| |
LEAGUE TABLE
FIXTURES |
|
PREVIEW
TEAM SQUADS
|
Final Report
Surrey Health Win Maiden Premier
League Title
At the end of only
their third season in the competition, PCL Whitehall Security Surrey
Health & Racquets Club clinched the Premier Squash League (PSL)
title for the first time after beating PNH Properties Chichester
4/1 in Tuesday's final of the established England Squash
league sponsored by Towergate tlc.
With both teams
supported by determined and vociferous fans, it was clear that a great
evening of squash was about to be unleashed on the two adjacent
glass-backed courts at Lee on Solent Squash Club.
Surrey H&RC, from
Croydon, took an early lead when England international Vicky
Botwright, the world No10 from Manchester, beat compatriot
Dominique Lloyd-Walter 9-3, 9-5, 9-4 in 21 minutes.
The end of this
match coincided with the completion of the first game on the adjacent
court - where Surrey's Ben Ford finally clinched the early lead
against Peter Genever after the Chichester part-timer had saved
two game-balls.
Both teams knew
the importance of this particular clash - the pair's first meeting - and
both sets of supporters did their best to outdo each other in the
decibel stakes!
Genever, a veteran
of all 12 of Chichester's PSL campaigns, levelled the match in the
second game - and when world No93 Ford took the third, Chichester's
former tour player again evened the score.
But when Genever
led 7-2 in the decider - then stemmed a fight back by Ford to clinch the
match 9-11, 9-2, 4-9, 9-7, 9-6 after 62 minutes - the Chichester
followers almost raised the roof!
By now, Surrey
were again leading in the second string battle between England
international Peter Barker and Chichester's Welsh international
Alex Gough - both of whom were playing in their second PSL final,
and both of whom had achieved their seedings in last week's Dunlop
British Open in Liverpool
Barker, a rising
star, took the first two games, but veteran Gough, a 37-year-old former
British O35 Open champion, pegged one back. It was to no avail,
however, as the 24-year-old world No12 secured the fourth to put Surrey
back in the lead.
However, it was
more than an hour and a half later - with the final two matches playing
side by side and fortunes wavering from one team to the other - before
Davide Bianchetti, the world No30 from Italy, finally curbed the
brave and determined efforts of Chichester's second part-timer Tim
Vail 9-11, 9-3, 9-3, 9-7 in 64 minutes, and Surrey H&RC fans cheered
their team's maiden PSL triumph.
The top string
encounter was an all-overseas affair - but both players have clearly
established loyal followings from their teams' fans. The crowd were
mesmerised by the talents of Surrey's Wael El Hindi, the world
No9 from Egypt, and Chichester's Mohd Azlan Iskandar, the world
No13 from Malaysia who produced last week's biggest British Open shock
when he upset second seed Ramy Ashour, also from Egypt.
But it was the
Egyptian who ultimately prevailed to win 9-7, 9-4, 7-9, 9-6 in 65
minutes to earn the Croydon club a 4/1 victory.
"I thought it
would be a close affair," said Surrey H&RC team manager Pete Smith.
"But I was confident we would win and am delighted that we did. Tonight
has been a fantastic night.
"Participation in
the PSL for the past three seasons has been a very positive thing for us
- it has helped with our junior development and has increased our squash
membership, leading to more squash being played at the club.
"And the team
spirit has been fantastic," added Smith. "Not just the players who have
played tonight, but the whole squad who have helped us to get this far -
players like British Junior champion Adrian Waller and Tim Garner."
Peter Cullen,
representing club sponsors PCL Whitehall Security, added: "There's been
a cracking atmosphere tonight. Now that we've won it, we want to retain
it next year!"
Chichester, who
were playing in the final for the first time despite having reached the
semi-finals seven times since 1996, were proud of their achievement -
particularly since two members of their team, Peter Genever and Tim
Vail, have not played full-time squash for many years, yet have both
represented the Sussex club with distinction in all ten ties this
season.
"I knew I had to
win tonight's match if we were to have a chance of winning the title,"
said Genever, a former world No23 who is now a highly-respected elite
coach.
"A night like
tonight is good for the game, where you have a neutral venue with two
strong sets of supporters providing a fantastic atmosphere.
"I've represented
Chichester for over 25 years now, from when I was a junior. Most of our
supporters here are my friends, people I grew up with. Playing for
Chichester in the PSL gets me motivated," concluded the 34-year-old
England No21.
Egypt's Wael El
Hindi acknowledged that he'd never before experienced anything like the
atmosphere during the PSL final. "Most of my countrymen don't play
leagues - they like to stay at home. But I play all over Europe," said
the charismatic world No9 who divides his time between Cairo and
Glastonbury in England, where he trains with British squash legend
Jonah Barrington.
"But I have never
experienced anything like this before. It has been fantastic - an
unbelievable evening," said the beaming Egyptian.
RESULTS:
Premier Squash League Final,
Lee on Solent
PCL Whitehall
Security Surrey H&RC 4 PNH Properties Chichester 1
Wael El Hindi bt
Mohd Azlan Iskandar 9-7, 9-4, 7-9, 9-6 (65m)
Peter Barker bt
Alex Gough 9-2, 9-5, 4-9, 9-2 (48m)
Davide
Bianchetti bt Tim Vail 9-11, 9-3, 9-3,
9-7 (64m)
Ben Ford lost to
Peter Genever 11-9, 2-9, 9-4, 7-9, 6-9
(62m)
Vicky Botwright
bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter 9-3, 9-5, 9-4 (21m)
Final Preview
Surrey Health & Chichester In Maiden
PSL Title Bid In Lee-on-Solent
PNH Properties
Chichester and PCL
Whitehall Security Surrey Health & Racquets Club will meet in
Tuesday's final of the Premier Squash League (PSL) at
Lee-on-Solent Squash Club - both clubs bidding to win their first
title in the established England Squash league sponsored by
Towergate tlc.
In the first final
for six years between two southern clubs, Chichester will be led by
Mohd Azlan Iskandar - the Malaysian who claimed an unexpected berth
in the quarter-finals of this week's Dunlop British Open after
upsetting second seed Ramy Ashour - while their Croydon-based
opponents will be led by Egyptian Wael El Hindi, the world No9.
Chichester beat
defending champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield to make the final for
the first time in eight attempts, and Surrey Health defeated
University Sport Birmingham in the other semi.
