 36-42 in favour of Harrison, leaving the New Zealand team ahead by the slender margin of 1.5imps, 113-111.5.

Brad Johnston, Nik Mitchell (Dunedin), Matt Brown, Andi Boughey (Auckland)

Meanwhile, 18 pairs took part in the qualifying for the Australian Youth Pairs with Jeremy Fraser-Hoskin and Jacob Kalma qualifying fifth. Ella Pattison also qualified with her Australian partner, Francesca McGrath.  They were joined in the final by the teams finalists. Andi Boughey- Matthew Brown finishing first in the 10 pair field. Nik Mitchell and Brad Johnston finished 4^th , Ella and Francesca 7th and Jeremy and Jacob 8^th.

New Zealand and Australia play a Youth Test this Saturday. The other young New Zealanders in Canberra are  Feitong Chen and Matt Hughes.

Richard Solomon

 

 

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