| |
Surrey
Health 'Make Little Bit Of History' With PSL Title Win
After
agreeing with team manager Pete Smith earlier in the day that
they 'wanted to make a little bit of history', Integrity Surrey
Health & Racquets went on to beat Surrey rivals TWP St George's
Hill in the Premier Squash League (PSL) final at Surrey
Sports Park in Guildford to become not only the first club to
win three titles in a row, but also the first in the 27-year-history of
the world's most prestigious squash league to win the crown four times.
But it
was the Weybridge club, runners-up to Croydon-based Surrey Health in the
2011 final, that drew first blood when Laura Massaro, the
reigning British champion, overcame a leg injury to beat England
team-mate Alison Waters 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6 in 51 minutes - a
win which moved the career head-to head tally between the two to 12/11
in Massaro's favour.
It was
the pair's fourth meeting this year - the first being the British
National Championship final won by Massaro in February and the most
recent the Irish Open semi-finals in Dublin where Londoner Waters, a
former world No3, triumphed.
"I
really wanted to win tonight for the club - and get my revenge for
Ireland," said Massaro, the world No4 from Preston. "I knew that my
match could be crucial."
Massaro's return to the court for the third game was delayed while she
received treatment for an injured left calf. "It was a bit of a shock
when it happened midway through the second game - it went into spasm. I
couldn't really concentrate properly for a bit, then managed to ignore
it and focus on the squash.
"Alison's not the easiest player to play," Massaro continued. "And it
always seems to be me that has to play her - this is the fourth time
since her return from injury at the beginning of the year!"
But
minutes after the women's match ended, Surrey Health drew level when
Adrian Waller beat fellow 22-year-old and career-long rival Joe
Lee, the St George's No4, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-7 in exactly one
hour.
Tension amongst the capacity crowd grew as the next pair of matches got
underway on the two adjacent Surrey Sports Park showcourts - the right
court featuring an all-continental Europe clash between German number
one Simon Rosner and the top-ranked Swiss player Nicolas
Mueller, and the left court starring second strings Adrian Grant
and Tom Richards, ranked 17 and 16, respectively, in the world.
Rosner
lifted Surrey Health hearts by taking the first game, but the younger
Mueller - looking for his first ever win over the German - soon drew
level. With both players looking as if their lives depended on it, it
was Rosner who eventually prevailed, winning 11-4, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5 in
48 minutes to put the defending champions back in the driving seat.
"All
matches are important to me - whether it's on the Tour, or in European
competitions, or a club event like this," said Rosner, the world No19
from Paderborn later. "I just want to give it my all - and it usually
seems to pay off.
"It
would be really good for the club to win tonight, as I would then have
won titles this season for clubs in three different countries - Holland,
Germany and England."
By now
the whole crowd was focussed on the single court where Grant, a
31-year-old former world No9 from London, had taken a 2/0 lead over his
25-year-old St George's Hill opponent.
But,
with shouts of 'come on Tom' ringing round the auditorium, Richards
clawed back the deficit to level the match after 70 minutes.
It was
nip and tuck throughout the decider, with the more experienced Grant
always just slightly ahead. And, after 87 minutes of breath-taking
action, it was Surrey Health second string Grant who converted his first
match-ball to win the clash 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 11-6 - and give his
club the historic fourth title.
"There's a great team spirit amongst us," said Grant afterwards. "We
don't just turn up and play."
And it
was a jubilant Surrey Health team manager Pete Smith who picked up the
trophy and praised his players. "We really wanted it tonight - and I
think you could see that. We wanted to make a little bit of history.
"It's
unbelievable - to do the triple, and win the title a fourth time. It's
quite an achievement!
"The
players have done a fantastic job - not just the team tonight, who were
awesome, but the rest of the squad throughout the season, including
Peter Nicol, Alan Clyne, Tim Garner, Vicky Lust
and Nada Elkalaawy," Smith continued.
"Our
new owners Virgin have been really supportive - and I hope they will be
even more so next season.
"I'd
also like to pay tribute to Danny Lee and his St George's Hill
squad. They made it a great final.
"My
man of the match? It would have to be Adrian - he was fantastic tonight
and did a magnificent job for us."
St
George's Hill manager Danny Lee also paid tribute to his squad:
"Our players have been absolutely fantastic this season - not just those
playing tonight, but also Mark Krajcsak and Dominique
Lloyd-Walter for their earlier contributions."
The
two top strings played out a best-of three 'dead' rubber - with world
No10 Daryl Selby gaining small consolation for St George's Hill
by beating Essex schoolmate and England team-mate Peter Barker,
the world No7, 11-7, 11-9.
RESULTS: Premier Squash League Final, Tuesday 8 May 2012
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 3 TWP St George's Hill 2
Peter Barker lost to Daryl Selby 7-11, 9-11 (25m)
Adrian Grant bt Tom Richards 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 11-6
(87m)
Simon Rosner bt Nicolas Mueller 11-4, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5
(48m)
Adrian Waller bt Joe Lee 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-7 (60m)
Alison Waters lost to Laura Massaro 5-11, 11-7, 7-11, 6-11
(51m)
|
Surrey
Health & St George's Hill Celebrate Second Successive PSL Final
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets
and TWP St George's Hill will contest an all-Surrey Premier
Squash League (PSL) final for the second year in a row after two of
the quickest wins of the season in the semi-finals of the world's most
prestigious squash league.
Both
teams romped to unassailable 3/0 leads to confirm their repeat of the
2011 climax - Weybridge-based St George's Hill ending up with a 3/2 away
win over former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield and
title-holders Surrey Health crushing MB Nottingham, also
ex-champions, 5/0 at home.
Croydon-based Surrey Health are now just one win away from a unique
double - not only becoming the first team in the league's 27-year
history to take three titles in a row, but also the first to win four
titles in all.
A
packed house in the Derbyshire village of Duffield saw the hosts -
themselves three times PSL champions - go down quickly to their southern
visitors. The opening bout saw two of the world's top women go
head-to-head - and it took 56 minutes for British champion Laura
Massaro, the world No3 from Preston, to edge out Yorkshire's world
No2 Jenny Duncalf 14-12, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8 to put St George's
ahead.
Joe
Lee
and Swiss maestro Nicolas Mueller clinched the tie for St
George's soon afterwards - Lee licking local boy Paul Hargrave
11-5, 12-10, 11-1 in just 27 minutes and Mueller needing three minutes
less to see off Andy Whipp 11-7, 11-5, 11-6.
The
capacity crowd went home with some consolation after South African
Stephen Coppinger beat a probably jet-lagged Tom Richards
11-9, 11-8, 11-8 - and Duffield star Nick Matthew, the world
champion from Sheffield, defeated England team-mate Daryl Selby
11-9, 11-8, 11-13, 13-11.
"It
was a great night for us," admitted St George's Hill team manager
Danny Lee. "All credit to Laura for giving us a great start in a
good tactical game against her England team-mate. There's been a great
team spirit all season and they were all up for it tonight.
"I'm
also really pleased for our sponsors TWP who have supported us now for
the past four years," added Lee.
It was
one-way traffic in Croydon where defending champions Surrey Health
punished a less than full strength Nottingham squad. Londoner Alison
Waters, a former world No3, beat 18-year-old Emily Whitlock,
winner of a second successive European Junior Championship trophy
earlier this month, 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 to put the home side in the driving
seat.
And
four further straight games wins followed as Adrian Waller,
Alan Clyne, Adrian Grant and Peter Barker powerfully
led the home team to their whitewash win.
"It's
very good to be in the final again," said Surrey Health team manager
Pete Smith. "All our team performed well tonight and we now look
forward to meeting St George's Hill again.
"It'll
be a good final, without doubt."
The
final will take place on Tuesday 8 May, at a venue yet to be decided.
RESULTS: Premier Squash League, Semi-Finals, Tuesday 17 April
2012
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 2 TWP St George's Hill 3
Nick Matthew bt Daryl Selby 11-9, 11-8, 11-13, 13-11
Stephen Coppinger bt Tom Richards 11-9, 11-8, 11-8 (37m)
Andy Whipp lost to Nicolas Mueller 7-11, 5-11, 6-11 (24m)
Paul Hargrave lost to Joe Lee 5-11, 10-12, 1-11 (27m)
Jenny Duncalf lost to Laura Massaro 12-14, 11-7, 7-11,
8-11 (56m)
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 5 MB Nottingham 0
Peter Barker bt Mark Fuller 12-10, 11-2, 11-4
Adrian Grant bt Declan James 11-6, 15-13, 12-10
Alan Clyne bt Arthur Moineau 11-6, 11-2, 11-2
Adrian Waller bt Martin Mosnik 11-8, 11-4, 11-9
Alison Waters bt Emily Whitlock 11-3, 11-4, 11-5
|
|
|
Ties |
Matches |
Games |
Pts |
|
P |
W
|
L |
W
|
L |
W |
L |
|
GROUP B: NORTH |
Duffield |
8 |
7 |
3 |
31 |
9 |
103 |
38 |
138 |
Nottingham |
8 |
5 |
3 |
21 |
19 |
82 |
76 |
107 |
Oxford |
8 |
4 |
4 |
23 |
17 |
79 |
74 |
99 |
Pontefract |
8 |
3 |
5 |
15 |
25 |
57 |
85 |
72 |
Birmingham |
8 |
1 |
7 |
10 |
30 |
48 |
96 |
53 |
SEMI FINAL |
Duffield 2-3 St George's Hill |
GROUP B: SOUTH |
Surrey H&R |
10 |
8 |
2 |
34 |
16 |
115 |
67 |
155 |
St George's Hill |
10 |
8 |
2 |
31 |
19 |
109 |
71 |
149 |
Exeter |
10 |
5 |
5 |
27 |
23 |
99 |
81 |
124 |
Chichester |
10 |
5 |
5 |
23 |
27 |
86 |
100 |
111 |
Winchester |
10 |
3 |
7 |
20 |
30 |
72 |
106 |
87 |
Bristol |
10 |
1 |
9 |
15 |
35 |
61 |
117 |
66 |
SEMI FINAL |
Surrey Health & Racquets 5-0 Nottingham
|
Final |
Surrey Health & Racquets 3
St George's Hill 2 |
Previous Reports |
2010/11
|
2009/10 |
2008/9 |
2007/8 |
2006/7 |
2006 |
Round 10
Late
Finish Sees Nottingham Complete PSL Play-Off Line-Up
In his
first appearance for the club for exactly two years, Frenchman Renan
Lavigne clinched a place in the Premier Squash League (PSL)
semi-final play-offs for MB Nottingham after the former champions
beat Group A rivals Oxford Health & Racquets in the tenth and
final round of the world's most prestigious squash league.
