SENDAI, April 29: Olympic and world champion Taufik Hidayat spearheaded 13-time champions Indonesia to a 5-0 win over New Zealand in the Thomas Cup men's team badminton championship on Saturday.

Three-time former Asian champion Soni Dwi Kuncoro downed Henry Tam 21-10, 21-1, and then Simon Santoso defeated Craig Cooper 21-11, 21-7 to give Indonesia an insurmountable 3-0 lead, before they added the two doubles wins.

Earlier in the day, India pulled off a narrow 3-2 victory over Germany to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.

Chetan Anand, who won one game off world number one Lin Dan in India's 5-0 defeat to China Friday, lost to Bjoern Joppien 21-17, 21-12 in the opening rubber.

But Anup Sridhar outgunned Conrad Hueckstaedt 22-20, 14-21, 21-6, and Arvind Bhat put India 2-1 up by beating Roman Spitko 21-14, 17-21, 21-16.

Although Thomas Kurian and Jaseel Ismail bowed out to Kristof Hopp and Ingo Kindervater 21-9, 21-16, Kumar Rupesh teamed up with Valiyaveettil Diju to beat Michael Fuchs and Roman Spitko 21-18, 21-12.

India, with one win against one defeat in the three-team round robin preliminary round, sit above Germany, who meet favourites China on Sunday.

In other ties, hosts Japan got off to a strong start, beating South Africa 5-0, and will take on European powerhouses Denmark Sunday, while England defeated the United States 3-2.

Results:

Thomas Cup

Group A

India 3 Germany 2

Bjoern Joppien (Germany) bt Anand Chetan (India) 21-17, 21-12; Anup Sridhar (India) bt Conrad Hueckstaedt (Germany) 22-20, 14-21, 21-6; Bhat Arvind (India) bt Roman Spitko (Germany) 21-14, 17-21, 21-16; Kristof Hopp/Ingo Kindervater (Germany) bt Thomas Kurian/Jaseel Ismail (India) 21-9, 21-16; Kumar Rupesh/Valiyaveettil Diju (India) bt Michael Fuchs/Roman Spitko (Germany) 21-18, 21-12

Standings: China 1-0, India 1-1, Germany 0-1

Group B

Indonesia 5 New Zealand 0

Taufik Hidayat (Indonesia) bt John Moody (New Zealand) 21-19, 21-15; Soni Dwi Kuncoro (Indonesia) bt Henry Tam (New Zealand) 21-10, 21-1; Simon Santoso (Indonesia) bt Craig Cooper (New Zealand) 21-11, 21-7; Luluk Hadiyanto/Yulianto Alven (Indonesia) bt John Moody/Henry Tam (New Zealand) 21-12, 21-7; Candra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto (Indonesia) bt Daniel Shirley/Craig Cooper (New Zealand) 21-18, retired.Standings: South Korea 1-0, Indonesia 1-0, New Zealand 0-2

Group C

Japan 5 South Africa 0

Shoji Sato (Japan) bt Christoffel Dednam (South Africa) 21-7, 21-11; Yosuke Nakanishi (Japan) bt Roelof Dednam (South Africa) 21-13, 21-11; Sho Sasaki (Japan) bt Willem Viljoen (South Africa) 21-5, 21-10; Keita Masuda/Tadashi Otsuka (Japan) bt Christoffel Dednam/Roelof Dednam (South Africa) 21-16, 21-10; Shuichi Nakao/Keishi Kawaguchi (Japan) bt Dorian James/Willem Viljoen (South Africa) 21-7, 21-8.

Standings: Denmark 1-0, Japan 1-0, South Africa 0-2

Group D

England 3 USA 2

Raju Rai (USA) bt Andrew Smith (England) 23-21, 21-9; Nicholas Kidd (England) bt Eric Go (USA) 21-18, 21-15; Rajiv Ouseph (England) bt Khan Bob Malaythong (USA) 21-13, 21-15; Tony Gunawan/Eric Go (USA) bt Kristian Roebuck/Ian Palethorpe (England) 27-29, 21-13, 21-17; David Lindley/Chris Langridge (England) bt Khan Bob Malaythong/Raju Rai (USA) 21-17, 21-16.

Standings: Malaysia 1-0, England 1-0, USA 0-2

Uber Cup

Group W

Taiwan 5 USA 0

Cheng Shao-chieh (Taiwan) bt Lili Zhou (USA) 21-11, 21-16; Huang Chia-hsin (Taiwan) bt Eva Lee (USA) 21-9, 21-10; Chou Chia-chi/Ku Pei-ting (Taiwan) bt Rulien Yeh/ Rulan Yeh (USA) 21-14, 21-3 Pai Min-jie (Taiwan) bt Jamie Subandhi (USA) 21-11, 21-8 Chien Yu-chin/Cheng Wen-hsing (Taiwan) bt Eva Lee/Mesinee Mangkalakiri (USA) 21-12, 21-9.

Standings: China 1-0, Taiwan 1-0, USA 0-2

Group X

Hong Kong 3 England 2

Wang Chen (Hong Kong) bt Julia Mann (England) 21-7, 21-8; Yip Pui-yin (Hong Kong) bt Jull Pittard (England) 21-15, 22-20; Joanne Nicolas/Natalie Munt (England) bt Chau Hoi-wah/Louisa Koon Wai-chee (Hong Kong) 21-13, 21-10; Wong Sin-yee (Hong Kong) bt Elizabeth Cann (England) 21-19, 21-18; Suzanne Rayappan/Jenny Wallwork (England) bt Wang Chen/Yip Pui-yin (Hong Kong) walkover.

Standings: Hong Kong 2-0, England 0-1, Netherlands 0-1

Group Y

Germany 3 Singapore 2

Xu Huaiwen (Germany) bt Li Li (Singapore) 21-9, 21-9; Juliene Schenk (Germany) bt Xing Aiying (Singapore) 21-16, 21-17; Jiang Yanmei (Singapore) bt Petra Overzier (Germany) 21-9, 21-19; Li Yujia/Shinta Mulia Sari (Singapore) bt Canna Mette/Birgit Overzier (Germany) 21-17, 22-20; Nicole Grether/Juliene Schenk (Germany) bt Jiang Yanmei/Frances Liu Fan (Singapore) 21-15, 23-21.

Standings: South Korea 1-0, Germany 1-0, Singapore 0-2

Group Z

New Zealand 5 South Africa 0

Rachel Hindley (New Zealand) bt Michelle Edwards (South Africa) 21-11, 21-13; Renee Flavell (New Zealand) bt Kerry-Lee Harrington (RSA) 21-12, 21-13; Michelle Chan (New Zealand) bt Stacey Doubell (RSA) 21-13, 21-17; Sara Runesten Petersen/Rachel Hindley (New Zealand) bt Michelle Edwards/Jade Margan (South Africa) 21-11, 21-16; Renee Flavell/Donna Cranston (New Zealand) bt Kerry-Lee Harrington/Stacey Doubell (South Africa) 21-9, 21-7.

Standings: Japan 1-0, New Zealand 1-0, South Africa 0-2 —AFP