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6th April |
Semi Finals
Esporta Oxford 4-1
TWP St George's Hill
Surrey Health & Racquets 3-2
MB Nottingham |
|
Final |
|
4th May |
Surrey Health &
Racquets 3-2
Esporta Oxford |
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Semi Finals
Esporta Oxford & Surrey Health To Contest PSL Final
Esporta Oxford
pulled off a stunning 4/1 home win over TWP St George's Hill in
tonight's Premier Squash League (PSL) semi-final play-offs to
earn their maiden appearance in the final of the world's most
prestigious squash league where they will face 2008 champions and
fellow Esporta club Surrey Health & Racquets.
It was a night of high drama in which
Croydon club Surrey Health had to wait until the final match of their
home clash against 1999 champions MB Nottingham before top
string Peter Barker, the world No8 from London, finally clinched
his 11-4, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9 victory in 73 minutes over Dutch star
Laurens Jan Anjema, the world No11, to secure the club's place in
next month's final.
The hosts romped into the lead when
French number one Camille Serme beat her English rival Sarah
Kippax 2-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-7 then top-ranked Scot Alan Clyne
despatched Nottingham late-comer Mark Fuller 11-9, 11-7,
11-8.
However, Nottingham mounted a mighty
recovery when club stalwart Simon Parke, the former world No3 who
led Nottingham to title success 11 years ago, beat fellow 37-year-old
and former great Peter Nicol 8-11, 11-8, 11-7 14-12 after 72
minutes left-hander Nicol, the former world number one and world
champion, failing to convert four game-balls in the fourth game.
Then Nottingham pulled level when their
Malaysian star Ong Beng Hee extended his unbeaten record over
Davide Bianchetti by beating the top Italian 8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8.
"Peter Barker was awesome in the
decider," said a jubilant Surrey Health team manager Pete Smith
after their 3/2 win. "It was always going to be a close call, and I
knew it could go down to the last match.
"We knew it would need someone like Pete
to pull it off for us and he did us proud. It was always going to be
a very special night."
The Esporta Oxford squad was clearly
inspired by home advantage but after Irish number one Madeline
Perry gave the hosts a solid lead following her 11-1, 11-2, 11-3 win
over the Weybridge club's Julie Peachey, St George's top-rated
Hungarian Mark Krajcsak levelled the tie with a four-game win
over Oxford stalwart Scott Handley.
The Oxford number three Chris Ryder,
aged 29, then faced the night's youngest player Nicolas Mueller,
one of the Tour's fastest-rising players from Switzerland. Undeterred
by dropping the first game and losing to the youngster in the their
previous encounter Ryder played the game of his life to beat Mueller
7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 6-11.
Inspired by his team-mate's
extraordinary performance, Oxford's top-ranked German Simon Rosner
continued the rout by beating the visitors' top England prospect Tom
Richards 11-6, 14-12, 13-11 in 50 minutes to take his club into
their first final.
By now the 'dead' top-string clash was
certain to be an anticlimax and the home club's Australian
international Cameron Pilley earned his first career win over
Daryl Selby, the Essex 27-year-old boasting a best-ever world No9
ranking, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 in 34 minutes.
"There's something about wanting to win
in front of a home crowd," said Oxford team manager Jason Martin
later. "Chris Ryder was just awesome he came off after losing the
first game, and you could see that he knew he needed to get back and get
in front, for the sake of the crowd.
"And once he got the bit between his
teeth, he was unbeatable - and Simon Rosner was the same. They were two
incredible performances," added Martin.
Esporta Oxford, in only their fourth
season in the PSL, were celebrating their first appearance in the
semi-final play-offs after coming top by a single point of Group A.
"When we first came into the
competition, we always wanted to win and knew we could," Martin
continued.
"And the fact that it will be an
all-Esporta final is incredible. Of the 55 Esporta clubs around the
country, only 11 have squash facilities.
"Let's hope our success in the PSL will
now help lift the profile of the sport within the group!"
PSL Final: 4 May 2010 (venue tbc):
Esporta Oxford v Surrey Health &
Racquets
RESULTS: Semi-final play-offs,
Tuesday 6 April 2010
Esporta Oxford 4 TWP St George's
Hill 1
Cameron Pilley bt Daryl Selby 11-6,
11-5, 11-9 (34m)
Simon Rosner bt Tom Richards 11-6,
14-12, 13-11 (50m)
Chris Ryder bt Nicolas Mueller 10-12,
11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (63m)
Scott Handley lost to Mark Krajcsak
7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 6-11
Madeline Perry bt Julie Peachey 11-1,
11-2, 11-3
Surrey Health & Racquets 3 MB
Nottingham 2
Peter Barker bt Laurens Jan Anjema
11-4, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9 (73m)
Davide Bianchetti lost to Ong Beng Hee
11-8, 8-11, 4-11, 8-11
Peter Nicol lost to Simon Parke 11-8,
8-11, 7-11, 12-14 (72m)
Alan Clyne bt Mark Fuller 11-9, 11-7,
11-8
Camille Serme bt Sarah Kippax 2-11,
11-8, 12-10, 11-7
|
|
10th Round Report
Esporta Oxford Celebrate PSL
Semi-Final Breakthrough
In a dramatic tenth and final round of
the Premier Squash League (PSL), Dutchman Dylan Bennett
celebrated his first outing of the season for Esporta Oxford by
winning the decider against former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield
a straight games victory which not only took his team to top of
the Group A points table, but also into the semi-final play-offs of the
world's most prestigious squash league for the first time.
The 3/2 victory put Oxford on 146 points
for the season just a single point ahead of fellow Group A semi-final
qualifiers MB Nottingham, the 1999 champions who lost 4/1 away
from home to last season's champions LEBC Group Chapel Allerton.
The leadership of Group B was settled in
the all-Surrey tie between TWP St George's Hill and Surrey
Health & Racquets in which Croydon-based Surrey Health, the 2008
champions, earned a powerful 4/1 away win to finish in top place and
claim a semi-final slot for the fourth year in a row.
Thus, the Tuesday 6th April semi-final
line-up will see Esporta Oxford host fellow first-time semi-finalists
TWP St George's Hill, while Surrey Health & Racquets will entertain MB
Nottingham, the East Midlands side making their first appearance in the
knockout stage since finishing as runners-up in 2003.
A capacity crowd at the Duffield club in
Derbyshire were looking forward to celebrating their team's fifth
successive appearance in the play-offs and the omens looked good when
Laura Hill beat Katherine Quarterman 11-8, 11-4, 11-3 and
Duffield hero Nick Matthew, the reigning British champion and
world number two, despatched the visitors' Chris Ryder 11-8,
11-8, 13-11.
But Oxford's fire-power was boosted on
the night by a pair of Dutchman and after Piedro Schweertman,
from The Hague, twice came from behind to pip the home side's Chris
Fuller 12-10 in the fifth, Eindhoven-based world No73 Dylan
Bennett played one of the most crucial games of his life to beat
Duffield stalwart Andrew Whipp 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 in the tie
decider.
"It was the first time Dylan had played
for us this season and it was a big match to come into," said Oxford
team manager Jason Martin. "But he was very much up for it and
he was awesome. To have a full house cheering for your opponent wasn't
easy, but he took it his stride he was definitely our
'man-of-the-match'.
"We needed both our Dutchmen and they
made a big difference.
"I don't think we've beaten Duffield in
about seven attempts so to go to Derbyshire and beat them in their own
back yard was something special. I'm very pleased - and our sponsors
are delighted, especially that we'll be hosting the semi-final," added
Martin.
"For the last few seasons, we've been
steadily getting closer to reaching the finals then losing badly when
we shouldn't have. But the main thing for us this season has been our
consistency. I thought tonight might have been beyond us but we did
it!"
Emma Beddoes
was the lone Nottingham star, beating Chapel Allerton regular Carrie
Ramsey 11-6, 11-4, 11-1 in the opening match. But a near
full-strength Chapel Allerton squad saw the Leeds club take control as
Chris Hall, Laurence Delasaux, Alister Walker all
won, before former world champion Thierry Lincou beat his French
national team-mate Renan Lavigne 11-3, 11-5, 11-7 in the top
string battle to ensure the home side's 4/1 win.
Both TWP St George's Hill and
Surrey Health & Racquets fielded near full-strength squads as they
battled for the Group B title. But it was the visitors' big guns that
ultimately prevailed as France's rising star Camille Serme
started the ball rolling with a straight games win over St George's
Hill's Rachel Willmott then later Surrey Health's world top ten
stalwarts Wael El Hindi and Peter Barker wiped out the
hosts' lower-ranked opposition in straightforward style after veteran
team captain Tim Garner earned a commendable win over
world-ranked Neil Hitchens.
However, St George's celebrated a notable
consolation win when Joe Lee beat former England junior team-mate
Adrian Waller 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-5.
In other ties which were not contesting
for places in the knockout stages, Pontefract celebrated their
best win of the season in Group A by beating Welsh club Newport
4/1 at home while Surrey Storm Guildford scored only their
second win of the season with a 3/2 home victory over one-time Group B
title contenders Exeter Diamonds, and Covers Chichester
rounded off the season in fine style by despatching last season's
semi-finalists Probuild Bristol 4/1 away from home.