Nottingham, who have shared second and third places in the group with
Oxford for most of the season, will face Group B winners Integrity
Surrey Health & Racquets, the reigning champions, in one semi-final
- while the other will feature runaway Group A leaders Benz-Bavarian
Duffield and TWP St George's Hill.
Derbyshire club Duffield, now in the semi-finals for the sixth time in
the last seven seasons, romped to the quickest win of the night, beating
Courtcraft Pontefract 5/0, while Weybridge-based St George's Hill
earned their third successive appearance in the play-offs after crushing
IGT Winchester 5/0.
Croydon team Surrey Health & Racquets took one step closer to
becoming the first team in the league's history to win the title three
years in a row when they beat Exeter Diamonds 4/1 away from home
to finish the season just six points ahead of last season's runners-up
St George's Hill.
But
the drama of the night emanated from Nottingham where the 1999 champions
hosted rivals Oxford - with a place in the semi-finals waiting the
winners. Emma Beddoes put the hosts into the lead with an 11-5,
11-4, 11-7 win over Oxford's Victoria Bell - but team-mate
Mark Fuller failed to capitalise on a 2/1 lead over Andrew Birks
as the visitors drew level after Birks clinched the deciding game 11-5.
Club
stalwart Lewis Walters brought Nottingham back into contention
after an 11-5, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6 victory over Ben Coleman - before
37-year-old Lavigne, a European and World Over-35 champion, took on
Oxford's Mark Cairns, a 44-year-old former British National
champion. Cairns led 2/1, but a gritty performance from Lavigne saw the
former French international clinch a mighty 11-5, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10,
11-5 victory to see his club into the semi-finals.
The
team weren't keen to rest on their laurels, however, by throwing the
largely irrelevant fifth match: Eddie Charlton continued the
Nottingham heroics by again recovering from behind to beat the Oxford
number one Scott Handley 11-3, 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9 to ensure
an overall 4/1 win.
"It's
such a proud moment for the whole MB Nottingham team, managers and club
members," said team manager Nigel Taylor afterwards. "Each and
every player has put in some magnificent performances over the course of
the tournament and have worn the MB Nottingham shirt with pride.
"Our
old pal and stalwart Renan Lavigne was really up for tonight and
has been really looking forward to representing MB Nottingham. Once
again, just like the good old days, he's worked hard in the Nottingham
shirt and helped the team on to the semi finals.
"It's
a fantastic result.....Bring on the semis!"
Despite already being assured of a play-off place, Duffield finished the
pre-knockout part of the season by earning maximum points with a 20-0
win over Yorkshire club Pontefract. England star Tania Bailey
came out of retirement to despatch Sarah Bowles 11-3, 11-0, 11-7,
and team-mates Aqeel Rehman, Laurence Delasaux, Andy
Whipp, and Jonathan Kemp followed suit by wrapping things up
in just over two hours.
A win
was vital to ensure St George's Hill's return to the play-offs - and
again the Surrey side achieved their objective in the most determined
style, without conceding a single game.
Squad
number one Tom Richards carried on where he left off in Canada at
the weekend when he won the biggest Tour title of his career in
Montreal. Richards beat Jethro Binns 11-8, 11-7, 11-6, after
Swiss star Nicolas Mueller, Hungarian champion Mark Krajcsak,
former England stars Stephen Meads and Dominique Lloyd-Walter
had set up a 4/0 lead for the Weybridge hosts.
"It's
a great feeling to be in the semi-finals again - and I am very proud of
my team," said St George's manager Danny Lee. "We look forward to
our visit to Duffield and, in the nicest possible way, hope we can
'duff' them up and make the final!"
Having
once topped the Group B tables and held onto second place various times
this season, Exeter Diamonds were hoping to pull off an unlikely win
over visitors Surrey Health. But although Aisling Blake put the
home side ahead with an 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 win over Harriet Ingham,
the Croydon club powered back with successive victories by former world
number one and multi Commonwealth Games gold medallist Peter Nicol
and reigning Scottish champion Alan Clyne.
But it
was left to the top-ranked German Simon Rosner to clinch victory
for Surrey Health courtesy of a straight games win over Welsh champion
Peter Creed - before Londoner Peter Barker extended the
visitors' win by beating the valiant Exeter top string Tim Vail
also in straight games.
PSL
stalwarts Team Chichester finished the season in style with a 5/0
win over foot-of-the-table UWE Bristol. The under-strength Avon
team picked up two games from the encounter, but on-song Olivier Pett,
Anthony Graham, Alex Ingham, Miles Jenkins and
Lauren Briggs brought home maximum points for the south coast side.
RESULTS: Premier Squash League, 10th round, Tuesday 27 March 2012
Group A:
MB Nottingham 4 Oxford Health & Racquets 1
Eddie Charlton bt Scott Handley 11-3, 9-11, 8-11, 11-8,
11-9
Renan Lavigne bt Mark Cairns 11-5, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-5
Lewis Walters bt Ben Coleman 11-5, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6
Mark Fuller lost to Andrew Birks 2-11, 12-10, 11-8, 7-11,
5-11
Emma Beddoes bt Victoria Bell 11-5, 11-4, 11-7
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 5 Courtcraft Pontefract 0
Jonathan Kemp bt Lee Beachill 11-7, 11-7, 11-5
Andy Whipp bt Neil Cordell 11-9, 11-5, 11-5
Laurence Delasaux bt Sam Wileman 11-5, 11-7, 11-4
Aqeel Rehman bt George Wileman 11-2, 11-2, 11-2
Tania Bailey bt Sarah Bowles 11-3, 11-0, 11-7
Group B:
TWP St George's Hill 5 IGT Winchester 0
Tom Richards bt Jethro Binns 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 (25m)
Nicolas Mueller bt Alex Phillips 12-10, 11-3, 11-7 (26m)
Mark Krajcsak bt Michael Harris 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 (29m)
Stephen Meads bt Phillip John Bull 14-12, 11-4, 11-7 (33m)
Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Catherine Finlayson 11-4, 11-3,
11-6 (22m)
Team Chichester 5 UWE Bristol 0
Olivier Pett bt Arthur Gaskin 11-5, 11-9, 12-10
Anthony Graham bt Tom Ford 11-7, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6
Alex Ingham bt Sam Ellis 11-2, 11-2, 11-3
Miles Jenkins bt James Bamber 11-0, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7
Lauren Briggs bt Joely Bennett 11-4, 11-5, 11-4
Exeter Diamonds 1 Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 4
Tim Vail lost to Peter Barker 8-11, 1-11, 9-11 (40m)
Peter Creed lost to Simon Rosner 4-11, 2-11, 3-11 (44m)
Tom Pashley lost to Alan Clyne 8-11, 11-6, 3-11, 11-8,
9-11 (59m)
James Snell lost to Peter Nicol 10-12, 3-11, 3-11 (33m)
Aisling Blake bt Harriet Ingham 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 (21m)
Semi-final line-up
(17 April):
Benz-Bavarian Duffield v TWP St George's Hill
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets v MB Nottingham
|
St George's Hill Beat Rivals Surrey Health To Boost PSL Play-Off Hopes
In a
reversal of last season's final, TWP St George's Hill beat county
rivals Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 3/2 in tonight's ninth
and penultimate round of the Premier Squash League (PSL) to boost
their chances of a place in the semi-final play-offs of the world's most
prestigious squash league for the second year in a row.
Croydon club Surrey Health, the reigning champions, topped the Group B
tables going into tonight's clash - but saw their 17-point lead slashed
to nine as their Weybridge rivals took the opening three matches in the
tie to post an unassailable lead.
The
opening match was a re-run of last month's women's British championship
final - the visitors' Laura Massaro repeating her victory over
Alison Waters, the former world No3 returning from injury, after
winning 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10 in 64 minutes. Hungarian number one
Mark Krajcsak made it 2/0 for St George's with a straight games win
over the hosts' late stand-in, Australian Sunil Seth.
But it
was the St George's Hill-born-and-raised Joe Lee who put in a
'man-of-the-match' performance in the third string match to defeat
life-long rival Adrian Waller 11-6, 11-4, 8-11 11-7 in 57 minutes
to ensure his club's victory - and only Surrey Health's second defeat of
the season.