"It is going to be
fantastic final, with all of the matches difficult to call, and nice to
see the south breaking the north’s stranglehold," said Surrey H&RC
spokesman Tim Garner. "We may have the slight edge in
terms of rankings but the massive Chichester supporter group that will
travel along the south coast are sure to inspire their players.
"To counter this,
our club is hiring a coach to take our own army of fans down the M3 and
so it is likely to be an electric atmosphere on the night.
"We are confident
that we recruited the right players this year and it was a great
achievement for the club to make the final in only our third season.
But second place is not an option," added Garner.
The final will be
staged in Lee-on-Solent where the host club is celebrating its centenary
this year.
"This year sees
Lee-on-the-Solent celebrate the centenary of its foundation back in
1908," said club spokesman Chris Raleigh. "To mark this milestone in
the Club's history we have many highpoints planned throughout the year.
On 31st May we have our grand Tennis open day with Pat Cash as our
special celebrity guest; on Friday 16th May we are hosts for the "lost
for words" event featuring Lee Beachill and James Willstrop - this being
followed by some live entertainment from the dynamic duo. On 14th June
we will be holding our Grand Summer Foundation Ball at the Club.
"In addition to
the above we have lots of mini events going on. To be invited to host
the Premier Squash League Final on Tuesday 13th May just prior to our
own "Lost for Words" evening will make the mid week in May a fantastic
week to remember for Squash down at Lee-on-the-Solent, where we have a
long and established association with top quality tournaments and some
principal players."
Final line-up:
PCL Whitehall
Security Surrey H&RC v PNH Properties Chichester
Wael El Hindi v
Mohd Azlan Iskandar
Peter Barker v
Alex Gough
Davide
Bianchetti v Tim Vail
Ben Ford v Peter
Genever
Vicky Botwright
v Dominique Lloyd-Walter
2nd Semi
FInal
Surrey Health & Chichester Celebrate
First Time In PSL Final
PCL Whitehall
Security Surrey Health & Racquets Club
and PNH Properties Chichester
consolidated their successes the first semi-final legs by easing to home
victories in tonight's the second leg ties in the Premier Squash
League (PSL) to earn their first appearances in the national final
of the established England Squash league sponsored by
Towergate tlc.
It was a case of
'eighth time lucky' for Chichester, who had failed to progress beyond
the semi-finals seven times since 1996. After crushing Derbyshire's
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 5/0 in the first semi, the Sussex club
beat the defending champions 4/1 in the reverse fixture to record a 9/1
aggregate win.
Just 48 hours
after holding a slender 3/2 lead over University Sport Birmingham,
Croydon-based Surrey H&RC romped home 4/1 to secure a 7/3 aggregate win
- and extend their unbeaten run this season to 12 ties.
The final, on
Tuesday 13 May, will be the first between two southern clubs for six
years.
On the south
coast, Dominique Lloyd-Walter and Chichester stalwart Peter
Genever put the home side into the lead with repeat wins over
Duffield's 15-year-old Millie Tomlinson and Peter Billson,
respectively - Genever again needing five games to get the better of his
Manchester-based opponent.
But Duffield
claimed a revenge win when Nick Taylor beat Chichester's Tim
Vail 9-4, 9-6, 12-10. It was a rare loss for team captain Vail -
who made his debut for Chichester in 1996 and has not missed a PSL
appearance for his team in at least the last six seasons!
It was Chichester
team veteran Alex Gough that clinched victory over his former
club by beating Alex Stait 9-4, 9-7, 4-9, 9-1 - a win that was
later repeated by top string Mohd Azlan Iskandar when the
Malaysian beat Duffield number one Andrew Whipp 10-8, 10-8, 9-7
to ensure the home side's 4/1 success.
"At last we've
done it," said a jubilant Chichester captain Tim Vail. "We had a
sell-out crowd here tonight - willing us on to get to our first final -
and I'm sure they'll all be with us for the final too.
"We've had a
consistent policy ever since we joined the league - to always have
strength in depth, and to use the league to help bring on Sussex
juniors," explained Vail. "And tonight's triumph shows that the plan is
paying off - and juniors like Olly Pett and Tom Pashley have worked hard
to get this far."
There was also a
full house in Croydon - where the opening clash saw England's world No8
Vicky Botwright avenge her first leg loss to Lancashire and
England team-mate Laura Lengthorn-Massaro by fighting back from
two games down to beat her lower-ranked Birmingham opponent 9-11, 6-9,
10-8, 9-1, 9-7.
But straight games
wins by Ben Ford, Peter Barker and Egyptian star Wael
El Hindi put smiles on the home crowd as the Surrey club made up for
the disappointment of losing out at the same stage last year by winning
4/1.
The student team
gained a consolation point when up-and-coming 20-year-old Joel Hinds
(ranked 256 in the world) showed that Tuesday's giant-killing win over
experienced Italian Davide Bianchetti was no fluke - by again
beating the world No31 9-7, 9-2, 6-9, 9-6!
"It's been a
fantastic night, but also a huge relief after last year," admitted
Surrey team manager Pete Smith. "There's been a great atmosphere
here - and we're now really looking forward to the final."
RESULTS:
Semi-finals, 2nd leg:
PNH Properties
Chichester 4 Benz-Bavarian Duffield 1
Mohd Azlan
Iskandar bt Andrew Whipp 10-8, 10-8, 9-7
Alex Gough bt
Alex Stait 9-4, 9-7, 4-9, 9-1
Tim Vail lost to
Nick Taylor 4-9, 6-9, 10-12
Peter Genever bt
Peter Billson 3-9, 9-4, 5-9, 9-5, 9-7
Dominique
Lloyd-Walter bt Millie Tomlinson 9-3, 9-3, 9-1
Chichester win 9/1 on aggregate
PCL Whitehall
Security Surrey H&RC 4 University Sport Birmingham 1
Wael El Hindi bt
Joey Barrington 9-2, 11-9, 9-7
Peter Barker bt
Jonathan Harford 9-5, 9-5, 9-7
Davide
Bianchetti lost to Joel Hinds 7-9, 2-9, 9-6, 6-9
Ben Ford bt
Alistair Mutch 9-2, 9-1, 9-4
Vicky Botwright
bt Laura Lengthorn-Massaro 9-11, 6-9, 10-8, 9-1, 9-7
Surrey H&RC win 7/3 on aggregate
1st Semi Final Leg
Chichester & Surrey H&RC Take Early
Advantage In PSL Semi-Finals
PNH Properties
Chichester and PCL
Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC took the early advantage after the
first leg semi-final ties in the Premier Squash League (PSL)
following away wins over Benz-Bavarian Duffield and University
Sport Birmingham, respectively, in the established England Squash
league sponsored by Towergate tlc.