RESULTS:
10th round, Tuesday 16 March 2010
Group
A:
LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 4 MB
Nottingham 1
Thierry Lincou bt Renan Lavigne 11-3,
11-5, 11-7
Alister Walker bt Simon Parke 11-8,
12-10, 11-8
Laurence Delasaux bt Arthur Gaskin
11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6
Chris Hall bt Lewis Walters 12-10,
4-11, 11-9, 11-6
Carrie Ramsey lost to Emma Beddoes
6-11, 4-11, 1-11
Pontefract 4 Newport 1
James Willstrop bt Peter Creed 7-11,
11-5, 11-7, 10-12, 11-6
Lee Beachill bt Lewys Hurst 11-9, 11-4,
11-7
Sam Wileman bt Nic Birt 6-11, 11-8,
12-10, 11-13, 11-9
Karan Malik bt David Haley 8-11, 11-9,
11-9, 11-3
Lauren Siddall lost to Deon Saffery
6-11, 3-11, 2-11
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 2 Esporta
Oxford 3
Nick Matthew bt Chris Ryder 11-8, 11-8,
13-11
Andrew Whipp lost to Dylan Bennett
9-11, 4-11, 9-11
Aqeel Rehman lost to Scott Handley
1-11, 6-11, 4-11
Chris Fuller lost to Piedro Schweertman
11-9, 3-11, 11-5, 5-11, 10-12
Laura Hill bt Katherine Quarterman
11-8, 11-4, 11-3
Group
B:
TWP St George's Hill 1 Surrey Health
& Racquets 4
Tom Richards lost to Peter Barker 3-11,
7-11, 9-11
Nicolas Mueller lost to Wael El Hindi
10-12, 9-11, 11-3, 8-11
Joe Lee bt Adrian Waller 11-9, 7-11,
11-9, 7-11, 11-5
Neil Hitchens lost to Tim Garner 8-11,
8-11, 10-12
Rachel Willmott lost to Camille Serme
5-11, 6-11, 5-11
Probuild Bristol 1 Covers Chichester
4
Hadrian Stiff lost to Robbie Temple
6-11, 8-11, 6-11 (30m)
Peter Marshall bt Alex Gough 5-11,
11-3, 11-7, 11-8 (59m)
Michael Harris lost to Tim Vail 4-11,
9-11, 6-11 (24m)
Ben Rodgers lost to Olivier Pett 5-11,
5-11, 2-11 (20m)
Sarah-Jane Perry lost to Dominique
Lloyd-Walter 8-11, 5-11, 11-13 (28m)
Surrey Storm Guildford 3 Exeter
Diamonds 2
Jesse Engelbrecht bt Jonathan Harford
12-10, 11-2, 11-6
Stephen Meads lost to James Snell 3-11,
11-6, 11-7, 3-11, 8-11
Alex Ingham bt Gavin Lee Perrett 11-8,
11-4, 11-8
Mick Biggs bt Matt Baker 11-9, 11-2,
12-10
Harriet Ingham lost to Emma Chorley
7-11, 5-11, 11-9, 3-11 |
|
9th Round
St George's & Surrey Health Through
But Champions Out In PSL
Maximum points wins by Surrey Health &
Racquets and TWP St George's Hill have guaranteed the
Group B clubs a place in next month's semi-finals of the Premier
Squash League (PSL) but a 4/1 Group A defeat in the ninth and
penultimate round of the world's most prestigious squash league leaves
title-holders LEBC Group Chapel Allerton out of contention.
Former champions MB Nottingham
beat Pontefract 4/1 to retain their leadership of the Group A
table with 140 points eight points ahead of Esporta Oxford,
home winners over Chapel Allerton. But Benz-Bavarian Duffield
led a late charge in the group to overcome Welsh newcomers Newport
4/1 to move into third place - leaving the three clubs in the
running for the two places in the semi-final play-offs.
But, whilst champions Chapel Allerton
in fourth place in Group A, 21 points adrift of the leaders cannot
finish in the top two, the Leeds club entertain Nottingham in the final
round (on 16 March) and a maximum points win for the hosts could scupper
Nottingham's 2010 title hopes.
MB Nottingham
have topped the Group A tables for most of the season and dropped just
four games in their home win over Yorkshire club Pontefract. Vanessa
Atkinson, winner of her 12th Dutch national title last month, gave
the visitors a good start with a straight games win against local star
Emma Beddoes but 3/0 wins by Lewis Walters, Arthur
Gaskin and John Rooney ensured Nottingham's eighth win of the
season.
Two life-long Yorkshire rivals Simon
Parke and Lee Beachill entertained the crowd in the second
string clash, with Nottingham stalwart Parke, a former world No3, edging
home 11-5, 11-2, 12-14, 11-6 over ex-world number one Beachill.
Esporta Oxford
raised their home supporters' hopes of a first-time appearance in the
semi-final play-offs with their impressive 4/1 win over LEBC Group
Chapel Allerton. Again, the visitors took the early lead when Leeds
teenager Carrie Ramsey beat Oxford's Katherine Quarterman
3/0. Jaymie Haycocks led the comeback charge, fighting back from
2/1 down to beat the visitors' Adam Murrills 11-2, 9-11, 7-11,
11-7, 11-9 before Oxford regulars Scott Handley and Chris
Ryder sealed straight games wins.
The final match saw Australian Cameron
Pilley celebrate his new career-high world No14 ranking by
recovering from a game down to beat England's world No13 Alister
Walker 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 a win which cemented Oxford's second
place in the group tables.
Their first visit to Wales proved
fruitful for 2006 and 2007 champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield when
they defeated Newport 4/1 despite the absence of their
high-profile stars Tania Bailey and Nick Matthew, the
world number two who became the North American Open champion at
the weekend. Laura Hill, the last-minute replacement for the
newly-married Bailey, defeated Welsh number one Deon Saffery in
four games.
But, after former Welsh international
Greg Tippings levelled the tie with a 3/1 win over the visitors'
Chris Fuller, Duffield regained control as Austrian Aqeel Rehman
and Derbyshire's Joel Hinds secured notable victories. But it
took Duffield stalwart Andrew Whipp, a part-time player for more
than two years, to produce the night's standout result when he
despatched Newport's Aaron Frankcomb, the world No39 from
Australia, 11-7, 11-2, 11-9 in 37 minutes.
2008 champions Surrey Health &
Racquets celebrated their fourth successive time in the semi-final
play-offs with a commanding 5/0 home win over Probuild Bristol.
Two veteran performances stood out firstly team co-manager Tim
Garner's 11-4, 11-9, 11-9 win over Bristol newcomer Theodore
Anderson, then former world number one Peter Nicol's
fightback 8-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-6 victory over ex-world number two
Peter Marshall.
But the Croydon club's top string
Davide Bianchetti, the Italian number one, rounded off the tie with
a resounding 11-9, 12-10, 11-9 win over Bristol captain Hadrian Stiff
to clinch his club's place in the semi-finals.
It was a dejected Exeter Diamonds
team manager Adam Lings that admitted his 2010 campaign was over
when he reported his club's 5/0 home defeat by TWP St George's Hill.
The Surrey club's visit to Devon with a less-than-full-strength squad
proved hugely successful as the team earned its place in the play-offs
for the first time at its fourth attempt.
Lauren Briggs,
Neil Hitchens, Joe Lee and top-ranked Hungarian Mark
Krajcsak all notched up notable wins against Exeter opposition but
none was as stunning as Nicolas Mueller's. In his first
appearance as top string for the club, the fast-rising Swiss
20-year-old, ranked 42 in the world, claimed one of the best wins of his
life when he beat experienced Australian Stewart Boswell, the
world No17 and a former world No4, 11-6, 5-11, 11-7, 11-4.
Elsewhere in Group B, Covers
Chichester celebrated only their second win of the season with a 5/0
away victory at Surrey Storm Guildford. Malaysian top string
Mohd Azlan Iskandar led the assault with distinction by beating the
Guildford club's South African Jesse Engelbrecht in straight
games but perhaps the visitors' most impressive win was achieved by
retired Alex Gough, the former world No4 from Wales who
battled back from 2/1 down to beat home hero Stacey Ross 11-3,
9-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-7.
10th round fixtures, Tuesday 16 March
2010
Group
A:
LEBC Group Chapel Allerton v MB
Nottingham
Pontefract v Newport
Benz-Bavarian Duffield v Esporta Oxford
Group B:
TWP St George's Hill v Surrey Health &
Racquets
Probuild Bristol v Covers Chichester
Surrey Storm Guildford v Exeter Diamonds
RESULTS:
9th round, Tuesday 2 March 2010
Group
A:
Newport 1 Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4
Aaron Frankcomb lost to Andrew Whipp
7-11, 2-11, 9-11 (37m)
Peter Creed lost to Joel Hinds 10-12,
8-11, 11-9, 7-11 (45m)
Nic Birt lost to Aqeel Rehman 6-11,
4-11, 6-11 (32m)
Greg Tippings bt Chris Fuller 11-9,
11-4, 8-11, 12-10 (43m)
Deon Saffery lost to Laura Hill 6-11,
11-5, 10-12, 7-11 (37m)
MB Nottingham 4 Pontefract 1
John Rooney bt Andrew McDougall 12-10,
11-5, 11-7
Simon Parke bt Lee Beachill 11-5, 11-2,
12-14, 11-6
Arthur Gaskin bt Neil Cordell 11-7,
11-5, 11-3
Lewis Walters bt Karan Malik 11-5,
11-4, 11-6
Emma Beddoes lost to Vanessa Atkinson
9-11, 7-11, 5-11
Esporta Oxford 4 LEBC Group Chapel
Allerton 1
Cameron Pilley bt Alister Walker 6-11,
11-7, 11-7, 11-7
Chris Ryder bt Shaun le Roux 11-3,
15-13, 11-4
Scott Handley bt Chris Hall 11-9, 11-8,
11-8
Jaymie Haycocks bt Adam Murrills 11-2,
9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9
Katherine Quarterman lost to Carrie
Ramsey 6-11, 3-11, 7-11
Group
B:
Surrey Storm Guildford 0 Covers
Chichester 5
Jesse Engelbrecht lost to Mohd Azlan
Iskandar 4-11, 8-11, 5-11
Stacey Ross lost to Alex Gough 3-11,
11-9, 11-4, 8-11, 7-11
Alex Ingham lost to Tim Vail 10-12,
11-9, 9-11, 9-11
Mick Biggs lost to Olivier Pett 5-11,
1-11, 9-11
Victoria Lust lost to Dominique
Lloyd-Walter 9-11, 4-11, 7-11
Surrey
Health & Racquets 5 Probuild Bristol 0
Davide Bianchetti bt Hadrian Stiff
11-9, 12-10, 11-9
Peter Nicol bt Peter Marshall 8-11,
11-8, 13-11, 11-6
Adrian Waller bt Ben Rodgers 11-6,
11-7, 11-6
Tim Garner bt Theodore Anderson 11-4,
11-9, 11-9
Lauren Selby bt Sarah-Jane Perry 9-11,
11-8, 7-11, 11-2, 11-7
Exeter Diamonds 0 TWP St George's
Hill 5
Stewart Boswell lost to Nicolas Mueller
6-11, 11-5, 7-11, 4-11
Joey Barrington lost to Mark Krajcsak
5-11, 11-13, 3-11
Jonathan Harford lost to Joe Lee 14-12,
9-11, 6-11, 1-11
Aditya Jagtap lost to Neil Hitchens
6-11, 12-14, 7-11
Emma Chorley lost to Lauren Briggs
3-11, 4-11, 13-15
|
|
8th Round
National Champions Lead PSL Teams To Victory
New British National champions Nick Matthew
and Alison Waters led their teams to victory in the eighth round
of the Premier Squash League (PSL) with Waters helping Croydon
club Surrey Health & Racquets consolidate their leadership of
Group B in the countdown to the end-of-season play-offs in the world's
most prestigious squash league.