The
final two matches went the Croydon club's way - top-ranked German
Simon Rosner recovering from a game down to beat Swiss star
Nicolas Mueller 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-8, while England and Essex
team-mates Peter Barker and Daryl Selby fought out a
64-minute duel before Londoner Barker, in his first serious test since
sustaining a knee injury in February, emerged triumphant after an 11-4,
6-11, 11-8, 11-8 score-line.
"It
was a fantastic win for the team against quality opposition," said St
George's Hill team manger Danny Lee. "Joe played the best I've
seen him play - especially in the first two games. Laura did well to
recover her poise after a wobble in the third against Ali and Mark
continued his amazing winning form for us.
"Nicolas had Rosner on the ropes in the fourth, but couldn't quite
capitalise on his physical advantage - and Daryl competed all the way
and ran Pete Barker very close.
"Maybe
this will be our year!" concluded Lee.
Exeter Diamonds,
St George's Hill's rivals for second place in the group, crashed down
3/2 to UWE Bristol - a result which gave the Avon team their
maiden win of the season! Bristol recovered not only from the
last-minute unavailability of seasoned Welshman David Evans, but
also from being 2/0 down after Exeter's Victoria Temple Murray
and Lyell Fuller posted early wins.
Tom
Ford
and Lucas Serme brought the home team level, however, before
rising Egyptian star Mohamed El Shorbagy clinched Bristol's
historic victory by beating Tim Vail 11-7, 11-3, 11-9.
Now
ten points adrift of St George's - and 19 behind Surrey Health - Exeter
face the group leaders in the tenth and final round in two weeks. The
Devon club's only realistic - albeit faint - hope of grabbing a
semi-final place would be to crush Surrey Health 5/0 and ensure maximum
20 points.
The
other Group B tie also produced a 3/2 outcome - with Team Chichester
prevailing at IGT Winchester. Victory for the visitors was
clinched by Sussex stalwart Olivier Pett who took just 19 minutes
to wipe out experienced Stacey Ross 11-1, 11-9, 11-2.
Winchester number one Marwan El Shorbagy, the rapidly rising star
from Egypt, was taken the full distance by Chichester's lower-ranked
Robbie Temple before beating the Gloucestershire left-hander 11-4,
10-12, 11-7, 2-11, 12-10.
With
Benz-Bavarian Duffield already assured of a semi-final place from
Group A - and not in action in the ninth round - all eyes were on the
battle for second place, featuring MB Nottingham and Oxford
Health & Racquets.
But a
4/1 Nottingham defeat by Courtcraft Pontefract, countered by a
stunning 5/0 home win over University of Birmingham by Oxford
reversed the two teams' places in the tables - leaving all to play for
as the two teams line up for the final clash of the season in round ten
in a fortnight.
Yorkshire club Pontefract celebrated their best win of the season as
world No1 James Willstrop and Indian No1 Saurav Ghosal
enjoyed straight games victories - and vastly experienced Yorkshiremen
Simon Parke and Lee Beachill also prevailed in matches
which went the full distance.
Emma Beddoes
produced Nottingham's sole victory, fighting back from two games down to
overcome Pontefract's former world No1 Vanessa Atkinson 9-11,
9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-5.
But
Oxford were in sparkling form, with Scott Handley, Mark Cairns,
Ben Coleman, Andrew Birks and Madeline Perry all
recording wins to claim near maximum points.
RESULTS: Premier Squash League, 9th round
Group A:
Oxford Health & Racquets 5 University of
Birmingham 0
Scott Handley bt Jaymie Haycocks 11-6, 10-12, 11-9, 7-11,
11-9
Mark Cairns bt Jonathan Harford 14-12, 11-6, 11-8
Ben Coleman bt Chris Truswell 8-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5
Andrew Birks bt Nathan Lake 11-5, 14-12, 11-6
Madeline Perry bt Sarah-Jane Perry 11-4, 11-9, 4-11, 11-8
Courtcraft Pontefract 4 MB Nottingham 1
James Willstrop bt Chris Simpson 11-4, 11-6, 11-3
Saurav Ghosal bt Eddie Charlton 11-6, 11-4, 11-2
Lee Beachill bt Lewis Walters 11-9, 11-9, 4-11, 6-11,
12-10
Simon Parke bt Mark Fuller 11-5, 11-3, 9-11, 8-11, 11-8
Vanessa Atkinson lost to Emma Beddoes 11-9, 11-9, 9-11,
7-11, 5-11
Group B:
UWE Bristol 3 Exeter Diamonds 2
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Tim Vail 11-7, 11-3, 11-9 (24m)
Lucas Serme bt Peter Creed 12-10, 11-3, 11-3 (38m)
Tom Ford bt James Snell 11-8, 2-11, 2-11, 11-6, 11-6 (48m)
Peter Joyce lost to Lyell Fuller 9-11, 7-11, 7-11 (33m)
Olivia Howell lost to Victoria Temple Murray 4-11, 5-11,
7-11 (19m)
IGT Winchester 2 Team Chichester 3
Marwan El Shorbagy bt Robbie Temple 11-4, 10-12, 11-7,
2-11, 12-10 (60m)
Stacey Ross lost to Olivier Pett 1-11, 9-11, 2-11 (19m)
Alex Phillips bt Alex Gough 11-6, 4-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7
(55m)
Michael Harris lost to Alex Ingham 6-11, 11-6, 9-11, 7-11
(39m)
Catherine Finlayson lost to Lauren Briggs 4-11, 5-11, 7-11
(21m)
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 2 TWP St George's Hill 3
Peter Barker bt Daryl Selby 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8 (64m)
Simon Rosner bt Nicolas Mueller 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-8
(54m)
Adrian Waller lost to Joe Lee 6-11, 4-11, 11-8, 7-11 (57m)
Sunil Seth lost to Mark Krajcsak 5-11, 8-11, 6-11 (30m)
Alison Waters lost to Laura Massaro 9-11, 9-11, 11-8,
10-12 (64m)
|
Round 8
Duffield Downed As Nottingham Battle For Place In PSL Play-Offs
The
East Midlands derby between Benz-Bavarian Duffield and MB
Nottingham produced the upset of the night in the eighth round of
the Premier Squash League (PSL) when Nottingham inflicted the
first defeat of the season on their Derbyshire rivals to boost their
chances of a place in the end-of-season semi-final play-offs of the
world's most prestigious squash league.
With
BBC East Midlands TV cameras covering the dramatic action, hosts
Duffield established an early lead courtesy of world number one Nick
Matthew. The Yorkshireman was fully tested, however, before beating
the visitors' top string Chris Simpson 11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8.
Nottingham struck back with wins by Emma Beddoes and Mark
Fuller, though the 26-year-old from Nottingham had to call upon all
his experience to see off Duffield debutant Ashley Davies, the
recently-crowned British U17 champion, in five games.
And it
was Lewis Walters who clinched victory for Nottingham when he
beat Laurence Delasaux 11-9, 8-11, 14-12, 11-5 to give the club
its first win over Duffield for more than two years.
The
win moves Nottingham into second place in the Group A tables, ahead of
rested rivals Oxford Health & Racquets - whom they will meet in
the tenth and final round on 27 March in a likely showdown for the
runners-up position in the group, and a place in the semi-finals.
The
other Group A clash saw Courtcraft Pontefract move off the bottom
of the tables for the first time in the season after beating
University of Birmingham 3/2 away from home. India's returning star
Dipika Pallikal marked her first PSL appearance for more than two
years by beating the hosts' Welsh international Deon Saffery in
four games - and later wins by Simon Parke and Saurav Ghosal
sealed the Yorkshire club's second win of the season.
But a
tired Pontefract number one James Willstrop was unable to
reproduce the form which saw him lift the North American Open
trophy at the weekend - success which will take him to the top of the
world rankings in March. The Leeds-based England international went down
in straight games to Birmingham stalwart Chris Ryder as the home
team salvaged a consolation point at the end of the evening.
Title-holders Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets stayed on course
to win Group B after crushing Team Chichester 5/0 away from home
- but, as in the other group, the greater interest is perhaps in the
race for second place.
The
Croydon club took a near full-strength squad to the south coast venue -
and Peter Barker, Adrian Grant, Alan Clyne,
Adrian Waller and Alison Waters came away with maximum
points, dropping just three games in the process.
But it
was in Devon that the key action was taking place - where second-placed
Exeter Diamonds were hoping to record their second win of the
season over last year's runners-up TWP St George's Hill.
But
after establishing an early lead when Irish international Aisling
Blake beat the visitors' Dominique Lloyd-Walter, Exeter fell
away as the Weybridge club's big guns Joe Lee, Nicolas Mueller,
Tom Richards and finally team number one Daryl Selby set
about overcoming their opposition to close out the tie 4/1.
The
win takes St George's Hill above Exeter into second place in the Group B
tables - with just two points now separating the two clubs.
Elsewhere in the group, UWE Bristol failed to record their first
win of the season after going down 3/2 at home to IGT Winchester.
Stacey Ross, Daniel West and Lauren Selby steered
Winchester to their hard-fought win - but it was the final match of the
day that stole the avid attention of the Avon crowd as UWE students and
Egyptian brothers Mohamed El Shorbagy and Marwan El Shorbagy
battled for family supremacy.
Mohamed, the 21-year-old world No8, was favourite to win - but
18-year-old Marwan, ranked just 35 places lower, was not prepared to
cave in, and stretched his more experienced sibling to four games before
Mohamed ultimately prevailed 12-10, 12-10, 4-11, 11-6 to give the home
side its second consolation point.