Duffield, the
reigning champions from Derbyshire hoping to become the first club in
the 25-year history of the league to win a hat-trick of successive
titles, suffered a catastrophic series of injury woes on the eve of the
semi-finals week - with last week's news of three of its leading players
being forced to withdraw being followed this week by the revelation that
second string woman Laura Hill had sustained an injury in Canada
which would prevent her from replacing England number Tania Bailey.
However, hastily
recruited replacement Mille Tomlinson - a 15-year-old schoolgirl
ranked two in the National U17 list - put in a courageous performance in
her PSL debut against Chichester's Dominique Lloyd-Walter. The
youngster led the world No21 from Harrow 7-4 in the opening game.
But Lloyd-Walter
soon regained the advantage to record a 9-7, 9-2 9-1 win to put the
visitors ahead.
Tomlinson's
Duffield team-mates maintained the pressure on favourites Chichester -
with Peter Billson, Nick Taylor and Alex Stait
taking each of their more fancied opponents the full distance before
succumbing in five games. Stait led world No22 Alex Gough by two
games - and was given the first point of the third game when Welshman
Gough received a conduct point against him as he walked off court after
the second.
But this seemed to
inspire the veteran 37-year-old who went on to win 6-9, 10-12, 9-4, 9-2,
9-3.
In the final top
string battle between Duffield's Stockport-based Andrew Whipp, a
former world No64, and the visitors' Mohd Azlan Iskandar,
currently ranked 13 in the world, the loyal Duffield followers
hoped for a surprise consolation match when underdog Whipp was two
points away from forcing a fifth game.
But Malaysian star
Iskandar maintained his focus to win 9-3, 9-5, 8-10, 9-7 to give the
Sussex side a much-deserved 5/0 tie win.
"I couldn't have
expected more from my players," said a dejected Duffield team manager
Brian Hargrave afterwards. "We gave them a good run for their money
and will try and repeat this in the second leg on Thursday at
Chichester. We've got a mountain to climb, but if we do have to bow out
of the competition, I couldn't think of a better team to succeed us as
champions than Chichester!"
With three members
of its squad in the world top ten, Croydon's PCL Whitehall Security
Surrey H&RC were expected to take the honours against University Sport
Birmingham at the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham.
But after Laura
Lengthorn-Massaro beat higher-ranked Lancashire and England
team-mate Vicky Botwright 9-6, 9-7, 9-5 - the 24-year-old from
Preston's third successive win over world No8 Botwright - and home hero
Joel Hinds (ranked 256 in the world) scored a sensational 9-3,
9-7, 9-7 victory over Italy's world No31 Davide Bianchetti, the
University team found themselves 2/1 ahead.
But an impressive
9-4, 9-2, 9-4 win by the visitors England international Peter Barker
over Jonathan Harford levelled the tie. In the decider, the
Surrey team's Egyptian international Wael El Hindi was too strong
for Birmingham's Joey Barrington - whose 'dead leg' injury picked
up at the Surrey Health Open last week at the Croydon club prevented him
from completing the third game of the match.
"We had a really
good turn out at Edgbaston Priory and, given the strength of our
opposition, our team put in a great performance - especially Joel Hinds
who played the best I've ever seen him," said University of Birmingham
team manager Jonathan Tate.
RESULTS:
Semi-finals, 1st leg:
Benz-Bavarian
Duffield 0 PNH Properties Chichester 5
Andrew Whipp
lost to Mohd Azlan Iskandar 3-9, 5-9, 10-8, 7-9
Alex Stait lost
to Alex Gough 9-6, 12-10, 4-9, 2-9, 3-9
Nick Taylor lost
to Tim Vail 9-5, 6-9, 2-9, 9-2, 6-9
Peter Billson
lost to Peter Genever 9-6, 9-5, 6-9, 2-9, 5-9
Millie Tomlinson
lost to Dominique Lloyd-Walter 7-9, 2-9, 1-9
University
Sport Birmingham 2 PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC 3
Joey Barrington
lost to Wael El Hindi 4-9, 5-9, 0-1 ret.