Londoner Waters, winner of the women's national title on
Sunday in Manchester for the second time, beat Dominique Lloyd-Walter
13-11, 11-6, 11-7 as Surrey Health & Racquets forged a 3/2 away win
against Covers Chichester. The south coast side put the pressure
on former champions Surrey Health, with Olivier Pett and
Robbie Temple gaining two notable wins 21-year-old Pett, ranked
298 in the world, twice coming from behind to beat experienced Ben
Ford 8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 13-11, and 23-year-old Londoner
Robbie Temple fighting back from two games down to topple the
visitors' in-form Scottish international Alan Clyne 2-11, 8-11,
11-8, 11-7, 11-8.
But England international Peter Barker clinched
the win for Surrey Health after beating Malaysian international Mohd
Azlan Iskandar 11-4, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7 to maintain his club's
supremacy in Group B from the beginning of this year.
But only one point behind the group leaders are TWP St
George's Hill, who stormed to a maximum points 5/0 away win at
county rivals Surrey Storm Guildford. Again it was a
National Championships star who played a decisive role Daryl Selby,
who reached the men's semi-finals against the odds for the first time,
beating Guildford's South African international Jesse Engelbrecht
in four games to ensure a whitewash for the visitors.
Exeter Diamonds strengthened
their grip on third place in the Group B points table with a 3/2 win at
Probuild Bristol. New Zealand's Jaclyn Hawkes, together
with Joey Barrington and local star James Snell, gave the
west country visitors an unassailable lead but Bristol-based
university student Mohamed El Shorbagy, the world No14 from
Egypt, and England's world No10 Adrian Grant reduced the deficit
with five-game wins over Exeter's Jonathan Kemp and Australian
Stewart Boswell, respectively.
Nick Matthew, who successfully defended his men's
national title at the National Squash Centre at the weekend, was
able to reproduce the same form for Benz-Bavarian Duffield and
the Derbyshire club became the only home winners on the day, beating
reigning champions LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 3/2 in Group A.
But whilst Matthew beat French rival Thierry Lincou, the former
world No1, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6, it was his South African team-mate
Stephen Coppinger who clinched victory for former champions Duffield
by beating England's higher-ranked Alister Walker 11-4, 6-11,
11-9, 11-9.
But former champions MB Nottingham scored the
biggest win in the group and extended their lead in the Group A points
table with a 4/1 victory at Newport, the league's Welsh
newcomers. A succession of wins by Emma Beddoes, Lewis
Walters, Arthur Gaskin and team stalwart Simon Parke,
gave the East Midlands a decisive lead but Australian Aaron
Frankcomb provided a consolation win for the hosts when he beat
Nottingham top string John Rooney 11-9, 1-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-3.
Pontefract entertained
Esporta Oxford and provided two popular wins when top string
James Willstrop made up for a disappointing Nationals' final
appearance with a brilliant straight games victory over Australian
international Cameron Pilley, and former club number one Lee
Beachill showed that retirement hasn't blunted his attack by
despatching the visitors Scott Handley in three games.
But it was ultimately Oxford's night as 11-time Irish
champion Madeline Perry battled back from two games down to beat
the home team's Dutch star Vanessa Atkinson after a tie-break in
the decider, and Jaymie Haycocks and Chris Ryder also
scored notable triumphs. The 3/2 win moves Esporta Oxford up the second
position in the Group tables, just eight points behind leaders
Nottingham.
RESULTS: 8th
round, Tuesday 16 February 2010
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 3 LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 2
Nick Matthew bt Thierry Lincou 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6
Stephen Coppinger bt Alister Walker 11-4, 6-11, 11-9,
11-9
Andrew Whipp lost to Chris Simpson 5-11, 11-4, 4-11,
9-11
Joel Hinds bt Laurence Delasaux 11-7, 7-11, 11-5, 11-5
Tania Bailey lost to Jenny Duncalf 6-11, 5-11, 11-7,
5-11
Newport 1 MB Nottingham 4
Aaron Frankcomb bt John Rooney 11-9, 1-11, 7-11, 11-9,
11-3
Jethro Binns lost to Simon Parke 8-11, 8-11, 8-11 (47m)
Peter Creed lost to Arthur Gaskin 8-11, 6-11, 2-11
(38m)
Nic Birt lost to Lewis Walters 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 3-11,
8-11 (74m)
Deon Saffery lost to Emma Beddoes 8-11, 11-9, 7-11,
12-14 (41m)
Pontefract 2 Esporta Oxford 3
James Willstrop bt Cameron Pilley 11-4, 11-6, 11-8
Andrew McDougall lost to Chris Ryder 7-11, 7-11, 1-11
Lee Beachill bt Scott Handley 12-10, 11-8, 11-0
Neil Cordell lost to Jaymie Haycocks 7-11, 7-11, 7-11
Vanessa Atkinson lost to Madeline Perry 11-7, 11-6,
5-11, 8-11, 10-12
Group B:
Surrey Storm Guildford 0 TWP St George's Hill 5
Jesse Engelbrecht lost to Daryl Selby 9-11, 11-4, 6-11,
11-13
Stacey Ross lost to Tom Richards 10-12, 11-7, 5-11,
4-11
Stephen Meads lost to Mark Krajcsak 3-11, 6-11, 4-11
Sammy Chambers lost to Joe Lee 7-11, 3-11, 4-11
Victoria Lust lost to Lauren Briggs 8-11, 11-7, 4-11,
5-11
Covers Chichester 2 Surrey Health & Racquets 3
Mohd Azlan Iskandar lost to Peter Barker 4-11, 12-10,
9-11, 7-11
Robbie Temple bt Alan Clyne 2-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7,
11-8
Tim Vail lost to Adrian Waller 2-11, 11-9, 9-11, 2-11
Olivier Pett bt Ben Ford 8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 13-11
(62m)
Dominique Lloyd-Walter lost to Alison Waters 11-13,
6-11, 7-11
Probuild Bristol 2 Exeter Diamonds 3
Adrian Grant bt Stewart Boswell 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 5-11,
11-8 (50m)
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Jonathan Kemp 14-12, 6-11, 11-9,
6-11, 11-7 (42m)
David Evans lost to Joey Barrington 6-11, 11-6, 7-11,
5-11 (43m)
Peter Marshall lost to James Snell 11-8, 3-11, 11-8,
8-11, 6-11 (66m)
Leonie Holt lost to Jaclyn Hawkes 0-11, 6-11, 7-11
(19m)
|
|
7th Round
Narrow Wins Lead Nottingham & Surrey Health To Head PSL Tables
Dramatic 3/2 away wins by MB Nottingham and
Surrey Health & Racquets in the seventh round of the
Premier Squash League (PSL) saw the clubs claim top places in the
Group A and B tables, respectively, as the countdown to the
end-of-season play-offs in the world's most prestigious squash league
begins.
Former champions MB Nottingham, with only one
defeat to their name this season, visited Esporta Oxford - and
fell back immediately when the home side's experienced Irish
international Madeline Perry beat Emily Whitlock, the
talented 15-year-old British Junior U17 champion, 11-2, 11-5, 11-3.
But the East Midlands side quickly sprung back with wins by club
stalwart
Simon Parke, John Rooney and Malaysian international Ong
Beng Hee to ensure victory.
The home side's Australian star Cameron Pilley
reduced the deficit with a straight games win over Dutchman and fellow
top string Laurens Jan Anjema.
However, Nottingham share 104 points in the Group A
tables with reigning champions LEBC Group Chapel Allerton - but
boast a superior 'matches won' count to the Leeds club which celebrated
a 5/0 home win over Welsh newcomers Newport. The home
club's notable performers were third string Shaun le Roux - who
arrived back from the Tournament of Champions in New York on
Monday - and first and second strings Chris Simpson and
Laurence Delasaux
who jetted back from Calgary in Canada in order to turn out for the
champions - Delasaux only arriving home in Hull at 4.30pm this
afternoon, before turning round immediately to drive across Yorkshire
for his crucial PSL match.
Le Roux twice came from behind to beat Nic Birt
8-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6, while Delasaux defeated Peter Creed
11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3. Determined to ensure a maximum points win
for his club, Simpson battled for five games to overcome Welsh
international Jethro Binns 13-15, 11-5, 13-11, 6-11, 11-6.
"It's good to see the strong character of our squad - all
of whom will give everything they can for the team, despite serious
fatigue in many cases tonight," said team manager Neil Guirey.
"Chris could easily have fallen off in the fifth, but did all he could
to ensure that last vital point."
Former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield improved
their play-off chances with a 4/1 home win against Yorkshire club
Pontefract. The current strength of Indian squash was much in
evidence on the Derbyshire club's courts where Mumbai-born Siddharth
Suchde made an impressive debut for the home team by beating Sam
Wileman 3/0.
Duffield regular Andrew Whipp saw off Pontefract
Indian Harinder Pal Sandhu 11-9, 11-6, 11-9 - but it was the
visitors' top-ranked Indian Saurav Ghosal who put paid to the
home side's bid for maximum points when he defeated Duffield's South
African top string Stephen Coppinger 3-11, 11-6, 11-7, 9-11,
11-4.
Duffield strengthen their fourth position in the Group A
tables, just behind Esporta Oxford, but only 11 points adrift of the
league leaders.
It was left to the fifth game decider in the final match
of the Group B tie in Devon where Exeter Diamonds hosted
Surrey Health & Racquets. At 2/1 up, the home side saw the
finishing line in sight when Jonathan Harford had a match ball
against higher-ranked Surrey Health opponent Davide Bianchetti at
11-10. But the Italian number one went on to win 10-12, 7-11,
11-3, 11-0, 14-12 to level the tie two-all.