RESULTS: Premier Squash League, 8th round, Tuesday 28 February
2012
Group
A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 2 MB Nottingham 3
Nick Matthew bt Chris Simpson 11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8
Andy Whipp bt Shaun le Roux 7-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-4
Laurence Delasaux lost to Lewis Walters 9-11, 11-8, 12-14,
5-11
Ashley Davies lost to Mark Fuller 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 13-15,
4-11
Laura Hill lost to Emma Beddoes 6-11, 5-11, 6-11
University of Birmingham 2 Courtcraft Pontefract 3
Chris Ryder bt James Willstrop 11-5, 11-5, 11-8
Jaymie Haycocks lost to Saurav Ghosal 8-11, 6-11, 0-11
Jonathan Harford bt Lee Beachill 9-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-4
Chris Truswell lost to Simon Parke 3-11, 7-11, 9-11
Deon Saffery lost to Dipika Pallikal 5-11, 12-10, 5-11,
8-11
Group
B:
Exeter Diamonds 1 TWP St George's Hill 4
Tim Vail lost to Daryl Selby 11-13, 11-5, 7-11, 3-11 (43m)
Peter Creed lost to Tom Richards 10-12, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8,
3-11 (63m)
James Snell lost to Nicolas Mueller 12-14, 6-11, 6-11
(37m)
Lyell Fuller lost to Joe Lee 4-11, 5-11, 12-14 (46m)
Aisling Blake bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter 11-5, 8-11, 9-11,
11-8, 11-6 (55m)
UWE
Bristol 2 IGT Winchester 3
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Marwan El Shorbagy 12-10, 12-10,
4-11, 11-6
Arthur Gaskin bt Jethro Binns 11-6, 11-2, 12-10
Tom Ford lost to Stacey Ross 6-11, 10-12, 11-8, 12-10,
10-12
Peter Joyce lost to Daniel West 14-12, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11,
6-11
Rebecca Quiney lost to Lauren Selby 2-11, 7-11, 1-11
Team
Chichester 0 Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 5
Robbie Temple lost to Peter Barker 12-14, 5-11, 7-11
Olivier Pett lost to Adrian Grant 11-5, 8-11, 4-11, 11-9,
9-11
Anthony Graham lost to Alan Clyne 10-12, 10-12, 3-11
Alex Gough lost to Adrian Waller 11-9, 3-11, 8-11, 5-11
Lauren Briggs lost to Alison Waters 1-11, 5-11, 3-11
|
7th Round
Report
Duffield Almost Home - With Three PSL Rounds To Go!
Benz-Bavarian Duffield
beat University of Birmingham in tonight's 7th round of the
Premier Squash League (PSL) to extend their unbeaten run in the
world's most prestigious squash league this season - and establish an
almost unassailable lead at the top of Group A.
It was
home wins all round the country - with the Derbyshire club beating
Birmingham 4/1 while elsewhere in the Group Courtcraft Pontefract
claimed their first win of the season in a 3/2 victory over Oxford
Health & Racquets.
Title-holders Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets maintained their
leadership of Group B after beating IGT Winchester 4/1 - but the
Croydon club still can't shake off Exeter Diamonds. Still just
five points behind Surrey Health, the Devon team beat Team Chichester
4/1 - while third-placed TWP St George's Hill slipped further
back after only recording a 3/2 win over the hapless UWE Bristol,
the Avon side still looking for a first win this season.
There
were celebrations even before the battle got underway at Duffield where
team number one Nick Matthew was feted for his record-equalling
fourth British National Championship title at the weekend. Team
stalwarts Joel Hinds, Laurence Delasaux and Andy Whipp
quickly ensured a home win - before local heroine Laura Hill
squandered a 2/0 lead to hand a consolation win to the opposition's
Welsh international Deon Saffery.
And
Matthew did not disappoint, coasting to an 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 win over
Birmingham's Chris Ryder to ensure almost maximum points for the
former champions - and a 38-point lead over their nearest rivals.
Oxford
Health & Racquets made a good start at Pontefract when Irish star
Madeline Perry made up for the disappointment of a semi-final exit
at the National Championships in Manchester by beating the Yorkshire
hosts' Vanessa Atkinson in straight games.
But
popular home wins by Simon Parke, Lee Beachill and
Siddharth Suchde led to celebrations of the club's maiden PSL win
this season - before a tired James Willstrop, runner-up in one of
the best Nationals finals ever seen on Sunday, went down in four games
to fresh Australian Cameron Pilley.
Comeback queen Alison Waters, runner-up in the women's nationals
in only her first event since undergoing Achilles surgery, led hosts
Surrey Health & Racquets to victory with an 11-1, 11-4, 11-3 win in just
19 minutes over Winchester's Lauren Selby.
Daniel West
battled to a four-game win over the home team's experienced Tim
Garner to give hope to the visitors - but it was short-lived as
Adrian Waller, Simon Rosner and team number one Adrian
Grant dropped just one game between them to ensure a sixth win this
season for the defending champions.
And
despite losing the services of second string Campbell Grayson
just hours before the tie (when the Kiwi was refused entry to the
country en-route from Finland to New Zealand), Exeter Diamonds quickly
restructured the team with the addition of Welsh champion Peter Creed
- and set about beating Team Chichester.
Irish
international Aisling Blake and James Snell cruised to 3/0
wins for the home side before Creed battled to an 11-7, 14-12, 11-6 win
over former Welsh champion Alex Gough to ensure the Exeter
victory. But Tim Vail, elevated to Exeter's No2, went down in an
hour to the visitors' Anthony Graham before the newly-crowned
Dutch national champion Laurens Jan Anjema - winner of his
seventh successive title in Amsterdam this weekend - beat Robbie
Temple 11-9, 11-5, 11-1 to make it 4/1 and keep Exeter in the title
race.
St
George's Hill, last season's runners-up, made a good start against UWE
Bristol in their bid to secure a place in the final again this season -
Dominique Lloyd-Walter and Charles Sharpes earning
straight games victories and top-ranked Hungarian Mark Krajcsak
coming through in four to give winning points to the home team.
But
Bristol got the upper hand thereafter when Lucas Serme, a
Frenchman studying in Bristol, defeated the Weybridge club's Joe Lee
3/0 and - in a clash described by St George's team manager Danny Lee
as 'one of the best matches ever seen at the club' - Egyptian
international Mohamed El Shorbagy beat the home team's top string
Daryl Selby 9-11, 13-11, 11-9, 5-11, 15-13 in 65 minutes - saving
two match-balls in the dying minutes.
RESULTS: Premier Squash League, 7th round, Tuesday 14 February
2012
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4 University of
Birmingham 1
Nick Matthew bt Chris Ryder 11-5, 11-7, 11-3
Joel Hinds bt Jaymie Haycocks 4-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9
Andy Whipp bt Jonathan Harford 15-13, 11-2, 11-8
Laurence Delasaux bt Nathan Lake 11-2, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6
Laura Hill lost to Deon Saffery 11-4, 11-8, 3-11, 7-11,
10-12
Courtcraft Pontefract 3 Oxford Health & Racquets 2
James Willstrop lost to Cameron Pilley 7-11, 11-9, 3-11,
2-11
Siddharth Suchde bt Scott Handley 11-9, 11-5, 11-9
Lee Beachill bt Mark Cairns 11-9, 11-7, 11-5
Simon Parke bt Andrew Birks 11-6, 11-4, 3-11, 11-4
Vanessa Atkinson lost to Madeline Perry 10-12, 7-11, 7-11
Group B:
Exeter Diamonds 4 Team Chichester 1
Laurens Jan Anjema bt Robbie Temple 11-9, 11-5, 11-1 (45m)
Tim Vail lost to Anthony Graham 2-11, 11-8, 12-14, 9-11
(61m)
Peter Creed bt Alex Gough 11-7, 14-12, 11-6 (39m)
James Snell bt Miles Jenkins 11-6, 11-3, 11-1 (22m)
Aisling Blake bt Lauren Briggs 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 (30m)
TWP St George's Hill 3 UWE Bristol 2
Daryl Selby lost to Mohamed El Shorbagy 11-9, 11-13, 9-11,
11-5, 13-15 (65m)
Joe Lee lost to Lucas Serme 5-11, 5-11, 6-11
Mark Krajcsak bt Arthur Gaskin 11-2, 14-12, 8-11, 11-7
Charles Sharpes bt Tom Ford 11-8, 11-5, 11-5
Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Anna Kimberley 11-4, 11-5, 11-5
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 4 IGT Winchester 1
Adrian Grant bt Jethro Binns 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-3 (33m)
Simon Rosner bt Stacey Ross 11-9, 14-12, 11-6 (32m)
Adrian Waller bt Michael Harris 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (29m)
Tim Garner lost to Daniel West 9-11, 4-11, 11-2, 8-11
(47m)
Alison Waters bt Lauren Selby 11-1, 11-4, 11-3 (19m)
|
Duffield Extend PSL Group Lead
It was
far from 'home sweet home' for teams in the sixth round of the
Premier Squash League (PSL) as the visitors recorded victories in
all five ties - with former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield
extending their lead in Group A with a 3/2 win over Oxford Health &
Racquets in the opening clashes of the second half of the season of
the world's most prestigious squash league.
Despite the last-minute withdrawal of squad number one Nick Matthew,
the new world number one, the Derbyshire club soon took the lead with
straight games wins by Laura Hill and Laurence Delasaux.