Jonathan Harford
lost to Peter Barker 4-9, 2-9, 4-9
Joel Hinds bt
Davide Bianchetti 9-3, 9-7, 9-7
Alistair Mutch
lost to Adrian Waller 6-9, 6-9, 10-8, 3-9
Laura
Lengthorn-Massaro bt Vicky Botwright 9-6, 9-7, 9-5
Semi-finals, 2nd
leg (Thursday 10 April):
PNH Properties
Chichester v Benz-Bavarian Duffield
PCL Whitehall
Security Surrey H&RC v University Sport Birmingham
|
TEAM SQUADS 2007/8
DIVISION A
BENZ-BAVARIAN DUFFIELD
Nick Matthew
Stewart Boswell
Andy Whipp
Alex Stait
Nick Taylor
Laurence Delasaux
Shaun Le Roux
Paul Hargrave
Kevin White
Tania Bailey
Laura Hill
Millie Tomlinson
BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY
Joey Barrington
Mohamed El Shorbagy
Jonny Harford
Steve Coppinger
Joel Hinds
Jonathan Tate
Chris Truswell
Tom Power
Steve London
Alistair Mutch
Laura Lengthorn
Emma Chorley
Leonie Holt
Carrie Hastings
ESPORTA OXFORD
Cameron Pilley
Scott Handley
Chris Ryder
Dylan Bennett
Rob Sutherland
Kristen Johnson
Chris Tasker-Grindley
Tom Phipps
Dominic Hamilton
Jason Martin
Madeleine Perry
Deon Saffery
Kerri Shields
Rachel Donald
NOTTINGHAM
Ong Beng Hee
Simon Parke
John Rooney
Jethro Binns
Eddie Charlton
Arthur Gaskin
Lewis Walters
Duncan Walsh
Dominique Lloyd Walters
Emma Beddoes
Sarah Kippax
PONTEFRACT
James Willstrop
Lee Beachill
Saurav Ghosal
Stuart Crawford
Neil Cordell
Ryan Thompson
Adam Taylor
Sam Wileman
Colin Roshara
Vanessa Atkinson
Lauren Siddall
Rebecca Botwright
Kirsty McPhee
Joshna Chinappa
ENERGIE FITNESS
REDDITCH
Renan Lavigne
Jonathan Kemp
Scott Arnold
Chris Truswell
Jaymie Haycocks
David Barnett
Aaron Frankcomb
James Snell
Jackie Hawkes
Wendy Maitland
Victoria Lust
Georgina Lust
|
TEAM SQUADS 2006/7
DIVISION B
PROBUILD BRISTOL
Gregory Gaultier
Adrian Grant
Joe Kniepp
David Evans
Hadrian Stiff
Peter Marshall
Chris Clare
Lewys Hurst
Kasey Brown
Laura Mylotte
UNISPORT GUILDFORD
Stacey Ross
Stephen Meads
Jesse Engelbrecht
Mick Biggs
Phil Rushworth
Alex Ingham
Federico Torres
Gary Hinton
Anthony Brindle
Alison Waters
Adel Weir
Gilly Lane
Harriet Ingham
Emma Wardle
LUXFORDS ST GEORGE’S HILL
Alister Walker
Daryl Selby
Tom Richards
Joe Lee
Jason Barry
Danny Lee
James Simpson
Sarah Fitzgerald
Isabelle Stoer
Rachel Wilmot
Isabelle Tweedle
PCL
WHITEHALL SECURITY SURREY
H+RC
Wael El Hindi
Peter Barker
Bradley Ball
Davide Bianchetti
Tim Garner
Chris Simpson
Ben Ford
Simon Rosner
Adrian Waller
Vicky Botwright
Lauren Briggs
Stephanie Brind
PNH PROPERTIES CHICHESTER
Mohd Azlan Iskandar
Alex Gough
Tim Vail
Pete Genever
Robbie Temple
Tom Pashley
Olly Pett
Dominique Lloyd Walters
Line Hansen
Suzie Pierrepont |
|
|
LEAGUE TABLE |
|
Ties |
Matches |
Games |
Pts |
|
P |
W
|
L |
W
|
L |
W |
L |
|
GROUP A: NORTH |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Benz-Bavarian Duffield |
10 |
9 |
1 |
12 |
38 |
125 |
64 |
170 |
University Sport Birmingham |
10 |
6 |
4 |
30 |
20 |
110 |
81 |
140 |
Esporta Oxford |
10 |
6 |
4 |
25 |
25 |
93 |
97 |
123 |
Energie Fitness Redditch |
10 |
3 |
7 |
25 |
25 |
91 |
92 |
106 |
Nottingham |
10 |
3 |
7 |
16 |
34 |
71 |
114 |
86 |
Pontefract |
10 |
3 |
7 |
16 |
34 |
70 |
112 |
85 |
GROUP B: SOUTH |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Surrey H&RC |
8 |
8 |
0 |
30 |
10 |
99 |
50 |
139 |
PNH Properties |
8 |
5 |
3 |
22 |
18 |
82 |
75 |
107 |
Probuild Bristol |
8 |
3 |
5 |
20 |
80 |
76 |
76 |
95 |
Luxfords St George's Hill |
8 |
3 |
5 |
16 |
24 |
66 |
86 |
81 |
Unisport Guildford |
8 |
1 |
7 |
12 |
28 |
50 |
90 |
55 |
|
PREMIER SQUASH LEAGUE
LEAGUE
FIXTURES 2007-2008
Groups
|
NORTHERN GROUP A
A: NOTTINGHAM
B: PONTEFRACT
C:
ENERGIE FITNESS REDDITCH
D: ESPORTA OXFORD
E:
BENZ-BAVARIAN DUFFIELD
F: BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY |
SOUTHERN GROUP B
A: UNISPORT GUILDFORD
B: PNH PROPERTIES CHICHESTER
C:
PROBUILD BRISTOL
D:
LUXFORDS ST GEORGE’S HILL
E: PCL WHITEHALL SECURITY SURREY H&R
F: NO FIXTURE |
First named is home team,
start time 7pm |
DATE |
Group A |
Group B |
Round 1
9 Oct |
Nottingham 3-2 Pontefract
Duffield 3-2 Redditch
Birmingham 3-2 Oxford |
Guildford 1-4 Chichester
Surrey 4-1 Bristol
|
Round 2
16 Oct |
Redditch 1-4 Nottingham
Oxford 1-4 Duffield
Pontefract 3-2 Birmingham |
Bristol 3-2 Guildford
St George's 1-4 Surrey
|
Round 3
13 Nov |
Duffield 5-0 Nottingham
Pontefract 2-3 Oxford
Birmingham 4-1 Redditch |
Surrey 4-1 Guildford
Chichester 4-1 St George's
|
Round 4
20 Nov |
Nottingham 2-3 Oxford
Redditch v Pontefract
Duffield 4-1 Birmingham |
Guildford 3-2 St George's
Bristol 2-3 Chichester
|
Round 5
4 Dec |
Pontefract 0-5 Duffield
Oxford 3-2 Redditch
Birmingham 4-1 Nottingham |
Chichester 1-4 Surrey
St George's 3-2 Bristol
|
Round 6
29 Jan |
Pontefract 4-1 Nottingham
Redditch 2-3 Duffield
Oxford 1-4 Birmingham |
Chichester 4-1 Guildford
Bristol 2-3 Surrey
|
Round 7
5 Feb |
Nottingham 0-5 Redditch
Duffield 4-1 Oxford
Birmingham 4-1 Pontefract |
Guildford 1-4 Bristol
Surrey 3-2 St George's
|
Round 8
19 Feb |
Nottingham 1-4 Duffield
Oxford 4-1 Pontefract
Redditch 3-2 Birmingham |
Guildford 1-4 Surrey
St George's 3-2 Chichester
|
Round 9
4 Mar |
Oxford 4-1 Nottingham
Pontefract 3-2 Redditch
Birmingham 4-1 Duffield |
St George's 3-2 Guildford
Chichester 4-1 Bristol
|
Round 10
18 Mar |
Duffield 5-0 Pontefract
Redditch 2-3 Oxford
Nottingham 3-2 Birmingham |
Surrey 4-1 Chichester
Bristol 5-0 St George's
|
8th April 2008 |
Semi Final 1st Leg
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 5-0
PNH Properties
Chichester
University Sport Birmingham 2-3 PCL Whitehall
Security Surrey H&RC
|
10th April 2008 |
Semi Final 2nd Leg
PNH Properties Chichester 4-1 Benz-Bavarian
Duffield
PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC
4-1 University
Sport Birmingham
|
13th May 2008 (TBC) |
PCL Whitehall
Security Surrey H&RC 4-1 PNH Properties Chichester |
10th Round Report
Duffield & Surrey Storm To PSL Group
Supremacy
Benz-Bavarian Duffield and PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC stormed
to comprehensive home victories in the tenth and final
round of this season's Premier Squash League (PSL) to establish
overwhelming leads at the top of the Group A and Group B tables,
respectively, in the long-established England Squash league
sponsored by Towergate tlc.