Jonathan Kemp again raised
home hopes when he took higher-ranked fellow Englishman Peter Barker
the full distance. But Barker, the new world No6, ultimately
prevailed 11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 2-11, 11-5 to lead the Croydon club to a 3/2
win - and top place in the Group B tables with 102 points.
But just three points behind lie TWP St George's Hill,
the Weybridge club which beat Covers Chichester 3/2 to jump two
places from fourth in the tables. Again, matters were level after
the first four matches - and twice the visitors' Robbie Temple
led in the top string decider against St George's Hill's higher-ranked
Daryl Selby.
But Selby, the world No13 from Essex, raised his game to
beat the left-hander from Gloucestershire 11-13, 11-2, 11-13, 11-3, 11-8
to give St George's their fifth win of the season.
Surrey Storm Guildford
celebrated their first win of the season with a 4/1 home victory over
former national runners-up Probuild Bristol. After
former British junior champion Victoria Lust and
18-year-old PSL debutant Sammy Chambers gave the University side
a healthy lead, Guildford veteran Stephen Meads sealed the
overall win with an assured 11-7, 11-6, 11-8 win over the visitors'
Michael Harris.
Fellow Storm stalwart Stacey Ross battled to a
five-game win over Bristol captain Hadrian Stiff to extend the
points before the visitors' top string Mohamed El Shorbagy
salvaged a consolation match by beating top South African Jesse
Engelbrecht 11-0, 11-5, 11-1.
"It's a mixture of elation and relief," said Graham
Williams when asked his reaction after the first win
since he took over as team manager at the beginning of the season.
"The longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes. But the
payers did really well, they really performed tonight."
RESULTS:
7th round, Tuesday 26 January 2010
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4 Pontefract 1
Stephen Coppinger lost to Saurav Ghosal 11-3,
6-11, 7-11, 11-9, 4-11
Andrew Whipp bt Harinder Pal Sandhu 11-9, 11-6,
11-9
Joel Hinds bt Neil Cordell 11-3, 11-4, 11-9
Siddharth Suchde bt Sam Wileman 11-3, 11-3, 11-7
Tania Bailey bt Kirsty McPhee 11-9, 11-3, 11-6
LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 5 Newport 0
Chris Simpson bt Jethro Binns 13-15, 11-5, 13-11,
6-11, 11-6
Laurence Delasaux bt Peter Creed 11-5, 8-11, 11-6,
11-3
Shaun le Roux bt Nic Birt 8-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5,
11-6
Stephen Siveter bt David Haley 11-7, 11-4, 8-11,
11-4
Jenny Duncalf bt Tesni Evans 11-0, 11-3, 11-4
Esporta Oxford 2 MB Nottingham 3
Cameron Pilley bt Laurens Jan Anjema 11-8, 14-12,
11-9
Chris Ryder lost to Ong Beng Hee 7-11, 15-13,
11-8, 12-14, 2-11
Scott Handley lost to John Rooney 7-11, 4-11, 6-11
Jaymie Haycocks lost to Simon Parke 5-11, 4-11,
11-8, 11-5, 8-11
Madeline Perry bt Emily Whitlock 11-2, 11-5, 11-3
Group B:
Surrey Storm Guildford 4 Probuild Bristol 1
Jesse Engelbrecht lost to Mohamed El Shorbagy
0-11, 5-11, 1-11
Stacey Ross bt Hadrian Stiff 5-11, 11-6, 11-8,
8-11, 11-5
Stephen Meads bt Michael Harris 11-7, 11-6, 11-8
Sammy Chambers bt Ben Rodgers 11-6, 11-7, 8-11,
11-8
Victoria Lust bt Sarah-Jane Perry 11-9, 13-11,
11-4
TWP St George's Hill 3 Covers Chichester 2
Daryl Selby bt Robbie Temple 11-13, 11-2, 11-13,
11-3, 11-8
Tom Richards bt Tim Vail 11-6, 14-12, 11-9
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan bt Peter Genever 11-9, 11-7,
11-7
Joe Lee lost to Olivier Pett 9-11, 11-4, 7-11,
8-11
Rachel Willmott lost to Dominique Lloyd-Walter
4-11, 4-11, 5-11
Exeter Diamonds 2 Surrey Health & Racquets 3
Jonathan Kemp lost to Peter Barker 8-11, 11-7,
7-11, 11-2, 5-11
Jonathan Harford lost to Davide Bianchetti 12-10,
11-7, 3-11, 0-11, 12-14
James Snell bt Tim Garner 11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10
Marwan El Shorbagy bt Ben Coleman 11-8, 9-11,
11-5, 13-11
Emma Chorley lost to Camille Serme 8-11, 12-14,
3-11
|
|
6th Round
Esporta Oxford & Surrey Health Head PSL Tables
Contrasting victories by Esporta Oxford and
Surrey Health & Racquets in the sixth round of the Premier Squash
League (PSL) see the clubs return to the top of the Group tables at
the beginning of the second half of the season of the world's most
prestigious squash league.
In Group A, Esporta Oxford visited Newport,
and came away with a 4/1 away win over the league newcomers from Wales.
Irish international Madeline Perry started off the visitors'
winning run with a straight games victory over Welsh international
Stacey Preece - but former Welsh international Greg Tippings
battled to an 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4 victory over Oxford's
Anthony Graham to draw level.
But wins by Jaymie Haycocks, Scott Handley
and Chris Ryder saw Esporta Oxford home and back to the top of
the tables for the first time since the beginning of the season in
October.
A more dramatic encounter in Croydon saw England
international Peter Barker clinch victory for Surrey Health &
Racquets over county rivals Surrey Storm Guildford. The
left-hander from London defeated South African Jesse Engelbrecht
11-5, 11-8, 11-9 to clinch a 3/2 home win which takes the former
champions to the top of the Group B tables on 'ties won'.
A 3/2 home win by MB Nottingham in the East
Midlands derby against Derbyshire's Benz-Bavarian Duffield saw
the former Group A leaders drop to second place in the tables - a single
point behind Esporta Oxford.
Reigning champions LEBC Group Chapel Allerton
brought in distinguished Frenchman Thierry Lincou for his debut
this season against fellow Yorkshire club Pontefract. The former
world number one despatched the home side's top string Harinder Pal
Sandhu, from India, in straight games - and led the Leeds club to a
maximum points 5/0 win.
But the success only lifted Chapel Allerton to third
place in the Group A tables - seven points behind top-placed Oxford.
RESULTS: 6th round, Tuesday 19 January 2010
Group A:
MB Nottingham 3 Benz-Bavarian Duffield 2
Laurens Jan Anjema bt Andrew Whipp 11-5, 11-4, 6-11,
11-5
Renan Lavigne lost to Joel Hinds 11-9, 7-11, 5-11,
11-7, 10-12
Eddie Charlton bt Chris Fuller 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6
Mark Fuller bt Paul Hargrave 11-7, 14-12, 14-12
Emily Whitlock lost to Laura Hill 5-11, 8-11, 1-11
Pontefract 0 LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 5
Harinder Pal Sandhu lost to Thierry Lincou 6-11, 5-11,
6-11
Neil Cordell lost to Chris Truswell 11-5, 14-12, 5-11,
9-11, 11-13
James Earles lost to Stephen Siveter 2-11, 9-11, 5-11
Sam Wileman lost to Adam Murrills 7-11, 11-6, 5-11,
10-12
Kirsty McPhee lost to Jenny Duncalf 3-11, 4-11, 5-11
Newport 1 Esporta Oxford 4
Rob Sutherland lost to Chris Ryder 8-11, 8-11, 11-8,
2-11
Lewys Hurst lost to Scott Handley 7-11, 7-11, 4-11
Nic Birt lost to Jaymie Haycocks 7-11, 2-11, 9-11
Greg Tippings bt Anthony Graham 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 8-11,
11-4
Stacey Preece lost to Madeline Perry 5-11, 0-11, 2-11
Group B:
Surrey Health & Racquets 3 Surrey Storm Guildford 2
Peter Barker bt Jesse Engelbrecht 11-5, 11-8, 11-9
Davide Bianchetti bt Stacey Ross 11-9, 12-10, 11-7
Peter Nicol bt Stephen Meads 11-9, 11-8, 13-11
James Robbins lost to Alex Ingham 5-11, 7-11, 9-11
Stephanie Brind lost to Victoria Lust 12-10, 5-11,
6-11, 5-11
Probuild Bristol 5 TWP St George's Hill 0
Adrian Grant bt Daryl Selby 11-7, 7-11, 11-3, 14-12
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Tom Richards 14-16, 13-11, 7-11,
11-8, 11-7
David Evans bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan 11-9, 11-8, 2-11,
11-1
Hadrian Stiff bt Joe Lee 5-11, 11-7, 11-5, 4-11, 11-7
Sarah-Jane Perry bt Rachel Willmott 11-5, 11-6, 14-12
Covers Chichester 1 Exeter Diamonds 4
Mohd Azlan Iskandar bt Stewart Boswell 12-10, 8-11,
11-8, 11-4
Alex Gough lost to Jonathan Kemp 5-11, 9-11, 7-11
Tim Vail lost to Joey Barrington 11-6, 12-10, 5-11,
6-11, 11-13
Peter Genever lost to James Snell 10-12, 11-8, 11-13,
11-13
Annabelle Collins-Ballands lost to Emma Chorley 5-11,
9-11, 6-11
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|
5th Round
Report
Surrey Health & Chapel Allerton End PSL Leaders'
Unbeaten Runs
MB Nottingham and Surrey
club TWP St George's Hill failed to extend their unbeaten runs
into the second half of the Premier Squash League (PSL) season
after going down 3/2 to reigning champions LEBC Group Chapel
Allerton and former champions Surrey Health & Racquets,
respectively, in the fifth round of the world's most prestigious
squash league.
But, despite losing in the final round before the
Christmas mid-season break, Nottingham and St George's Hill hold onto
their top positions in the Group A and Group B tables, respectively.