And even though the club's newly-appointed number one Joel Hinds
went down to Oxford's top-ranked Spaniard Borja Golan, Andy
Whipp had already made sure of Duffield success with a five-game win
over long-serving Oxford player Scott Handley.
And in
the only league table change after the evening's clashes, MB
Nottingham moved up to second place in the group after defeating
University of Birmingham 3/2. The home team made a strong start with
wins by Nathan Lake and team newcomer Deon Saffery - but
visitors Nottingham battled back to clinch the tie after a courageous
comeback by Eddie Charlton in the deciding match when he came
back from 2/0 down to beat Jaymie Haycocks 8-11, 8-11, 12-10,
11-5, 11-8.
Title-holders Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets maintained their
leadership in Group B following a 3/2 win at UWE Bristol. The
most notable performance came from the Croydon club's Australian
debutant Sunil Seth. The London-born 21-year-old fought back from
the loss of the first and third games - then battled back in the decider
from match ball at 6-10 behind to beat Bristol's Tom Ford 9-11,
11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 12-10.
Exeter Diamonds
boasted the most decisive win of the night, beating IGT Winchester
4/1. James Snell, Tim Vail and Steven Finitsis
produced the tie-winning victories for the Devon club before Dutch
number Laurens Jan Anjema extended the margin of victory after a
12-10 11-5, 11-9 win over Winchester newcomer Yann Perrin. The
French international was a last-minute replacement for the club's usual
number one Ong Beng Hee, the Malaysian who triumphed against
expectations on the PSA Tour at the weekend in Detroit, USA.
Last
season's beaten finalists TWP St George's Hill celebrated success
at Team Chichester - but the 3/2 win was not sufficient to move
the Weybridge club ahead of Exeter in the Group B tables. Hosts
Chichester befitted from notable wins by Anthony Graham and
Robbie Temple - left-hander Temple stunning higher-ranked England
international Tom Richards in five games - but top string
Daryl Selby clinched victory for St George's with an 11-3, 11-5,
8-11, 11-8 win over the home club's Malaysian international Mohd
Nafiizwan Adnan.
RESULTS: Premier League,
6th round:
Group A:
Oxford Health & Racquets 2 Benz-Bavarian
Duffield 3
Borja Golan bt Joel Hinds 11-7, 11-6, 11-7
Scott Handley lost to Andy Whipp 11-8, 7-11, 5-11, 11-9,
7-11
Mark Cairns lost to Laurence Delasaux 9-11, 8-11, 5-11
Andrew Birks bt Chris Fuller 9-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-9
Victoria Bell lost to Laura Hill 5-11, 11-13, 12-14
University of Birmingham 2 MB Nottingham 3
Jaymie Haycocks lost to Eddie Charlton 11-8, 11-8, 10-12,
5-11, 8-11
Jonathan Harford lost to Shaun le Roux 5-11, 5-11, 11-8,
8-11
Chris Truswell lost to Mark Fuller 9-11, 8-11, 9-11
Nathan Lake bt Oliver Holland 11-7, 11-5, 11-5
Deon Saffery bt Alicia Mead 11-2, 11-4, 11-7
Group B:
IGT Winchester 1 Exeter Diamonds 4
Yann Perrin lost to Laurens Jan Anjema 10-12, 5-11, 9-11
Dylan Bennett lost to Steven Finitsis 11-13, 9-11, 5-11
Stacey Ross lost to Tim Vail 18-16, 10-12, 5-11, 9-11
Michael Harris lost to James Snell 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 7-11
Catherine Finlayson bt Rhianne O'Donnell 11-4, 11-7, 11-3
Team Chichester 2 TWP St George's Hill 3
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan lost to Daryl Selby 3-11, 5-11, 11-8,
8-11
Robbie Temple bt Tom Richards 11-4, 11-13, 12-10, 7-11,
11-4
Olivier Pett lost to Mark Krajcsak 11-13, 8-11, 3-11
Anthony Graham bt Stephen Meads 11-7, 11-5, 11-4
Annabelle Collins-Ballands lost to Dominique Lloyd-Walter
5-11, 2-11, 4-11
UWE Bristol 2 Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 3
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Peter Barker 11-5, 11-5, 9-11,
13-11 (27m)
Arthur Gaskin lost to Adrian Grant 11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 4-11
(43m)
Hadrian Stiff bt Steven London 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-3
(40m)
Tom Ford lost to Sunil Seth 11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 6-11, 10-12
(66m)
Olivia Howell lost to Alison Waters 2-11, 3-11, 0-11 (18m)
|
Round 5
Champions Surrey Health Regain PSL Group Lead
A
decisive 4/1 home victory over Group B leaders Exeter Diamonds in
Tuesday's fifth round of the Premier Squash League (PSL) sees
champions Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets reclaim top spot
with a six-point lead over their west country rivals as the world's most
prestigious squash league moves into the second half of the season.
But
former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield boast an 18-point lead at
the top of the Group A tables after former world number one Nick
Matthew led the Derbyshire club to a 4/1 away victory at
Courtcraft Pontefract.
Exeter
made a promising start to their visit to the Croydon club when Irish
international Aisling Blake beat Nada Elkalaawy, a
16-year-old Egyptian making her debut this season for Surrey Health,
3/1.
Former
world champion and world number one Peter Nicol began the
fightback for the hosts by beating Devonian James Snell 11-9,
9-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-7. And it was straight games wins for the home team
thereafter as former Scottish champion Alan Clyne beat
newly-crowned Welsh champion Peter Creed and Londoner Adrian
Grant defeated PSL veteran Tim Vail.
The
final match featured two of the players from last week's PSA flagship
World Series Finals event at Queen's Club in London - England
international Peter Barker and Dutch star Laurens Jan Anjema.
World No7 Barker was in sparkling form, despatching Anjema 11-8, 11-9,
11-5 to extend the Croydon club's winning margin.
World
Series Finals runner-up Gregory Gaultier was the star attraction
on the south coast where IGT Winchester hosted TWP St George's
Hill, the Weybridge club which finished as runners-up to Surrey
Health in last season's national final.
And
the Frenchman, ranked three in the world, delighted the crowd which had
packed the club to see their hero by clinching the decider after the tie
was poised at two-all - beating St George's star Tom Richards
11-9, 11-8, 11-6 to give Winchester a 3/2 victory.
"It's
the first time this season that Greg has been able to play for us," said
Winchester team manager Gary Hinton. "But we sold out as soon as
we started publicising the fact that he was playing. He couldn't have
done more for us tonight - he was great value."
UWE
Bristol
fell short in their bid to record their first win of the season in Group
B, going down 3/2 at home to Team Chichester. Impressive
performances from Lauren Briggs, Anthony Graham and
Olivier Pett ensured the Chichester win - and Malaysian star Mohd
Nafiizwan Adnan had a match-ball against the Bristol top string
Mohamed El Shorbagy in the final match of the night.
But
the 20-year-old world No6 from Egypt held his nerve to beat Adnan 11-5,
9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10 in 56 minutes to enable the home crowd to leave
on a high.
The
main attraction in Group A was the Yorkshire clash between Pontefract
and Duffield - in which Yorkshireman Nick Matthew was making his
first competitive appearance on court since sustaining an adductor
injury in Kuwait in November. Hosts Pontefract started well when
Vanessa Atkinson, the retired former world number one, claimed
victory over Jenny Duncalf when the current world No2 retired
injured after just two games.
Victories by Aqeel Rehman, Andy Whipp and Joel Hinds
had already ensured a Duffield win when the visitors' top string took on
Pontefract stalwart Lee Beachill, the former world No1 who is now
the Chief Operating Officer of the Professional Squash Association.
Matthew survived his comeback match in comfortable style, beating
Beachill 11-6, 11-9, 11-5.
"The
COO of PSA was kind enough to give me a good run out," said Matthew, now
the world No2, afterwards. "He still has an unbelievable array of shots
so I had to work hard but it was good to get the sensations back in the
muscles again. You can arrange all the practice matches you want but
nothing can replace a real match so hopefully I can progress onwards now
with no hiccups before the Tournament of Champions later this month in
New York."
In the
other tie in Group A, Oxford Health & Racquets beat MB
Nottingham 4/1 to replace the East Midlands club in second place in
the group tables. Nottingham earned perhaps their most surprising point
when club stalwart Emma Beddoes, ranked 22 in the world, beat
world No3 Madeline Perry - for the first time in her career - in
straight games to end a 16-match unbeaten PSL run by the Irish star.
Perry
has been enjoying one of the best runs of her career - and last week
contested the final of the women's World Series Finals in London.
But
top-ranked Spaniard Borja Golan led Oxford to success with an 11-7,
11-6, 6-11, 11-3 win over Nottingham's Eddie Charlton - and
team-mates Scott Handley, Mark Cairns and Ben Coleman
all survived five-game battles to give Oxford their third successive PSL
win.
RESULTS: Premier Squash League, 5th round
Group A:
Oxford Health & Racquets 4 MB Nottingham 1
Borja Golan bt Eddie Charlton 11-7, 11-6, 6-11, 11-3
Scott Handley bt Lewis Walters 13-11, 10-12, 11-8, 7-11,
11-9
Mark Cairns bt Mark Fuller 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9
Ben Coleman bt Declan James 3-11, 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-2
Madeline Perry lost to Emma Beddoes 6-11, 10-12, 3-11
Courtcraft Pontefract 1 Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4
Lee Beachill lost to Nick Matthew 6-11, 9-11, 5-11
Neil Cordell lost to Joel Hinds 8-11, 11-3, 6-11, 2-11
Sam Wileman lost to Andy Whipp 10-12, 1-11, 2-11
Taminder Gata-Aura lost to Aqeel Rehman 4-11, 5-11, 11-8,
7-11
Vanessa Atkinson bt Jenny Duncalf 7-11, 12-10 ret.
