MANCHESTER, July 31: Malaysia’s three men at the top of the Badminton Singles seedings at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester came safely through their first matches on Wednesday.

Top seed Wong Choong Hann led the way, dispatching Ghana’s Ayim Ben Noah in straight games.

The number two ranked player, Lee Tsuen Seng was equally dominant against Liam Ingram of Wales and also cruised through to the last 32.

The trio was completed by Muhammed Hafiz Hashim, who predictably proved far too good for Oreeditse Thela of Botswana.

Elsewhere, the generally untroubled progress of the men’s seeds was the story of the day.

Richard Vaughan of Wales glided past Eli Mambwe of Zambia, whilst New Zealand’s trio of seeds all came through safely.

Geoff Bellingham beat off a gutsy challenge from Nicholas Jumaye of The Seychelles, Nick Hall beat Denis Constantin of Mauritius and John Gordon accounted for Graham Bradley of Jamaica.

Colin Haughton, fresh from spearheading England’s mixed team triumph, beat Dimbo Odejoke, and the host nation’s other seed, Mark Constable, went through at the expense of one of the Falkland Islands’ representatives, Doug Besley-Clark.

India’s artistic Pullela Gopichand beat Curwin Cherubin of Barbados, while Ronald Susilo, Singapore’s man beaten by Haughton the previous night, began to build his singles campaign with a straight games victory over the outclassed Botswanan, Mmoloki Motlhala, achieved in a little over ten minutes.

Australia’s main contender Stuart Brehaut came safely past another competitor from one of the Commonwealth Games’ tiny countries, Simon Gaines of the Isle of Man.

The closest thing to an upset in the first round was the Canadian number 13 seed, Bobby Milroy, dropping the first game to Nigeria’s Ochoni Ddicha, before recovering to win 3-1.—AFP