England International Peter Barker led
Croydon-based 2008 champions Surrey Health & Racquets to a
dramatic home win over county rivals TWP St George's Hill with an
11-9, 11-8, 11-9 victory in the final match over fellow Essex man
Daryl Selby. The tie was evenly poised before the top string
decider - with Londoner Alison Waters and top Scot Alan Clyne
having put the home side into a solid lead, before the rising English
star Tom Richards and Swiss number one Nicolas Mueller
pulled back the deficit for the visitors.
Mueller, a promising 20-year-old from Zurich, faced
legend Peter Nicol, the now retired former world champion and
four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist who was enjoying his
third PSL outing this season - and looking for his third win. But
Mueller was clearly able to focus on the job in hand in his first
meeting with the distinguished left-hander - and battled courageously
for 50 minutes to see off Nicol 11-5, 7-11, 12-10, 4-11, 11-5.
And the decider was also a notable clash - with Barker
cautiously in action for the first time since withdrawing from last
week's Dutch Open following an ankle injury, and Selby playing
his first match since winning the Rotterdam event and leaping six places
to a career-high world No11 this month. But world No7 Barker was able
to call upon all his experience to dismiss his St George's Hill opponent
in straight games - and give his Croydon club a significant lift going
into the next half of the season.
The key tie in Group A saw two of the hottest English
players on the current international circuit weave their magic for
LEBC Group Chapel Allerton as the Leeds club ended MB
Nottingham's winning streak. Three major WISPA World
Tour title triumphs in November led Yorkshire's British National
champion Jenny Duncalf to a career-high world number two ranking
this month - and the 27-year-old from Harrogate showed her class as she
despatched national rival Sarah Kippax 11-6, 1-3, 11-8.
Chris Hall extended the
visitors' lead with a four-game win over Nottingham's Oliver Holland
- but it was Hull star Laurence Delasaux who clinched the
all-important third match for Chapel Allerton. Fresh from his PSA Tour
title success in Canada at the weekend - his third event triumph in five
weeks as a qualifier - Delasaux recovered from a game down to beat Irish
international John Rooney 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-2 to give Chapel
Allerton their 3/2 win.
Elsewhere in Group A, league newcomers Newport
trounced Yorkshire club Pontefract 4/1 to record their first PSL
win. And the club that became the first from Wales to compete in the
PSL this decade relied on four Welsh players to achieve their
breakthrough success. Cardiff-born Stacey Preece set the club on
its way with a straight games win over Pontefract debutante Andrea
Santamaria, while Newport-based Rob Sutherland needed just 16
minutes to overcome Indian Karan Malik 11-2, 11-4, 11-3.
And after Caerphilly's Peter Creed notched up a
four-game win over the visitors' Sam Wileman, it was left to
Cardiff-based Kiwi Campbell Grayson to extend the lead to 4/1
following his 11-3, 11-5, 11-8 victory over Indian
Harinder Pal Sandhu.
The other Group A tie saw former champions
Benz-Bavarian Duffield keep alive their hopes for a place in the
final for the fourth time in five years by beating Esporta Oxford
3/2 away from home. After an uncharacteristic loss by the Derbyshire
club's long-time winner Tania Bailey - who had to retire after
just two games against Irish international Madeline Perry as a
result of sinus problems - Joel Hinds and debuting Austrian
Aqeel Rehman lifted Duffield spirits with battling wins before squad
number one Nick Matthew, the new world No4 from Sheffield,
clinched victory for the visitors with a straight games victory over the
Oxford top string Chris Ryder.
Exeter Diamonds inflicted
the fifth successive defeat on Surrey Storm Guildford to
strengthen their position in third place in the Group B tables. It was
an all-South African battle which proved the decider when the Devon
club's Clinton Leeuw, from Cape Town, defeated Durban-born
Jesse Engelbrecht 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8. The top string clash saw
Guildford unveil new squad member Julian Illingworth - but the
top-ranked American was unable to celebrate a winning start as Exeter's
Jonathan Kemp ground out an 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9 victory in 48
minutes to give the Diamonds a sparkling 4/1 home win.
After celebrating their first win of the season in the
previous round, Covers Chichester were looking to extend their
winning streak at home as they entertained Probuild Bristol. But
the Avon side was too strong - and top string Adrian Grant closed
out a 4/1 win for the club as he beat Gloucestershire left-hander
Robbie Temple in three games.
But special attention should be given to Chichester's
sole winner Peter Genever, the club stalwart who saved four match
balls in the third game against Peter Marshall before going on to
beat the former world number two 7-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-7.
RESULTS: 5th round,
Tuesday 1 December 2009
Group A:
MB Nottingham 2 LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 3
Renan Lavigne bt Alister Walker 12-14, 12-10, 11-2,
8-11, 13-11
John Rooney lost to Laurence Delasaux 11-9, 7-11, 8-11,
2-11
Simon Parke bt Stephen Siveter 11-6, 2-11, 11-6, 5-11,
11-8
Oliver Holland lost to Chris Hall 8-11, 11-9, 3-11,
2-11
Sarah Kippax lost to Jenny Duncalf 6-11, 3-11, 8-11
Newport 4 Pontefract 1
Campbell Grayson bt Harinder Pal Sandhu 11-3, 11-5,
11-8 (26m)
Rob Sutherland bt Karan Malik 11-2, 11-4, 11-3 (16m)
Peter Creed bt Sam Wileman 12-14, 11-7, 11-3, 11-6
(33m)
David Haley lost to George Wileman 13-11, 9-11, 4-11,
11-9, 6-11 (48m)
Stacey Preece bt Andrea Santamaria 11-7, 11-7, 11-6
(18m)
Esporta Oxford 2 Benz-Bavarian Duffield 3
Chris Ryder lost to Nick Matthew 8-11, 9-11, 5-11
Scott Handley bt Andrew Whipp 11-13, 11-3, 11-9, 11-9
Kristen Johnson lost to Aqeel Rehman 12-14, 4-11, 11-6,
8-11 (47m)
Anthony Graham lost to Joel Hinds 2-11, 7-11, 10-12
Madeline Perry bt Tania Bailey 11-7, 11-4 ret.
Group B:
Surrey Health & Racquets 3 TWP St George's Hill 2
Peter Barker bt Daryl Selby 11-9, 11-8, 11-9
Davide Bianchetti lost to Tom Richards 2-11, 4-11, 6-11
Peter Nicol lost to Nicolas Mueller 5-11, 11-7, 10-12,
11-4, 5-11 (50m)
Alan Clyne bt Joe Lee 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-6
Alison Waters bt Rachel Willmott 11-2, 11-2, 11-4
Covers Chichester 1 Probuild Bristol 4
Robbie Temple lost to Adrian Grant 6-11, 10-12, 11-13
Alex Gough lost to Mohamed El Shorbagy 9-11, 7-11, 8-11
Tim Vail lost to David Evans 7-11, 9-11, 11-4, 9-11
Peter Genever bt Peter Marshall 7-11, 8-11, 12-10,
11-7, 11-7
Dominique Lloyd-Walter lost to Laura Massaro 5-11,
11-5, 11-13, 2-11
Exeter Diamonds 4 Surrey Storm Guildford 1
Jonathan Kemp bt Julian Illingworth 11-8, 9-11, 11-5,
11-9 (48m)
Clinton Leeuw bt Jesse Engelbrecht 11-9, 9-11, 11-6,
11-8
James Snell lost to Stacey Ross 5-11, 10-12, 11-13
Marwan El Shorbagy bt Alex Ingham 9-11, 11-9, 11-5,
11-7
Emma Chorley bt Victoria Lust 12-10, 13-11, 9-11, 11-5
|
|
4th Round Report
St George's Hill & Nottingham Extend Unbeaten PSL Runs
MB Nottingham
and Surrey club TWP St George's Hill maintained their unbeaten
records in the Premier Squash League (PSL) this season with
contrasting wins in the fourth round of the world's most prestigious
squash league.
It was squad number
one Daryl Selby who clinched victory for St George's
Hill in their close-fought Group B home battle with Devon's
Exeter Diamonds. A pair of league debutantes gave the visitors an
early lead - New Zealand international Jaclyn Hawkes and
16-year-old Egyptian Marwan El Shorbagy coming from behind to
beat St George's Hill's Lauren Briggs and Neil Hitchens,
respectively.
But Swiss star
Nicolas Mueller and Hungarian Mark Krajcsak steadied the ship
for the hosts, leaving Selby to fight their cause in the decider.
Reproducing the same
form which saw the 27-year-old reach the last sixteen of the World
Open last week in Kuwait, Selby defeated Exeter's Jonathan Kemp
11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9 in 45 minutes to keep St George's Hill's
unbeaten run this season in tact.
A near full strength
Nottingham squad secured a 4/1 away win at Yorkshire club Pontefract
in Group A. The home side's Indian star Dipika Pallikal, an
18-year-old from Chennai making her PSL debut, claimed the only
Pontefract win, beating former Nottingham club player Ria Kennerley,
also in her first appearance in the league, 11-7, 11-4, 11-4.
And it was all
Nottingham from then on, as Arthur Gaskin, Simon Parke,
Ong Beng Hee and Dutch champion Laurens Jan Anjema all
claimed wins - though Anjema, the world No17, dropped a game to Lee
Beachill, the former world number one who retired at the beginning
of this year.
But Nottingham's lead
at the top of the Group A tables has been cut to just one point - as
rivals Esporta Oxford crushed title-holders LEBC Group Chapel
Allerton 5/0. The opening game saw the return to home soil of
Jenny Duncalf, the England international who stormed to a
sensational victory in last week's US Open in New York - beating
long-time unbeaten Malaysian world number one Nicol David, for
the first time in her career, in straight games in the semi-finals.
Having just stepped of
her transatlantic flight - and celebrating her 27th birthday - it was
hardly the ideal timing for the Harrogate squash star. But Duncalf
battled to a 2/1 lead over Oxford's Madeline Perry before the
world No9 from Belfast took control to close out the match 11-5, 2-11,
8-11, 11-2, 12-10.
And in the top string
clash between two players who excelled in Kuwait, it was the visitors'
Australian international Cameron Pilley that prevailed, beating
the Leeds club's England international Alister Walker 11-6,11-5,
4-11, 11-9 to clinch Esporta's maximum points win.