Group B:
IGT Winchester 3 TWP St George's Hill 2
Gregory Gaultier bt Tom Richards 11-9, 11-8, 11-6
Marwan El Shorbagy bt Charles Sharpes 7-11, 11-9, 11-7,
12-10
Robert Downer lost to Stephen Meads 8-11, 3-11, 11-13
Alex Phillips bt James Simpson 11-7, 11-5, 11-7
Catherine Finlayson lost to Dominique Lloyd-Walter 8-11,
5-11, 7-11
UWE Bristol 2 Team Chichester 3
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan 11-5, 9-11,
8-11, 11-7, 12-10 (56m)
David Evans bt Robbie Temple 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 (20m)
Lucas Serme lost to Olivier Pett 10-12, 8-11, 9-11 (38m)
Tom Ford lost to Anthony Graham 11-9, 7-11, 4-11, 13-15
(52m)
Kip Quiney lost to Lauren Briggs 4-11, 4-11, 6-11
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 4 Exeter Diamonds 1
Peter Barker bt Laurens Jan Anjema 11-8, 11-9, 11-5
Adrian Grant bt Tim Vail 11-4, 11-6, 11-6
Alan Clyne bt Peter Creed 11-8, 16-14, 11-2
Peter Nicol bt James Snell 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-7
Nada Elkalaawy lost to Aisling Blake 3-11, 3-11, 11-9,
10-12
|
Round 4
St
George's Topple PSL Champions Surrey Health
TWP
St George's Hill
avenged their defeat by Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets in
last season's Premier Squash League (PSL) final when they beat
the champions 3/2 in tonight's fourth and final round of the year in the
world's most prestigious squash league.
Fielding four of the five players who represented the club in the final
in May, St George's went into the lead courtesy of the one player who
didn't - Laura Massaro, the England No2 who was injured earlier
in the year and unavailable. The 28-year-old from Lancashire, who now
boasts a career-high world No3 ranking, has not dropped a game for the
Weybridge club team - and maintained her run with an 11-7, 11-5, 11-7
victory over Egyptian Nada Elkalaawy in just 22 minutes.
Two
marathon matches followed, in which Hungarian number one Mark
Krajcsak stunned the visitors' Alan Clyne 7-11, 11-9, 11-6,
11-5 in 54 minutes, and St George's Swiss star Nicolas Mueller
held off promising Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad 11-7, 7-11, 11-8,
7-11, 11-7 in 76 minutes. The wins gave St George's an unassailable -
and unexpected - 3/0 lead.
"Krajcsak
put in an amazing performance, particularly as he's been unwell recently
- and as a result has slipped down the rankings and is now 46 places
behind Clyne," said St George's Hill team manager Danny Lee.
Beaten
for the first time this season, title-holders Surrey Health grabbed the
next two matches to reduce the deficit - Adrian Grant prevailing
in five games over St George's stalwart Tom Richards, and
Londoner Peter Barker defeating fellow Essex player Daryl
Selby in straight games.
"On
paper, I didn't think we'd win tonight, so the victory is a real boost
to the team - and it went down really well with the packed crowd," added
Lee. "It puts us right back into contention - we couldn't afford to lose
again tonight if we want to make the play-offs again this season."
The
result, however, still leaves Surrey Health above St George's in the
Group B points table - but it is Exeter Diamonds who now top the
tables after storming to a 5/0 home win against UWE Bristol. It
was a tie full of drama and celebration - and one which did not finish
until well after midnight when Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema,
ranked 12 in the world, survived a brutal 10-12, 15-13, 12-10, 7-11,
11-9 score-line over Bristol's higher-ranked Mohamed El Shorbagy,
the world No8 from Egypt.
Aisling Blake,
James Snell and Tim Vail earlier guaranteed victory for
the Devon club - before all eyes focussed on the home side's Australian
star Stewart Boswell. The 33-year-old former world No4 announced
his decision to retire from the PSA Tour last month - and tonight
brought to an end his distinguished four-season term with Exeter.
Boswell delighted his loyal fans by despatching the visitors' Lucas
Serme 11-9, 11-5, 11-2 - completing his 23rd PSL appearance for the
Diamonds with his 18th victory.
There
was another PSL defeat for a member of the El Shorbagy family on the
south coast where Mohamed's younger brother Marwan El Shorbagy,
the world junior champion, went down 11-8, 11-8, 12-10 to Malaysian
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan as Team Chichester clinched a 3/2 win
over IGT Winchester.
Home
side Chichester took the early lead with wins by Lauren Briggs
and Alex Gough - but Winchester's Stacey Ross and
Jethro Binns pulled back the deficit to level the tie for the
visitors.
But
Adnan, who made his debut for Chichester this season, chose the ideal
time to register his first victory for the club by claiming the decider
over the 18-year-old El Shorbagy.
In
Group A, MB Nottingham strengthened their position in second
place (behind the 'resting' Benz-Bavarian Duffield) with a 4/1
home win over Courtcraft Pontefract. Emma Beddoes set the
home team on their way with a 12-10, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4 win over the
visitors' former world champion Vanessa Atkinson.
Nottingham regulars Mark Fuller, Lewis Walters and
Eddie Charlton made sure of a home success before James Willstrop,
England's new world No3, gained a consolation point for the Yorkshire
club when he beat Guernsey-born Chris Simpson 11-8, 13-11, 11-5
to maintain his unbeaten run since early November.
But
there was disappointment in Group A for University of Birmingham,
the PSL newcomers looking for their first home victory. The team faced
strong opposition from Oxford Health & Racquets, whose Irish
international Madeline Perry gave them the early advantage with a
four-game victory in her first ever meeting with namesake Sarah-Jane
Perry.
Visitors Oxford maintained the pressure with wins by Ben Coleman
and Mark Cairns - before the Birmingham side mounted a comeback
when Jaymie Haycocks beat Oxford stalwart Scott Handley in
four games.
And
the hosts' top string Chris Ryder fully stretched Cameron
Pilley in the final match of the evening - but the higher-ranked
Australian international fought back from 2/1 down to beat Ryder 13-15,
11-2, 9-11, 11-2, 11-1 to give Oxford a 4/1 win to move into third place
in the tables.
RESULTS: Premier Squash League, 4th
round, Tuesday 6 December 2011
Group A:
University of Birmingham 1 Oxford Health &
Racquets 4
Chris Ryder lost to Cameron Pilley 15-13, 2-11, 11-9,
2-11, 1-11
Jaymie Haycocks bt Scott Handley 11-4, 12-14, 11-3, 11-6
Chris Truswell lost to Mark Cairns 4-11, 5-11, 7-11
James Earles lost to Ben Coleman 6-11, 7-11, 5-11
Sarah-Jane Perry lost to Madeline Perry 8-11, 8-11, 11-2,
6-11
MB Nottingham 4 Courtcraft Pontefract 1
Chris Simpson lost to James Willstrop 8-11, 11-13, 5-11
Eddie Charlton bt Lee Beachill 11-5, 11-5, 11-6
Lewis Walters bt Simon Parke 7-11, 13-15, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5
Mark Fuller bt Neil Cordell 11-4, 11-4 ret.
Emma Beddoes bt Vanessa Atkinson 12-10, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4
Group B:
Exeter Diamonds 5 UWE Bristol 0
Laurens Jan Anjema bt Mohamed El Shorbagy 10-12, 15-13,
12-10, 7-11, 11-9
Stewart Boswell bt Lucas Serme 11-9, 11-5, 11-2
Tim Vail bt Arthur Gaskin 11-5, 11-5, 2-0 ret.
James Snell bt Tom Ford 11-7, 11-2, 11-8 (27m)
Aisling Blake bt Olivia Howell 11-4, 11-6, 11-5
Team Chichester 3 IGT Winchester 2
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan bt Marwan El Shorbagy 11-8, 11-8,
12-10
Robbie Temple lost to Jethro Binns 9-11, 6-11 ret.
Olivier Pett lost to Stacey Ross 11-6, 9-11, 4-11, 6-11
Alex Gough bt Alex Phillips 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7
Lauren Briggs bt Lisa Aitken 11-8, 11-3, 11-9
TWP St George's Hill 3 Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 2
Daryl Selby lost to Peter Barker 8-11, 6-11, 8-11
Tom Richards lost to Adrian Grant 8-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-7,
3-11 (72m)
Nicolas Mueller bt Karim Abdel Gawad 11-7, 7-11, 11-8,
7-11, 11-7 (76m)
Mark Krajcsak bt Alan Clyne 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (54m)
Laura Massaro bt Nada Elkalaawy 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 (22m)
|
Round 3
St
George's Stunned As Duffield & Surrey Health Remain Unbeaten
While
the vibrant international squash calendar led to numerous top players
being unavailable for their clubs in the Premier Squash League (PSL),
TWP St George's Hill suffered a rare home defeat but former
champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield and reigning champions
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets extended their unbeaten records
in the third round of the world's most prestigious squash league.
"We
had six players missing tonight," said downcast team manager Danny
Lee after St George's Hill went down 4/1 to Group B rivals Exeter
Diamonds.