Duffield, the defending champions from
Derbyshire, and Croydon-based Surrey H&RC, will join University Sport
Birmingham and PNH Properties Chichester in the two-leg
semi-final play-offs (on 8 and 10 April) for places in the final in
May. Chichester, who needed a whitewash win over Surrey H&RC to
leapfrog the Croydon in Group B, went down 4/1 to finish in second place
- and will face Duffield in one of the semis. The Birmingham side also
suffered a tenth round loss - to Nottingham - but still maintain
their grip on second place in Group A to earn a semi-final against
Surrey H&RC.
After losing their 23-tie unbeaten run in
the last round, Duffield sprang back to despatch an admittedly
under-strength Pontefract squad 5/0 at home. However, the
Yorkshire visitors looked likely to claim an early win when
fast-improving Lauren Siddall forged a 2/1 lead over Duffield's
experienced campaigner Tania Bailey, the world No5 from
Lincolnshire. But Bailey bounded back to take the match 9-7, 7-9, 4-9,
9-2, 9-6.
Wins then by Duffield stalwarts Peter
Billson and Laurence Delasaux put the title-holders back on
the victory trail - but it was the top string clash which provided the
standout match of the day when Cheshire 'part-timer' Andrew Whipp
crafted a sensational 3-9, 10-8, 9-3, 7-9, 9-2 victory over Pontefract's
Saurav Ghosal, the Indian champion ranked 51 in the world, to
give Duffield maximum points.
England international Vicky Botwright
clinched the vital early points which assured Surrey H&RC's place at the
top of the Group B standings when she beat Chichester's Dominique
Lloyd-Walter 9-2, 8-10, 11-9, 10-8. Kent's Ben Ford went on
to win in straight games to extend the home side's lead - but it was
after beating Chichester captain Tim Vail that Italian Davide
Bianchetti clinched victory for Surrey H&RC which leaves the Croydon
club as the only unbeaten team this season.
A final 9-5, 7-9, 9-7, 9-5 win by squad
No1 Peter Barker over indefatigable Welshman Alex Gough
saw Surrey finish with a 4/1 win over the Sussex club.
Middle order places in the group
standings were settled in the other ties - with last season's national
runners-up Probuild Bristol romping home with their only 5/0 win
of the season, against Luxfords St George's Hill, to overtake the
Surrey club to finish in third place in Group B.
The 3/2 win by Nottingham over University
Sport Birmingham not only gives the former champions their third win of
the season, but also lifts the East Midlanders off the base of the Group
A table. Elsewhere in the Group, in-form Australian Cameron Pilley clinched the deciding match for Esporta Oxford against
league newcomers Energie Fitness Redditch which cemented the
Thames Valley club's third place finish in Group A.
RESULTS:
10th round
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 5 Pontefract 0
Andrew Whipp bt Saurav Ghosal 3-9,
10-8, 9-3, 7-9, 9-2
Peter Billson bt Sam Wileman 9-11, 9-5,
9-6, 9-2
Laurence Delasaux bt Colin Ramasra 9-6,
9-4, 9-2
Rudi Willemse bt Alan Norrish 9-4, 9-7,
9-5
Tania Bailey bt Lauren Siddall 9-7,
7-9, 4-9, 9-2, 9-6
Energie Fitness Redditch 2 Esporta
Oxford 3
Renan Lavigne lost to Cameron Pilley
7-9, 5-9, 9-3, 7-9 (49m)
Jonathan Kemp bt Scott Handley 9-4,
9-7, 9-1 (19m)
Jaymie Haycocks bt Rob Sutherland 6-9,
9-7, 9-11, 9-6, 9-6 (49m)
Andrew Birks lost to Kristen Johnson
11-9, 10-12, 5-9, 4-9 (36m)
Jaclyn Hawkes lost to Madeline Perry
6-9, 6-9, 7-9 (24m)
Nottingham 3 University Sport
Birmingham 2
Simon Parke lost to Joey Barrington
5-9, 10-8, 6-9, 2-9
John Rooney bt Stephen Coppinger 10-8,
9-6, 3-9, 4-9, 9-5
Jethro Binns bt Jonathan Tate 1-9, 9-5,
9-3, 9-7
Arthur Gaskin bt Steven London 9-7,
9-4, 5-9, 9-5
Sarah Kippax lost to Laura
Lengthorn-Massaro 6-9, 9-2, 8-10, 10-12
Group B:
PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC 4
PNH Properties Chichester 1
Peter Barker bt Alex Gough 9-5, 7-9,
9-7, 9-5
Davide Bianchetti bt Tim Vail 9-5,
10-8, 9-5
Tim Garner lost to Peter Genever 9-11,
9-6, 5-9, 2-9
Ben Ford bt Robbie Temple 10-8, 9-6,
9-5
Vicky Botwright bt Dominique
Lloyd-Walter 9-2, 8-10, 11-9, 10-8
Probuild Bristol 5 Luxfords St
George's Hill 0
Adrian Grant bt Daryl Selby 6-9, 9-6,
5-9, 9-7, 9-2 (57m)
David Evans bt Tom Richards 9-7, 7-9,
4-9, 9-5, 9-6 (55m)
Hadrian Stiff bt Neil Hitchens 9-7,
9-5, 9-6 (26m)
Peter Marshall bt Oliver Dixon 9-2,
9-1, 9-5
Kasey Brown bt Rachel Willmott 9-7,
9-4, 9-3
Semi-finals line up:
1st leg (8 April)
Benz-Bavarian Duffield v PNH
Properties Chichester
University Sport Birmingham v PCL
Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC
2nd leg (10 April):
PNH Properties Chichester v
Benz-Bavarian Duffield
PCL
Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC v University Sport Birmingham
FINAL PSL TABLES (after 10th
round)
Ties Matches Games Pts
P W L W L W L
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield
10 9 1 38 12 125 64 170
University Sport Birmingham
10 6 4 30 20 110 81 140
Esporta Oxford
10 6 4 25 25 93 97 123
Energie Fitness Redditch
10 3 7 25 25 91 92 106
Nottingham
10 3 7 16 34 71 114 86
Pontefract
10 3 7 16 34 70 112 85
Group B:
Surrey H&RC
8 8 0 30 10 99 50 139
PNH Properties Chichester
8 5 3 22 18 82 75 107
Probuild Bristol
8 3 5 20 20 80 76 95
Luxfords St George's Hill
8 3 5 16 24 66 86 81
UniSport Guildford
8 1 7 12 28 50 90 55
9th Round
Report
Chichester & Birmingham Clinch PSL
Play-Off Places
With the final round still to be played,
University Sport Birmingham and PNH Properties Chichester
clinched their places in the end-of-season Premier Squash
League (PSL) play-offs after comfortable 4/1 home wins the
ninth round of the prestigious England Squash league sponsored by
Towergate tlc.