Former champions
Benz-Bavarian Duffield made up for their disappointing start at the
beginning of the season to beat league newcomers Newport 5/0 at
home. The Derbyshire club's Tania Bailey survived a tough test
from Newport's Donna Urquhart, a fast-rising Australian on the
WISPA World Tour who was making her first appearance in the Premier
League.
Bailey beat Urquhart
13-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7 to pave the way for a succession of Duffield
wins which gave the club its first maximum points win of the season.
Elsewhere in Group B,
2008 champions Surrey Health & Racquets suffered their first
defeat of the season with a less-than-full-strength squad which went
down 4/1 to Probuild Bristol. The Croydon club took the opening
points when Lauren Selby beat Bristol's 17-year-old Rebecca
Quiney in straight games.
But the Avon club took
over thereafter - team captain Hadrian Stiff recovering from a
game down to beat the league's first representative from Chinese Taipei,
Cheng Yao Huang 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 13-11, and top string
Mohamed El Shorbagy making up for a disappointing visit to Kuwait by
beating Scottish number one Alan Clyne 12-10, 12-14, 11-5, 11-8.
And Covers
Chichester also had reason to celebrate in Group B after recording
their first win of the season, against long-time rivals Surrey Storm
Guildford. Team regulars Mohd Azlan Iskandar, Alex
Gough and Tim Vail all recorded straight games wins, while
Robbie Temple and Dominique Lloyd-Walter just dropped one
game each as the south coast side marked up a 5/0 triumph.
RESULTS:
4th round, Tuesday 10 November 2009
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian
Duffield 5 Newport 0
Nick Matthew bt Aaron
Frankcomb 13-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9
Stephen Coppinger bt
Rob Sutherland 11-3, 11-5, 3-11, 5-11, 11-4
Andrew Whipp bt Nic
Birt 11-7, 11-6, 11-6
Paul Hargrave bt
David Haley 11-3, 11-3, 11-6
Tania Bailey bt Donna
Urquhart 13-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7
Pontefract 1 MB
Nottingham 4
Lee Beachill lost to
Laurens Jan Anjema 6-11, 11-9, 8-11, 7-11
Karan Malik lost to
Ong Beng Hee 5-11, 7-11, 7-11
James Earles lost to
Simon Parke 7-11, 7-11, 8-11
Sam Wileman lost to
Arthur Gaskin 6-11, 2-11, 7-11
Dipika Pallikal bt
Ria Kennerley 11-7, 11-4, 11-4
LEBC Group Chapel
Allerton 0 Esporta Oxford 5
Alister Walker lost
to Cameron Pilley 6-11, 5-11, 11-4, 9-11
Chris Truswell lost
to Chris Ryder 5-11, 6-11, 6-11
Adam Murrills lost to
Simon Rosner 4-11, 8-11, 4-11
Neil Guirey lost to
Scott Handley 4-11, 4-11, 5-11
Jenny Duncalf lost to
Madeline Perry 5-11, 11-2, 11-8, 2-11, 10-12
Group B:
Covers Chichester 5
Surrey Storm Guildford 0
Mohd Azlan Iskandar
bt Jesse Engelbrecht 11-6, 11-7, 11-6
Robbie Temple bt
Stacey Ross 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7
Alex Gough bt Anthony
Brindle 11-9, 12-10, 11-8
Tim Vail bt David
Wardle 11-5, 11-4, 12-10
Dominique
Lloyd-Walter bt Victoria Lust 11-9, 11-1, 9-11, 11-8
Probuild Bristol 4
Surrey Health & Racquets 1
Mohamed El Shorbagy
bt Alan Clyne 12-10, 12-14, 11-5, 11-8 (35m)
David Evans bt Stefan
Leifels 12-10, 11-3, 11-3 (26m)
Hadrian Stiff bt
Cheng Yao Huang 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 13-11 (46m)
Peter Marshall bt Ben
Coleman 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 11-5
Rebecca Quiney lost
to Lauren Selby 8-11, 4-11, 10-12
TWP St George's
Hill 3 Exeter Diamonds 2
Daryl Selby bt
Jonathan Kemp 11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9 (45m)
Mark Krajcsak bt Joey
Barrington 11-13, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7 (56m)
Nicolas Mueller bt
James Snell 14-12, 11-9, 11-8 (42m)
Neil Hitchens lost to
Marwan El Shorbagy 13-11, 7-11, 7-11, 3-11 (40m)
Lauren Briggs lost to
Jaclyn Hawkes 4-11, 11-9, 11-3, 6-11, 8-11 (58m)
|
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Round 3 Report |
|
Nottingham & St George's Hill Top PSL
Tables
While MB Nottingham have moved
into top position in Group A in the Premier Squash League (PSL)
for the first time this season, Surrey club TWP St George's Hill
extended their lead in Group B with a resounding 5/0 win
over Surrey Storm Guildford in the third round of the
world's most prestigious squash league.
St George's Hill were in devastating form
in their Surrey derby match against long-time campaigners Guildford -
with all but one of their squad achieving straight games wins. Only
Harriet Ingham, who lives only a stone's throw from the host club,
looked likely to cause a dent in a St George's perfect score. The
17-year-old, making her debut this season for Guildford, fought back to
level the match from 2/0 down - but the more experienced Rachel
Willmott ultimately prevailed 11-8, 11-2, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8 to ensure
maximum points for the home side.
MB Nottingham
also claimed their third successive win this season, by beating league
newcomers Newport 4/1 at home. The Welsh visitors started well
when Deon Saffery, fresh from her unexpected WISPA World Tour
victory at the Finnish Open at the weekend, put Newport ahead
with a straight games win over promising star Emily Whitlock, a
15-year-old from Colwyn Bay.
But strong victories by Laurens Jan
Anjema, Renan Lavigne, Arthur Gaskin and Lewis Walters gave
Nottingham the 17 points which takes the former champions to the top of
the Group A tables.
Esporta Oxford
also claimed a 4/1 win, beating Pontefract at home to secure
their second win of the season. Local girl Lauren Siddall was
Pontefract's sole winner, beating Oxford newcomer Kerri Lancaster
3/0 - but it was one-way traffic for the Oxford hosts thereafter as
Anthony Graham, Scott Handley, Chris Ryder and
Cameron Pilley forged significant victories to push Esporta home.
Former champions Benz-Bavarian
Duffield recorded their first win of the season in a 3/2 away
victory at LEBC Group Chapel Allerton - reversing the outcome of
last season's national final! The Derbyshire club opened strongly as
Tania Bailey beat the Leeds host club's Fiona Moverley in
four games - and later club stalwart Andrew Whipp claimed a
notable win over the home side's Laurence Delasaux, who had just
returned from PSA Tour title success in the Niagara Classic
in Canada.
But home wins by Shaun le Roux and
Chris Simpson left England team mates Nick Matthew and
Alister Walker to fight out the decider. Long-time Duffield number
one Nick Matthew, playing his first match since sustaining an ankle
injury, eventually prevailed 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 6-11, 12-10 to give the
visitors their long-awaited first win of the season.
Eleanor Epke,
the 11-year-old from Bristol who made history by becoming the youngest
player to compete in the Premier League, put in an impressive
performance against 17-year-old Victoria Temple-Murray as her
club Probuild Bristol faced Exeter Diamonds away from
home. The youngster took the opening game - and then stretched her more
experienced opponent to five games - but it was eventually Exeter's
Temple-Murray who emerged triumphant 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-3 as the
Diamonds went on to win the tie 3/2.
Elsewhere in Group B, 2008 champions
Surrey Health & Racquets entertained south coast rivals Covers
Chichester. Former English world number one Peter Nicol was
again in action for the home side - and again notched up a notable win,
beating former Welsh world No5 Alex Gough 11-9, 11-4, 11-1.
France's Camille Serme had earlier made a triumphant debut for
the Croydon club, beating England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter 11-8,
7-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-6 - and the straight games win by Egyptian
international Wael El Hindi over Chichester's Robbie Temple
gave Surrey Health their 3/2 win.
RESULTS: 3rd round, Tuesday 27 October 2009
Group
A:
LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 2
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 3
Alister Walker lost to Nick Matthew
11-9, 10-12, 4-11, 11-6, 10-12
Chris Simpson bt Stephen Coppinger
11-8, 3-11, 11-5, 11-7
Laurence Delasaux lost to Andrew Whipp
6-11, 12-10, 7-11, 12-10, 4-11
Shaun le Roux bt Joel Hinds 11-7,
11-6, 12-10
Fiona Moverley lost to Tania Bailey
2-11, 11-8, 10-12, 2-11
MB Nottingham 4 Newport 1
Laurens Jan Anjema bt Aaron Frankcomb
11-1, 11-7, 11-6
Renan Lavigne bt Campbell Grayson
12-14, 11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 15-13
Arthur Gaskin bt Jethro Binns 11-7,
11-3, 11-8
Lewis Walters bt Lewys Hurst 10-12,
11-5, 11-8, 11-7
Emily Whitlock lost to Deon Saffery
5-11, 7-11, 4-11
Esporta Oxford 4 Pontefract 1
Cameron Pilley bt Harinder Pal Sandhu
13-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-3
Chris Ryder bt Lee Beachill 11-7,
11-6, 11-4
Scott Handley bt Neil Cordell 11-4,
11-4, 11-4
Anthony Graham bt Sam Wileman 11-8,
11-3, 9-11, 11-3
Kerri Lancaster lost to Lauren Siddall
6-11, 4-11, 3-11
Group B:
TWP St George's Hill 5 Surrey Storm
Guildford 0
Daryl Selby bt Jesse Engelbrecht 11-6,
12-10, 11-9
Tom Richards bt Stacey Ross 11-4,
11-6, 11-4
Mark Krajcsak bt Stephen Meads 11-7,
11-7, 11-5
Joe Lee bt Alex Ingham 11-8, 11-6,
11-5
Rachel Willmott bt Harriet Ingham
11-8, 11-2, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8
Surrey Health & Racquets 3 Covers
Chichester 2
Peter Barker lost to Mohd Azlan
Iskandar 9-11, 3-11, 8-11
Wael El Hindi bt Robbie Temple 11-6,
11-8, 11-2
Peter Nicol bt Alex Gough 11-9, 11-4,
11-1
Adrian Waller lost to Tim Vail 11-8,
6-11, 12-10, 4-11, 7-11
Camille Serme bt Dominique
Lloyd-Walter 11-8, 7-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-6
Exeter Diamonds 3 Probuild Bristol 2
Stewart Boswell bt Adrian Grant 11-4,
7-11, 11-8, 11-6 (64m)
Jonathan Kemp lost to Mohamed El
Shorbagy 11-5, 9-11, 4-11, 10-12
Joey Barrington bt David Evans 11-6,
11-7, 11-7 (32m)
Clinton Leeuw lost to Hadrian Stiff
12-14, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 15-17 (97m)
Victoria Temple-Murray bt Eleanor Epke
6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-3 (30m)
|
|
Round 2 Report
St George's Hill Top PSL Tables For First Time
Surrey club TWP St George's Hill
recorded the most decisive win in the second round of the Premier
Squash League (PSL) by beating Covers Chichester 4/1 away
from home to top the Group B table for the first time in their fourth
season in the world's most prestigious squash league.