The
hosts started well when Dominique Lloyd-Walter beat Exeter's
courageous 15-year-old Rhianne O'Donnell 11-2, 11-4, 11-1. But it
was downhill thereafter for the home club as James Snell, Tim
Vail and Australian international Stewart Boswell delivered
straight games wins for the visitors before Dutch No1 Laurens Jan
Anjema recovered from a game down to beat rising Finnish star
Henrik Mustonen - making his debut for St George's - 4-11, 6-11,
11-6, 9-11 in exactly one hour.
"I'm
not too despondent," added Lee. "Our players gave a reasonable account
of themselves."
Exeter
team manager Tony Snell - whose team now rise to a season-best
second place in the Group B tables, above St George's Hill - felt for
their rivals: "I feel sorry for Danny - but that's the way it goes in
the PSL. As it happens, we were able to finalise our squad for tonight
about a month ago.
"I was
pleased with the win - but more disappointed by our loss last time to
Chichester, which was very close and could have gone either way. But our
next game is against Bristol and a good win there could take us to the
top of the tables."
Title-holders Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets were taken the full
distance by visitors Team Chichester - but reliable squad number one
Peter Barker, fresh from a quarter-final berth in last week's
World Open in Rotterdam, defeated the visitors' top string
Anthony Graham 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 to give the Croydon club a 3/2 win.
"We
struggled with players - everybody did - but overall I was pleased with
the team's performance tonight," said Surrey Health manager Pete
Smith. "And it was nice to keep the unbeaten record this season."
Elsewhere in the Group, IGT Winchester claimed their first win of
the season by beating UWE Bristol 4/1. Catherine Finlayson
began the winning run by beating Bristol newcomer Olivia Howell,
the Avon county number one, 11-3, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7 - and victories
followed for Phillip Bull, Alex Phillips and Joey Barrington.
"This
win has been a while coming - and it was great that it happened in front
of a home crowd," said Winchester manager Gary Hinton. "But what
was particularly special was that three of our winners - Catherine,
Philip and Alex - are home grown players, and that's really good for the
club."
While
Derbyshire's Benz-Bavarian Duffield extended their lead at the
top of the Group A tables after a 4/1 away win at East Midlands rivals
MB Nottingham, the biggest smiles were seen in Yorkshire where
PSL newcomers University of Birmingham secured their first win of
the season at Courtcraft Pontefract.
England international Sarah Kippax, making her debut for the
visitors, beat Pontefract's Kirsty McPhee 3/0 and James Earles
put the University team two up when he beat the hosts' Sam Wileman,
also in straight games,
But
Pontefract hit back with wins by Neil Cordell and Simon Parke
to set up a decider. The packed crowd were urging on popular top string
Lee Beachill - but the now retired former world number one was
unable to resist the attack of Birmingham's Jonathan Harford, who
went on to win 11-1, 11-9, 11-9.
"It's
great to get our first win since rejoining the PSL," said team manager
Jonathan Tate. "Hopefully tonight will be the start of us being
able to consistently challenge for results against the other teams in
the northern group."
While
Duffield rested their new world champion Nick Matthew, the
Yorkshireman who successfully retained his title in Rotterdam last week,
the club welcomed the return of former world No4 Tania Bailey. In
her first appearance for the Duffield for more than 18 months, Bailey
took the first game against Emma Beddoes. But the Nottingham
number one recovered to win 8-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-6.
But
the momentum switched to Duffield from then on, with Stephen
Coppinger, Andy Whipp, Matthew Karwalski and Chris
Fuller all winning to stretch Duffield's lead at the top of the
tables to 32 points above Nottingham.
RESULTS: Premier League, England
Group
A:
MB Nottingham 1 Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4
Lewis Walters lost to Stephen Coppinger 5-11, 9-11, 11-13
Mark Fuller lost to Andy Whipp 11-6, 7-11, 8-11, 2-11
Arthur Moineau lost to Matthew Karwalski 7-11, 2-11, 6-11
David Wardle lost to Chris Fuller 5-11, 11-13, 11-8, 7-11
Emma Beddoes bt Tania Bailey 8-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-6
Courtcraft Pontefract 2 University of Birmingham 3
Lee Beachill lost to Jonathan Harford 1-11, 9-11, 9-11
Simon Parke bt Chris Truswell 9-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-9
Neil Cordell bt Christopher Thomas Hall 11-6, 8-11, 11-8,
12-14, 11-1
Sam Wileman lost to James Earles 9-11, 5-11, 4-11
Kirsty McPhee lost to Sarah Kippax 7-11, 7-11, 4-11
Group
B:
TWP St George's Hill 1 Exeter Diamonds 4
Henrik Mustonen lost to Laurens Jan Anjema 4-11, 6-11,
11-6, 9-11 (60m)
Stephen Meads lost to Stewart Boswell 4-11, 1-11, 2-11
Philip Nightingale lost to Tim Vail 9-11, 2-11, 9-11
James Simpson lost to James Snell 6-11, 15-17, 9-11
Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Rhianne O'Donnell 11-2, 11-4,
11-1
IGT Winchester 4 UWE Bristol 1
Joey Barrington bt Lucas Serme 11-5, 11-8, 11-7
Jethro Binns lost to Arthur Gaskin 7-11, 3-11, 3-11
Alex Phillips bt Tom Ford 7-11, 12-10, 4-0 ret.
Phillip John Bull bt Konrad Tyma 11-4, 11-7, 11-6
Catherine Finlayson bt Olivia Howell 11-3, 6-11, 11-7,
11-7
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 3 Team Chichester 2
Peter Barker bt Anthony Graham 11-6, 11-4, 11-6
Karim Abdel Gawad bt Alex Gough 13-11, 11-7, 11-4
Steve Richardson bt Peter Genever 11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 11-2
Steven London lost to Jamie Wilde 9-11, 11-3, 11-8, 1-11,
6-11
Nada Elkalaawy lost to Lauren Briggs 2-11, 7-11, 5-11
|
Round 2
PSL Stalwarts Duffield Crush Birmingham University Newcomers
A
capacity crowd attracted to the first home fixture of Premier Squash
League (PSL) newcomers University of Birmingham went home
disappointed after the West Midlands team were crushed 5/0 by former
champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield in the second round of the 28th
season of the world's most prestigious squash league.
Duffield's runaway win takes the Derbyshire club to the top of the Group
A tables, while Oxford Health & Racquets jump to second place
after their 4/1 home win over Courtcraft Pontefract.
Clashes in the other group were considerably closer, with defending
champions Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets and last season's
runners-up TWP St George's Hill both leaving it late to squeeze
3/2 away victories - Croydon-based Surrey H&RC winning at IGT
Winchester and St George's of Weybridge achieving their second win
of the season, over UWE Bristol.
St
George's Hill maintain their lead over county rivals Surrey H&RC at the
top of the Group B tables - by two points - while Exeter Diamonds
maintain their hold on third place, despite going down 3/2 to Team
Chichester.
But
Duffield, PSL champions three times since 1998, provided formidable
opposition for University of Birmingham, with a squad led by England's
world number one Nick Matthew. And the world's best player, from
Sheffield, faced one of two English World University champions in action
at the University's Munrow Sports Centre.
Matthew beat the home side's No1 Chris Ryder, the 2006 World
University champion, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 to complete an impressive run of
straight games wins by the Duffield players, including New Zealander
Jaclyn Hawkes, Chris Fuller, Joel Hinds, and
top-ranked South African Stephen Coppinger.
It was
as a student at the University of Birmingham that Hinds became England's
second winner of the World University title in 2010. And the Politics
graduate marked his return to the campus by beating fellow former
Birmingham alumni Chris Truswell 11-4, 11-4, 11-4!
Yorkshireman Nick Matthew was clearly impressed with his visit to
the West Midlands: "Unbelievable crowd & atmosphere at UnivOfBham,"
tweeted the Duffield number one. "Had to turn people away as sold out
twice over. Great job by University of Birmingham Squash & SBM Squash."
After
losing their opening tie of the season, Oxford Health & Racquets were
glad to return to winning ways against Courtcraft Pontefract.
The
Yorkshire club arrived with a squad featuring two of the county's most
successful players of all-time - and former world No4 and British
National champion Simon Parke did not disappoint, becoming the
visitors' sole winner when he beat Oxford's Scott Handley 11-5,
11-5, 11-9.
But
the home side's Australian No1 Cameron Pilley saw off Pontefract
stalwart Lee Beachill, a former world No1 and three-time British
champion, 13-11, 11-5, 11-4.
"It
was nice to get a good first home win under our belt," said Oxford team
manager Ross Gore. "We're looking forward to hopefully making a
push up the table before the Christmas break."
It was
Londoner Adrian Grant who saved title-holders Surrey Health &
Racquets' blushes by winning the decider at Winchester.
The
Hampshire club pulled off two notable upsets - firstly when 18-year-old
Marwan El Shorbagy beat higher-ranked Scottish No1 Alan Clyne
11-7, 11-7, 11-9, then club debutant Ong Beng Hee, the Malaysian
number two ranked 29 in the world, shocked the visitors' top string
Peter Barker, the world No7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3.
After
Grant took a 2/0 lead over Joey Barrington, the Winchester second
string fought back to take the third before building up a 10-8 in the
fourth.
"It
was a packed crowd in the club, and they were going crazy in support for
Joey - willing the match into a fifth-game decider," said Winchester
team manager Gary Hinton.
But
Grant held his nerve to close out the match 11-7, 11-6, 7-11, 12-10 to
clinch victory for Surrey Health.