The west midlands side took on
Benz-Bavarian Duffield, the defending champions unbeaten for the
last 23 ties. But the Derbyshire club's impressive record run finally
came to an end as the University of Birmingham squad secured the win
which takes them into the play-offs for the second successive season -
alongside Duffield, who cannot be displaced from top position in the
Group A table.
As in Group A, the Group B table-toppers
PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC were also already assured of a
play-off place - but Chichester's win over Probuild Bristol
guarantees the Sussex club a return to the play-offs after missing out
last season to the west country side - who went on to contest the final.
Elsewhere in Group A, Esporta Oxford
moved up to third place following a 4/1 home win against former
champions Nottingham, while Yorkshire club Pontefract
claimed their third win of the season by beating Energie Fitness
Redditch 3/2 at home. The other tie in Group B saw UniSport
Guildford narrowly lose out on finishing their 2007/08 campaign with
their second win of the season as Luxfords St George's Hill
clinched the tie 3/2 after the top string decider went the full
distance.
It was a considerably under-strength
Duffield squad that arrived in Birmingham, wary of the fact that its
unbeaten run was in jeopardy. But stalwart Laura Hill put the
visitors firmly in the driving seat with a commanding 9-2, 9-2, 9-2 win
over the University team's Emma Chorley.
It was one-way traffic, however, for the
hosts thereafter as Joel Hinds and Jonathan Harford scored
notable wins - before Mohamed El Shorbagy, a 17-year-old Egyptian
studying at Millfield School, fought back from 2/1 down against Duffield
veteran Nick Taylor to beat the reigning British O35 Open
champion 9-4, 3-9, 6-9, 9-2, 9-5 and clinch victory for the University
side. In the top string clash, former Birmingham student Joey
Barrington made it 4/1 when he beat Andrew Whipp 9-2, 10-12,
9-3, 9-7 in 47 minutes.
Probuild Bristol needed nothing less than
a win in Chichester to keep alive their chances of a second appearance
in the play-offs - after making it last year in their maiden season in
the league. But Dominique Lloyd-Walter and Olivier Pett
put the Sussex side into the lead and club stalwart Peter Genever
clinched the vital win by beating the visitors' Mike Gregory 9-3,
9-6, 10-8.
However, Bristol gained some consolation
in the top string rubber, between Alex Gough and David Evans.
But the eagerly-awaited match between the two leading
players from Wales for the past decade failed to live up to expectations
as Evans, the Bristol number one, took a two-game lead before Gough was
forced to retire after three points of the third game suffering with an
injury.
Lee Beachill
led Pontefract to a 3/2 home win over Energie Fitness Redditch, but the
tie was poised at two-all when the former world number one took to the
court to face French star Renan Lavigne. But Beachill was too
strong for the Redditch number one, winning 10-8, 9-6, 9-6, much to the
delight of the packed Pontefract crowd.
Esporta Oxford's hopes of a whitewash win
over visitors Nottingham were dashed in the opening match when club
champion Rachel Donald fell 9-0, 9-1, 9-3 to an "awesome"
performance by Nottingham's Emma Beddoes. But the hosts quickly
recovered - first when local star Kristen Johnson battled bravely
to an entertaining 11-9, 13-11, 6-9, 8-10, 10-8 win over Lewis
Walters, and then after Chris Ryder despatched Nottingham's
Jethro Binns in four games.
But overall victory came when Scott
Handley secured a surprisingly straightforward 9-5, 9-4, 9-3 win
over Nottingham's John Rooney - and Australian Cameron Pilley
cemented the celebrations by beating Simon Parke 9-5, 9-5, 9-4.
The all-Surrey clash between Luxfords St
George's Hill and UniSport Guildford began disappointingly for the
Ingham family as siblings Alex and Harriet, openers for
the visitors, went down in straight games to their St George's Hill
opponents. But Guildford fought back to level the tie when Jesse
Engelbrecht beat St George's Hill newcomer Philip Nightingale
9-3, 9-5, 9-3, and veteran campaigner Stephen Meads held off a
challenge from Tom Richards to beat the rising Surrey star 9-6,
9-7, 10-12, 4-9, 9-4.
The dramatic decider went to five games
when the home side's Hungarian number one Mark Krajcsak beat
long-time Guildford No1 Stacey Ross 9-11, 9-3, 5-9, 9-5, 9-3.