The Weybridge club, unbeaten this
season, is one point ahead of county rivals Surrey Health & Racquets,
the 2008 champions who beat Exeter Diamonds 3/2 to also maintain
their unbeaten record. Avon club Probuild Bristol put paid
to a Surrey hat-trick by overcoming Surrey Storm Guildford
3/2 at home.
There was dramatic action in Group A
where all ties finished 3/2 - and defending champions LEBC Group
Chapel Allerton reclaimed pole position in the tables by beating
league newcomers Newport. Despite a better 'matches won' total,
the Leeds club shares 32 points with East Midlands rivals MB
Nottingham, who were 3/2 home winners over Esporta Oxford -
while fellow Yorkshire club Pontefract recovered from 2/0 down to
beat former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield, from Derbyshire.
St George's Hill team manager Danny
Lee was delighted with his club's performance in Chichester.
Dominique Lloyd-Walter put the home side ahead with an 11-7, 5-11,
12-10, 11-3 over Lauren Briggs - but Danny's son Joe Lee
brought the visitors back into contention with a straight games win over
Robert Downer and Hungarian number one Mark Krajcsak
continued the fightback with an impressive win over Chichester stalwart
Tim Vail.
Rising England star Tom Richards
clinched victory for St George's Hill with a straight games win over
fellow countryman Robbie Temple, before Mohd Azlan Iskandar
and Daryl Selby - both having just returned from PSA Tour duties
in Hong Kong - fought out a weary top string battle, which Selby
ultimately clinched for the visitors 12-10, 10-12, 4-11, 11-5, 11-3.
"We've persevered with a young squad
ever since our arrival in the PSL - and this is now beginning to pay
off," said Lee senior. "I'm really pleased with the team's performance
tonight - across the board - and there's a great team spirit too."
Surrey Health & Racquets
brought former world number one and world champion Peter Nicol
out of retirement in their bid to beat west country side Exeter
Diamonds. And, despite not having played a competitive match since
his previous appearance for the Croydon club in April 2007, 36-year-old
Nicol showed that he has still not lost his touch as he beat promising
Devon 21-year-old James Snell 11-6, 12-10, 5-11, 9-11, 11-3 in 64
minutes.
"Pete was moving well and played with
such accuracy," said Surrey Health team manager Pete Smith.
"James tried to play a fast game at the beginning but Pete stuck with
him - and eventually won the fifth very easily."
It was two-all when the top strings went
head-to-head - and there was revenge at stake for the home side's
Peter Barker, whose last meeting with Stewart Boswell was in
England's deciding match in the world team championship play-off for
third place against Australia earlier this month in Denmark.
London left-hander Barker, higher-ranked
than the Australian, went down in four games - but, in Croydon,
recovered from a game behind to despatch Boswell 8-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-4
to clinch a confidence-boosting win for himself, and a tie-winning
result for his hosts.
Barker's England team-mate Adrian
Grant was also called upon to pull off a tie-winning triumph when
facing PSL newcomer Mohd Ali Anwar Reda, from Egypt, in the
decider for Probuild Bristol against Surrey Storm Guildford.
World top 20-ranked players Laura Massaro and Mohamed El
Shorbagy had provided two important wins for the home side -
England's world No9 Massaro making her Bristol debut - but former
touring professionals and Guildford stalwarts Stephen Meads and
Stacey Ross, on the eve of his 36th birthday, had levelled the
tie.
It was the longest match of the night,
but Grant beat Reda 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8 in 44 minutes to give the
Avon club its first win of the season.
There were two more tie-winning
performances by England internationals in second round clashes in Group
A. Newport, the first Welsh club in the PSL this decade, were
poised for a maiden victory when Australian international Aaron
Frankcomb took on former LEBC Group Chapel Allerton team-mate
Alister Walker, the England number five. Frankcomb got off to a
flying start and took the opening game - but Walker bounced back to take
the match 9-11, 11-3,11-3, 11-2 to take the Leeds club back to the top
of the Group A tables.
It was a case of '11 times lucky' for
MB Nottingham's second string Renan Lavigne when the French
international faced Chris Ryder with visitors Esporta Oxford
leading 2/1. Long-time Nottingham player Lavigne had 11 match balls
against his English opponent - six in the third game - before finally
clinching victory by an 11-4, 11-6, 12-14, 10-12, 12-10 scoreline.
A Dutch/Australian battle brought the
night to close when four-time Dutch champion Laurens Jan Anjema
beat Cameron Pilley 4-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 to give victory to
Nottingham.
The tie between Pontefract and
Benz-Bavarian Duffield had all the ingredients necessary to ensure a
satisfied crowd from the beginning of the night through to the end.
They first saw a long-awaited revenge victory for England comeback queen
Tania Bailey over Dutch star Vanessa Atkinson in which
Bailey made up for defeats in last month's British Open and
World Open to finally overcome the former world champion 11-9, 4-11,
11-4, 2-11, 11-8 - and put visitors Duffield into the lead.
Retired Pontefract star Lee Beachill
began the comeback for the hosts, showing signs of the brilliance which
once took him to the top of the world rankings by beating Duffield's
Andrew Whipp 11-4, 10-12, 11-6, 11-5.
But it was left to current England hero
James Willstrop to nail the tie victory: Only days after
recording one of the best wins of his career in Hong Kong, where be beat
reigning world champion Ramy Ashour, Willstrop saw off New
Zealander Martin Knight 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 to ensure a 3/2 win for
Pontefract.
RESULTS:
2nd round, Tuesday 20 October 2009
Group A:
Pontefract 3 Benz-Bavarian Duffield
2
James Willstrop bt Martin Knight
11-5, 11-5, 11-3
Saurav Ghosal bt Stephen Coppinger
10-12, 11-3, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4
Lee Beachill bt Andrew Whipp 11-4,
10-12, 11-6, 11-5
James Earles lost to Joel Hinds
1-11, 10-12, 5-11
Vanessa Atkinson lost to Tania
Bailey 9-11, 11-4, 4-11, 11-2, 8-11
Newport 2 LEBC Group Chapel Allerton
3
Aaron Frankcomb lost to Alister
Walker 11-9, 3-11, 3-11, 2-11
Campbell Grayson bt Chris Simpson
11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 12-10
Jethro Binns lost to Shaun le Roux
3-11, 6-11, 5-11
Greg Tippings bt Adam Murrills
11-8, 11-7, 11-8
Deon Saffery lost to Jenny Duncalf
4-11, 3-11, 2-11
MB Nottingham 3 Esporta Oxford 2
Laurens Jan Anjema bt Cameron Pilley
4-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-9
Renan Lavigne bt Chris Ryder 11-4,
11-6, 12-14, 10-12, 12-10
Simon Parke lost to Scott Handley
11-9, 4-11, 9-11, 10-12
Eddie Charlton bt Piedro Schweertman
11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-6
Emma Beddoes lost to Madeline Perry
7-11, 10-12, 7-11
Group B:
Probuild Bristol 3 Surrey Storm
Guildford 2
Adrian Grant bt Mohd Ali Anwar Reda
11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8 (44m)
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Jesse
Engelbrecht 11-0, 11-8, 11-2 (25m)
David Evans lost to Stacey Ross
7-11, 11-13, 6-11 (34m)
Hadrian Stiff lost to Stephen Meads
10-12, 10-12 ret. (37m)
Laura Massaro bt Victoria Lust
11-6, 11-7, 12-10 (25m)
Covers Chichester 1 TWP St George's
Hill 4
Mohd Azlan Iskandar lost to Daryl
Selby 10-12, 12-10, 11-4, 5-11, 3-11
Robbie Temple lost to Tom Richards
7-11, 8-11, 8-11
Tim Vail lost to Mark Krajcsak
14-16, 5-11, 11-7, 9-11
Robert Downer lost to Joe Lee 6-11,
3-11, 7-11
Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Lauren
Briggs 11-7, 5-11, 12-10, 11-3
Surrey Health & Racquets 3 Exeter
Diamonds 2
Peter Barker bt Stewart Boswell
8-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-4
Wael El Hindi lost to Jonathan Kemp
9-11, 12-10, 8-11, 4-11
Davide Bianchetti lost to Joey
Barrington 10-12, 10-12, 5-11
Peter Nicol bt James Snell 11-6,
12-10, 5-11, 9-11, 11-3 (64m)
Alison Waters bt Emma Chorley 11-6,
11-5, 11-5
|
|
Round 1 Report
Champions Chapel Allerton Make Strong Start In New PSL
Season
LEBC Group Chapel Allerton,
the Leeds club which lifted the Premier Squash League (PSL)
trophy for the first time last season, made a strong start to the 26th
season of the world's most prestigious squash league by beating
Yorkshire rivals Pontefract 4/1 in tonight's first round tie.
But Esporta Oxford begin the
season at the top of the Group A points table after winning an extra
game in their 4/1 victory over league newcomers Newport, the
first Welsh team to compete in the PSL this decade.
Former champions Surrey Health &
Racquets top the Group B tables after a 3/2 away win at county
rivals Surrey Storm Guildford, formerly known as UniSport
Guildford. And Exeter Diamonds are only a point behind the 2008
champions following their 4/1 home win against Covers Chichester.
