Uphill battle for cup combo

A depleted Wairarapa combination will be battling the odds at the Adidas Cup interprovincial tennis tournament in Palmerston North this weekend.
So much so, in fact, that selector Luke Atkinson freely concedes there is little chance of them upsetting Taranaki, Manawatu and Wanganui in the race for the major spoils.
"We'll be out there giving it our best shot but, honestly, if we beat one of them we will be doing well," he said.
The absence of regular Matt Spooner has weakened Wairarapa in the men's section and while Jono Hurley will, as usual, take the No1 singles spot he has an injury concern which will probably restrict him to some degree.
Baden Stevenson will be at No2 in the singles and is quite capable of making his presence felt, and then will come Luke Atkinson, Matt Nicholson and possibly Tim Pickering.
One of the country's top-ranked juniors in Sade Atkinson will spearhead the women's section for Wairarapa and joining her will be Zoe Schofield, Brooke Candy and Sade's sister Georgia Atkinson, the "baby" of the side at just 10 years of age.
Hopes are too that Wellington-based Saravinder Pannu, a sometime playing partner of Sade Atkinson at club level in the capital, will be utilised as an "import" player.