And
over in Bristol, Marwan's older brother Mohamed El Shorbagy did
his best to lead UWE Bristol to victory over visitors TWP St George's
Hill. In the final match of the day, El Shorbagy senior defeated England
international Daryl Selby 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 - but earlier wins by
Dominique Lloyd-Walter, Joe Lee and Tom Richards
had already assured St George's of overall victory, and second place in
the Group B tables.
The
crowd at Team Chichester were kept on the edges of their seats
throughout the night against Exeter Diamonds as match after match went
the full distance in the most evenly-contested clash of the night.
Alex Ingham
and Lauren Briggs both survived five-game battles to put the
hosts 2/0 ahead - but former Chichester club captain Tim Vail,
making his first appearance back at the club as part of the opposition,
spoilt the home party by beating the hosts' new Hong Kong star Max
Lee 11-8, 11-7, 2-11, 11-6.
But it
was a highly impressive 11-7, 11-7, 1-11, 9-11, 11-4 victory by second
string Robbie Temple over Exeter's higher-ranked New Zealander
Campbell Grayson that ensured victory for Chichester - and a fourth
place in the Group B tables.
RESULTS: Premier League, England
2nd
round:
Group A:
University of Birmingham 0 Benz-Bavarian
Duffield 5
Chris Ryder lost to Nick Matthew 7-11, 6-11, 3-11
Jonathan Harford lost to Stephen Coppinger 6-11, 11-13,
7-11
Chris Truswell lost to Joel Hinds 4-11, 4-11, 4-11
Stephen Siveter lost to Chris Fuller 8-11, 4-11, 6-11
Sarah-Jane Perry lost to Jaclyn Hawkes 7-11, 8-11, 8-11
Oxford Health & Racquets 4 Courtcraft Pontefract 1
Cameron Pilley bt Lee Beachill 13-11, 11-5, 11-4
Scott Handley lost to Simon Parke 5-11, 5-11, 9-11 (35m)
Ben Coleman bt Neil Cordell 10-12, 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5
Andrew Birks bt Sam Wileman 12-10, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5 (35m)
Madeline Perry bt Kirsty McPhee 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 (22m)
Group B:
Team Chichester 3 Exeter Diamonds 2
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan lost to Stewart Boswell 6-11, 6-11,
8-11
Robbie Temple bt Campbell Grayson 11-7, 11-7, 1-11, 9-11,
11-4
Max Lee lost to Tim Vail 8-11, 7-11, 11-2, 6-11
Alex Ingham bt James Snell 11-13, 11-6, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8
Lauren Briggs bt Victoria Temple-Murray 7-11, 10-12, 11-4,
11-1, 11-5
UWE Bristol 2 TWP St George's Hill 3
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Daryl Selby 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 (34m)
Lucas Serme lost to Tom Richards 8-11, 6-11, 10-12 (39m)
Arthur Gaskin bt Mark Krajcsak 12-10, 3-11, 12-14, 11-6,
11-9 (71m)
Chris Clare lost to Joe Lee 3-11, 3-11, 4-11 (23m)
Joely Bennett lost to Dominique Lloyd-Walter 7-11, 6-11,
5-11 (18m)
IGT Winchester 2 Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 3
Ong Beng Hee bt Peter Barker 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3 (52m)
Joey Barrington lost to Adrian Grant 7-11, 6-11, 11-7,
10-12
Marwan El Shorbagy bt Alan Clyne 11-7, 11-7, 11-9
Alex Phillips lost to Adrian Waller 7-11, 7-11, 6-11
Lauren Selby lost to Victoria Lust 2-11, 8-11, 12-10, 6-11
|
Round 1
Surrey Finalists Set Off To Strong Start In New PSL
Season
TWP
St George's Hill
and Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets, who contested last
season's all-Surrey Premier Squash League (PSL) final, got their
new campaigns off to a great start with decisive home victories in the
first round of the 28th season of the world's most prestigious squash
league.
Defending champions Surrey Health & Racquets, the Croydon club bidding
to become the first ever to win the title three times in a row, defeated
UWE Bristol 4/1 in Group B. Impressive straight games wins by
Victoria Lust, Ben Ford and Adrian Waller quickly gave
the hosts an unassailable lead - which England Commonwealth Games gold
medallist Adrian Grant then extended after beating Bristol-based
Frenchman Lucas Serme 10-12, 11-3, 11-4, 14-12.
But
Londoner Peter Barker was unable to make it a maximum points win
for Surrey Health when the world No7 went down in four games to
Bristol's rising Egyptian star Mohamed El Shorbagy, the
20-year-old now ranked just a single place lower.
And St
George's Hill also recorded a 4/1 home win, over regional rivals Team
Chichester, to begin the season at the top of the Group B tables.
The hosts' only hiccup came when 19-year-old team debutant Charles
Sharpes, a former British Junior champion, lost out to higher-ranked
Chichester stalwart Olivier Pett in five games.
"Loved
my #pslsquash debut tonight for the club I've been playing at since I
was 7," said Sharpes later on Twitter. "Gutted to lose 3-2 against Olly
Pett but happy with the way I played, the main thing is the team picked
up a 4-1 win."
Joe
Lee
provided a popular home win when he beat higher-ranked namesake Max
Lee, the Hong Kong champion, 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8 - before
squad number one Tom Richards finished the night in style by
beating Chichester's new top string Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan, the
Malaysian No3, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 12-10.
In the
third Group B tie of the night, Exeter Diamonds squeezed out a
3/2 home win over IGT Winchester. After dropping the first two
matches, the visitors battled back to draw level - Dutchman Dylan
Bennett first overcoming Exeter newcomer Tim Vail, the former
Chichester stalwart, in five games, and 18-year-old Marwan El
Shorbagy celebrating the family's second PSL success of the night by
defeating higher-ranked New Zealander Campbell Grayson 3/0.
But a
commanding performance by top string Stewart Boswell saw the
Australian veteran in his fourth season for Exeter despatch Joey
Barrington 11-6, 11-0, 11-7 to give the home club the success the
packed crowd wanted.
Former
champions MB Nottingham gained a 4/1 first round home win at the
expense of PSL newcomers University of Birmingham to begin the
season at the top of the Group A tables. Gloucestershire teenager
Nathan Lake was the visitors' sole winner - gaining valuable points
for the University side after his Nottingham opponent Oliver Holland
retired injured at the start of their fifth game.
But
stirring victories by Nottingham regulars Emma Beddoes, Mark
Fuller and Eddie Charlton - rounded off by a four-game win by
team newcomer Chris Simpson - gave the 1999 champions the ideal
start to the new season.
And
England's world number one Nick Matthew also led three-time
former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield to a 4/1 home win over
Oxford Health & Racquets. But the Derbyshire club started off on the
wrong foot when team newcomer Jenny Duncalf, the world No2 from
Harrogate, suffered a four-game defeat by Oxford's Irish international
Madeline Perry.
Her
team-mates Laurence Delasaux, Andy Whipp and Stephen
Coppinger, came to the rescue with decisive victories over
Oxfordshire opponents before Matthew wore down his Australian opponent
Cameron Pilley, beating the tall world No16 12-10, 16-14, 11-4.
RESULTS: Premier Squash League, 1st round
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4 Oxford Health &
Racquets 1
Nick Matthew bt Cameron Pilley 12-10, 16-14, 11-4
Stephen Coppinger bt Scott Handley 11-4, 11-6, 11-3
Andy Whipp bt Ben Coleman 11-7, 11-5, 11-5
Laurence Delasaux bt Andrew Birks 11-3, 11-6, 13-15, 14-12
Jenny Duncalf lost to Madeline Perry 11-6, 5-11, 6-11,
12-14
MB Nottingham 4 University of Birmingham 1
Chris Simpson bt Chris Ryder 6-11, 15-13, 11-2, 11-6
Eddie Charlton bt Jaymie Haycocks 12-10, 11-8, 11-9
Mark Fuller bt Christopher Thomas Hall 13-11, 12-14, 11-3,
11-7
Oliver Holland lost to Nathan Lake 13-11, 11-5, 12-14,
8-11, 0-2 ret.
Emma Beddoes bt Jessica Mudge 11-1, 11-2, 11-1
Group B:
Exeter Diamonds 3 IGT Winchester 2
Stewart Boswell bt Joey Barrington 11-6, 11-0, 11-7
Campbell Grayson lost to Marwan El Shorbagy 6-11, 6-11,
3-11
Tim Vail lost to Dylan Bennett 11-13, 11-9, 4-11, 11-5,
5-11
James Snell bt Jethro Binns 11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 8-11, 11-8
(69m)
Victoria Temple-Murray bt Catherine Finlayson 12-10, 11-4,
5-11, 11-7 (30m)
TWP St George's Hill 4 Team Chichester 1
Tom Richards bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan 11-7, 8-11, 11-6,
12-10
Nicolas Mueller bt Robbie Temple 6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9
Joe Lee bt Max Lee 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8
Charles Sharpes lost to Olivier Pett 11-9, 3-11, 11-7,
6-11, 5-11
Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Annabelle Collins-Ballands 11-5,
11-3, 11-5
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 4 UWE Bristol 1
Peter Barker lost to Mohamed El Shorbagy 8-11, 8-11, 11-9,
6-11
Adrian Grant bt Lucas Serme 10-12, 11-3, 11-4, 14-12
Adrian Waller bt Arthur Gaskin 11-8, 11-7, 11-6
Ben Ford bt Chris Clare 11-9, 11-7, 11-5
Victoria Lust bt Anna Kimberley 11-4, 11-3, 11-4
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