British National champion Jenny
Duncalf put defending champions Chapel Allerton into a commanding
position against Pontefract with a 9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-2 win over
Leeds-based Vanessa Atkinson, the Dutch number one.
Adam Murrills
and Shaun le Roux put the overall result beyond doubt for the
home side before club regular Laurence Delasaux, a 24-year-old
from Hull who has recently returned to the PSA World Tour after a
two-year absence, claimed a first-time victory over the county's former
world number one Lee Beachill in an 11-4, 11-5, 5-11, 11-6
scoreline.
England team-mates James Willstrop
and Alister Walker came face to face in the final match of the
programme - and Willstrop picked up a consolation point for Pontefract
with a 12-10, 11-9, 11-7 win.
"It's a great start to the new season
after a long summer break since we won the title," said Chapel Allerton
team manager Neil Guirey. "On paper it could have gone either
way, so it was good that we were able to come away with an emphatic
win."
It was a disappointing start for Welsh
debutants Newport - but Esporta Oxford have strengthened
their squad for the new season. Simon Rosner, a 21-year-old
former European Junior champion from Germany who is making his debut for
the club, put in a gritty performance to beat Newport Welshman Rob
Sutherland 11-4, 10-12, 15-17, 11-8, 11-7 - and Australian
Cameron Pilley stretched Oxford's winning margin to 4/1 when he
despatched fellow countryman Aaron Frankcomb 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 in
the day's final match.
The other tie in Group A was an
all-East-Midlands derby between former champions Benz-Bavarian
Duffield and MB Nottingham. The Derbyshire home side got off
to the worst possible start when England star Tania Bailey lost
her four-and-a-half-year unbeaten run for Duffield after having to
concede her match to the visitors' Sarah Kippax after just two
games. Plagued by injury and illness over recent years, Bailey
underwent knee surgery earlier this year, and had been making good
progress.
Duffield went on to lead 2/1 - but
top-ranked Malaysian Ong Beng Hee levelled matters for
Nottingham, then Dutch number one Laurens Jan Anjema celebrated
his first appearance in the league for six years by beating the home
side's New Zealand international Martin Knight 11-3,11-4, 11-5 to
clinch a memorable 3/2 away win for Nottingham.
The Guildford crowd got their money's
worth when Surrey Storm Guildford hosted Surrey Health &
Racquets, the Croydon club which has consistently enjoyed success in
Group B. England international; Alison Waters, a Guildford force
for the past five seasons, was making her debut for the visitors - and
put the knife in for her old club with a straight games win over her
successor Victoria Lust.
But two mighty five-game battles by
Guildford stalwarts Stephen Meads and Stacey Ross saw the
home side reclaim the advantage. However, Scottish international
Alan Clyne levelled the tie before England international Peter
Barker cruised to an 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 win over South African
Jesse Engelbrecht to establish the 3/2 win for Surrey Health which
takes the club to the top of the Group B points table.
Covers Chichester
got their 15th successive PSL season off to a promising start when
Dominique Lloyd-Walter despatched the Devon club's Emma Chorley
in straight games. But, Exeter Diamonds, in only their second
season in the PSL, soon turned things around with wins by Tom Pashley,
Joey Barrington and Jonathan Kemp.
But Australian international Stewart
Boswell secured the victory which ensured that Exeter Diamonds start
the season just a point behind the group table-toppers when he beat the
South Coast club's Robbie Temple 11-4, 11-8, 3-11, 11-2 in the
top-string clash.
There was further Surrey success in
Group B when TWP St George's Hill edged out Avon opponents
Probuild Bristol 3/2. Local boy Joe Lee had double reason to
celebrate his 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-4 victory over Bristol's Peter
Marshall - it was his first ever win over the former world number
two, and it was on his 20th birthday!
Bristol's top string was also
celebrating his birthday - his 29th - and also did it by securing a win,
over the home club's number one Daryl Selby. But it was to no
avail, as St George's Hill had already netted three wins to ensure a
home success for the night.
RESULTS:
1st round, Tuesday 6 October 2009
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 2 MB
Nottingham 3
Martin Knight lost to Laurens Jan
Anjema 3-11, 4-11, 5-11
Stephen Coppinger lost to Ong Beng Hee
8-11, 4-11, 11-8, 10-12
Andrew Whipp bt John Rooney 9-11,
2-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-4
Joel Hinds bt Eddie Charlton 5-11,
11-6, 11-5, 11-5
Tania Bailey lost to Sarah Kippax
9-11, 9-11 ret.
LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 4
Pontefract 1
Alister Walker lost to James Willstrop
10-12, 9-11, 7-11
Laurence Delasaux bt Lee Beachill
11-4, 11-5, 5-11, 11-6
Shaun le Roux bt Neil Cordell 6-11,
11-5, 11-7, 11-6
Adam Murrills bt Karan Malik 11-8,
11-13, 14-12, 11-8
Jenny Duncalf bt Vanessa Atkinson
9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-2
Esporta Oxford 4 Newport 1
Cameron Pilley bt Aaron Frankcomb
11-8, 11-6, 11-6
Chris Ryder bt Campbell Grayson 11-7,
12-10, 11-5
Simon Rosner bt Rob Sutherland 11-4,
10-12, 15-17, 11-8, 11-7
Anthony Graham lost to Jethro Binns
11-6, 6-11, 5-11, 4-11
Madeline Perry bt Deon Saffery 14-12,
11-8, 9-11, 11-3
Group B:
Surrey Storm Guildford 2 Surrey
Health & Racquets 3
Jesse Engelbrecht lost to Peter Barker
6-11, 6-11, 8-11
Gilly Lane lost to Alan Clyne 6-11,
11-4, 7-11, 2-11
Stacey Ross bt Adrian Waller 8-11,
11-5, 10-12, 11-5, 15-13
Stephen Meads bt Ben Ford 10-12, 9-11,
11-5, 11-9, 11-7
Victoria Lust lost to Alison Waters
5-11, 6-11, 3-11
TWP St George's Hill 3 Probuild
Bristol 2
Daryl Selby lost to Adrian Grant 4-11,
11-1, 14-12, 3-11, 2-11
Tom Richards lost to Mohamed El
Shorbagy 14-16, 8-11, 10-12
Nicolas Mueller bt David Evans 14-12,
11-3, 11-4
Joe Lee bt Peter Marshall 11-5, 9-11,
11-4, 11-4
Lauren Briggs bt Leonie Holt 11-3,
11-3, 11-2
Exeter Diamonds
4 Covers Chichester 1
Stewart Boswell bt Robbie Temple 11-4,
11-8, 3-11, 11-2
Jonathan Kemp bt Alex Gough 11-3,
11-7, 11-5
Joey Barrington bt Tim Vail 11-9,
11-9, 12-10
Tom Pashley bt Peter Genever 9-11,
11-7, 4-11, 11-4, 11-3
Emma Chorley lost to Dominique
Lloyd-Walter 6-11, 9-11, 7-11
|
|
Preview
New PSL Season Hails Welsh Interest From Newport
The 26th season of
the world's most prestigious squash league gets underway next week when
12 teams line up for the first round of the Premier Squash League (PSL)
at clubs in Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Devon on
Tuesday (6 October).
And, for the first
time this decade, a team from Wales will battle for British glory when
Newport join the fray for the new season. Led by Australian
Aaron Frankcomb and including New Zealander Campbell Grayson,
the team on Tuesday will feature three Welsh players including Newport
born and bred Rob Sutherland, ranked 71 in the world. Newport
begin their maiden PSL campaign away from home against Esporta Oxford.
LEBC Group
Chapel Allerton, the Leeds
team which won the title for the first time last season, host fellow
Yorkshire club Pontefract and James Willstrop and
Alister Walker, who are England team-mates in the World Championship
currently being played in Denmark, will be in opposite corners,
representing Pontefract and Chapel Allerton, respectively.
Derbyshire's
former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield will extend their status
as the PSL's longest-serving campaigners after beginning their
unbroken league run in 1993 by taking on fellow East Midlands side
MB Nottingham.
Duffield,
champions in 1998, 2006 and 2007, will be led by England number one
Nick Matthew, while 1999 champions Nottingham will be led for the
first time by Laurens Jan Anjema, the top-ranked Dutch player who
is returning to PSL action for the first time since 1993.
The season's
fixture list is as follows:
1st
round 6 October 2009
2nd
round 20 October 2009
3rd
round 27 October 2009
4th
round 10 November 2009
5th
round 1 December 2009
6th
round 19 January 2010
7th
round 26 January 2010
8th
round 16 February 2010
9th
round 2 March 2010
10th
round 16 March 2010
Semi-finals 6 April 2010 (TBC)
FINAL 4 May 2010 (TBC)
1st round
line-up:
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian
Duffield v MB Nottingham
Nick Matthew v
Laurens Jan Anjema
Martin Knight v
Ong Beng Hee
Andrew Whipp v
John Rooney
Joel Hinds v
Eddie Charlton
Tania Bailey v
Sarah Kippax
LEBC Group
Chapel Allerton v Pontefract
Alister Walker v
James Willstrop
Laurence
Delasaux v Lee Beachill
Shaun le Roux v
Neil Cordell
Adam Murrills v
Andrew McDougall
Jenny Duncalf v
Vanessa Atkinson
Esporta Oxford
v Newport
Cameron Pilley v
Aaron Frankcomb
Chris Ryder v
Campbell Grayson
Simon Rosner v
Rob Sutherland
Anthony Graham v
Jethro Binns
Madeline Perry v
Deon Saffery
Group B:
Surrey Storm
Guildford v Surrey Health & Racquets
Jesse
Engelbrecht v Peter Barker
Gilly Lane v
Alan Clyne
Stacey Ross v
Ben Ford
Stephen Meads v
Adrian Waller
Victoria Lust v
Alison Waters
TWP St George's
Hill v Probuild Bristol
Daryl Selby v
Adrian Grant
Tom Richards v
David Evans
Nicolas Mueller
v Hadrian Stiff
Joe Lee v Peter
Marshall
Lauren Briggs v
Leonie Holt
Exeter Diamonds
v Covers Chichester
Stewart Boswell
v Robbie Temple
Jonathan Kemp v
Alex Gough
Joey Barrington
v Tim Vail
James Snell v
Peter Genever
Emma Chorley v
Dominique Lloyd-Walter
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