9th round
results: Tuesday 4 March 2008
Group A:
Esporta Oxford 4 Nottingham 1
Cameron Pilley bt Simon Parke 9-5,
9-5, 9-4
Scott Handley bt John Rooney 9-5, 9-4,
9-3
Chris Ryder bt Jethro Binns 10-8, 9-5,
7-9, 9-2
Kristen Johnson bt Lewis Walters 11-9,
13-11, 6-9, 8-10, 10-8
Rachel Donald lost to Emma Beddoes
0-9, 1-9, 3-9
Pontefract 3 Energie Fitness Redditch
2
Lee Beachill bt Renan Lavigne 10-8,
9-6, 9-6
Saurav Ghosal bt David Barnett 9-2,
9-4, 9-4
Neil Cordell lost to Jaymie Haycocks
9-11, 9-4, 4-9, 3-9
Ryan Thompson bt Adam Stevenson 9-4,
9-6, 9-2
Lauren Siddall lost to Jaclyn Hawkes
9-6, 7-9, 2-9, 7-9
University Sport Birmingham 4
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 1
Joey Barrington bt Andrew Whipp 9-2,
10-12, 9-3, 9-7 (47m)
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Nick Taylor
9-4, 3-9, 6-9, 9-2, 9-5 (39m)
Jonathan Harford bt Peter Billson 9-3,
7-9, 9-3, 9-6 (29m)
Joel Hinds bt Shaun le Roux 9-3, 9-6,
9-3 (24m)
Emma Chorley lost to Laura Hill 2-9,
2-9, 2-9 (18m)
Group
B:
Luxfords St George's Hill 3 UniSport
Guildford 2
Mark Krajcsak bt Stacey Ross 9-11,
9-3, 5-9, 9-5, 9-3
Tom Richards lost to Stephen Meads
6-9, 7-9, 12-10, 9-4, 4-9
Philip Nightingale lost to Jesse
Engelbrecht 3-9, 5-9, 3-9
Phillip Barker bt Alex Ingham 11-9,
9-3, 9-6
Rachel Willmott bt Harriet Ingham
11-9, 9-4, 9-2
PNH Properties Chichester 4 Probuild
Bristol 1
Alex Gough lost to David Evans 4-9,
3-9, 0-3 ret.
Tim Vail bt Hadrian Stiff 9-4, 9-3,
9-6
Peter Genever bt Mike Gregory 9-3,
9-6, 10-8
Olivier Pett bt Michael Harris 9-4,
9-6, 1-9, 6-9, 9-6
Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Sarah-Jane
Perry 9-6, 9-5, 9-6
10th round, Tuesday 18
March 2008
Group
A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield v Pontefract
Energie Fitness Redditch v Esporta
Oxford
Nottingham v University Sport
Birmingham
Group B:
PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC v
PNH Properties Chichester
Probuild Bristol v Luxfords St
George's Hill
PSL TABLES (after 9th
round)
Ties Matches Games Pts
P W L W L W L
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian
Duffield
9 8 1 33 12 110 59 150
University
Sport Birmingham
9 6 3 28 17 100 70 130
Esporta Oxford
9 5 4 22 23 82 89 107
Energie Fitness
Redditch
9 3 6 23 22 83 81 98
Pontefract
9 3 6 16 29 65 97 80
Nottingham
9 2 7 13 32 60 104 70
Group
B:
Surrey H&RC
7 7 0 26 9 86 45 121
PNH Properties
Chichester
7 5 2 21 14 77 62 102
Luxfords St
George's Hill
7 3 4 16 19 62 71 77
Probuild
Bristol
7 2 5 15 20 65 72 75
UniSport
Guildford
8 1 7 12 28 50 90 55
8th Round
Report
Redditch & St George's Hill Exact
Revenge In PSL
Surrey's Luxfords St George's Hill
and newcomers Energie Fitness Redditch avenged defeats
earlier in the season in the eighth round of the Premier Squash
League (PSL) to keep alive their hopes of reaching the end-of-season
play-offs in the prestigious England Squash league sponsored by
Towergate tlc.
Essex's Daryl Selby clinched the
decider for St George's Hill against Sussex visitors PNH Properties
Chichester in Group B, while the West Midlands derby in Group A
between Redditch and University Sport Birmingham again saw
the top strings battle it out for victory, with the Worcestershire home
team's Jonathan Kemp recovering from a game down to beat
Birmingham's Joey Barrington in four.
Elsewhere Benz-Bavarian Duffield
and PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC maintained their unbeaten
runs - the defending champions from Derbyshire crushing former champions
Nottingham 4-1 away from home and the Croydon club winning by the
same margin at UniSport Guildford. The wins ensure that both
Duffield, from Group A, and Surrey H&RC, from Group B, are certain to
make to the play-offs for the second successive year.
Just two days after tasting defeat in the
women's British National Championship final in Manchester,
Birmingham's Laura Lengthorn-Massaro went down 4-9, 9-4, 9-2,
10-8 in the opening match in Redditch to the home team's Jaclyn
Hawkes - the New Zealander repeating her win over the England
international earlier in the season.
Honours thereafter were shared throughout
the evening, with the University side drawing level when Stephen
Coppinger beat Adam Stevenson, and Redditch again forging
ahead through a Jaymie Haycocks victory over Jonathan Harford.
Top strings kemp and Barrington were left
to contest a decider when the visitors' Mohamed El Shorbagy, a
17-year-old Egyptian based in Somerset, beat Australian Scott Arnold
10-8, 9-6, 5-9, 9-6. Barrington, also from Glastonbury in Somerset,
took the opening game, but left-hander Kemp, the world No25, bounced
back to win 8-10, 9-3, 9-4, 9-4 in 39 minutes to seal the win for
Redditch.
"It was a night of really good and
exciting squash," said Redditch team manager Bett Dryhurst. "It
was a true local derby, fought out in a good spirit - and it's time we
deserved a breakthrough like this," added the British O55 Open
champion.
Redditch have reduced the gap in third
place in Group A behind University Sport Birmingham - but Duffield have
extended their lead at the top of the table to 30 points following their
win over a weakened Nottingham team. Cheshire's Andrew Whipp was
Duffield's only loser, but twice fought back to level his match before
Welshman Jethro Binns clinched a 9-7, 14-16, 9-7, 4-9, 9-5
victory. In the top string clash, Australian Stewart Boswell
beat Irishman John Rooney 10-8 9-6 9-4 to secure his third
successive win since joining the Duffield squad.
After originally being announced as
the fourth string for visitors Pontefract, it was as top string
that Trinidadian Colin Ramasra arrived at Esporta Oxford,
leading the considerably under-strength Yorkshire club squad. The home
side marched to a convincing 4/1 win - with only Kristen Johnson
stumbling, failing to exploit a two-game advantage before going down
9-4, 11-9, 5-9, 7-9, 6-9 to Pontefract's Sam
Wileman.
But a packed house in Weybridge enjoyed
watching the drama unfold as Luxfords St George's Hill
entertained PNH Properties Chichester. Surrey University student
Rachel Willmott opened proceedings for the home team - and
enjoyed her first win in ten league appearances when she beat the Sussex
club's Susannah King 9-4, 5-9, 9-4, 9-1.
The tie was evenly poised when top
strings Daryl Selby and Alex Gough faced each other in the
decider - with Welshman Gough, fresh from appearances in both the 'Open'
and O35 event in last week's British Nationals in Manchester,
taking a two game lead. But Selby refused to give in, forcing the
match into a fifth game decider before clinching victory in a 6-9, 5-9,
10-8, 9-3, 9-7 scoreline after 76 minutes!
Also fresh from success at the
National Squash Centre - where she won the women's title for the first
time - Alison Waters received a presentation from UniSport
Guildford team manager Ian Robinson after cruising to a 9-6,
10-8, 9-3 win over Stephanie Brind in their home tie against
PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC.
But that was the home team's only success
as the visitors stormed to a 4/1 win - in the final match, the squad's
number one Peter Barker overcoming a dislocated toe injury to
beat Guildford's Stacey Ross, also suffering with a shoulder
injury, 9-3, 3-9, 9-7, 9-5.
RESULTS:
8th round, Tuesday 19 February 2008
Group
A:
Nottingham 1 Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4
John Rooney lost to Stewart Boswell
8-10, 6-9, 4-9
Jethro Binns bt Andrew Whipp 9-7,
14-16, 9-7, 4-9, 9-5
Eddie Charlton lost to Peter Billson
9-7, 7-9, 9-11, 7-9
Lewis Walters lost to Shaun le Roux
9-7, 3-9, 7-9, 8-10
Sarah Kippax lost to Laura Hill 5-9,
6-9, 10-12
Esporta Oxford 4 Pontefract 1
Scott Handley bt Colin Ramasra 9-4,
9-6, 9-2
Rob Sutherland bt Adam Taylor 10-8,
9-5, 9-2
Kristen Johnson lost to Sam Wileman
9-4, 11-9, 5-9, 7-9, 6-9
Thomas Phipps bt Daniel Siddall 9-5,
9-7, 9-3
Madeline Perry bt Lauren Siddall 9-2,
7-9, 9-7, 9-5
Energie Fitness Redditch 3 University
Sport Birmingham 2
Jonathan Kemp bt Joey Barrington 8-10,
9-3, 9-4, 9-4 (39m)
Scott Arnold lost to Mohamed El
Shorbagy 8-10, 6-9, 9-5, 6-9
Jaymie Haycocks bt Jonathan Harford
11-9, 9-3, 9-6
Adam Stevenson lost to Stephen
Coppinger 4-9, 0-9, 5-9
Jaclyn Hawkes bt Laura
Lengthorn-Massaro 4-9, 9-4, 9-2, 10-8
Group B:
UniSport Guildford 1 PCL Whitehall
Security Surrey H&RC 4
Stacey Ross lost to Peter Barker 3-9,
9-3, 7-9, 5-9
Stephen Meads lost to Davide Bianchetti
9-11, 5-9, 3-9
Jesse Engelbrecht lost to Ben Ford
3-9, 7-9, 8-10
Alex Ingham lost to Steve Richardson
5-9, 9-3, 9-7, 2-9, 6-9
Alison Waters bt Stephanie Brind 9-6,
10-8, 9-3
Luxfords St George's Hill 3 PNH
Properties Chichester 2
Daryl Selby bt Alex Gough 6-9, 5-9,
10-8, 9-3, 9-7 (76m)
Joe Lee lost to Tim Vail 6-9, 9-7,
2-9, 6-9
Neil Hitchens lost to Peter Genever
9-7, 4-9, 5-9, 10-8, 4-9
Jason Barry bt Oliver Pett 9-6, 7-9,
9-2, 9-7
Rachel Willmott bt Susannah King 9-4,
5-9, 9-4, 9-1
9th round fixtures, Tuesday
4 March 2008
Group
A:
Esporta Oxford v Nottingham
Pontefract v Energie Fitness Redditch
University Sport Birmingham v
Benz-Bavarian Duffield
Group B:
Luxfords St George's Hill v UniSport
Guildford
PNH Properties Chichester v Probuild
Bristol
PSL TABLES (after 8th
round)
Ties Matches Games Pts
P W L W L W L
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian
Duffield 8 8 0 32 8 103
47 143
University
Sport Birmingham 8 5 3 24 16
88 63 113
Energie
Fitness Redditch 8 3 5 21 19
77 70 92
Esporta
Oxford 8 4 4 18 22
70 83 90
Pontefract
8 2 6 13 27 54 91 64
Nottingham
8 2 6 12 28 54 92 64
Group B:
Surrey H&RC
7 7 0 26 9 86 45 121
PNH
Properties Chichester 6 4 2 17
13 65 57 85
Probuild
Bristol 6 2 4 14 16
60 60 70
Luxfords St
George's Hill 6 2 4 13 17
51 63 61
UniSport
Guildford 7 1 6 10 25
42 79 47
7th Round Report
Duffield & Surrey H&RC Remain Unbeaten
- But Redditch Give Chase
Benz-Bavarian Duffield and PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC
extended their unbeaten records in this season's Premier Squash
League (PSL) in contrasting styles - but newcomers Energie
Fitness Redditch staged a late challenge to the Group A leadership
with a 5/0 away win over Nottingham the 7th round ties
in the prestigious England Squash league sponsored by
Towergate tlc.
Redditch, one of the few teams unaffected
by player commitments to the PSA Tour, got off to a strong start against
a significantly under-strength Nottingham squad - with New Zealander
Jaclyn Hawkes and team-mate Jaymie Haycocks claiming straight
games wins to put the visitors into the driving seat.
However, Nottingham stalwart Simon
Parke denied the Worcestershire club an overall 15-0 whitewash win
when he fought back from a game down against Redditch number one
Renan Lavigne to lead 2/1. But French international Lavigne, a
former Nottingham team-mate of Parke's, eventually came out on top -
winning 9-6, 7-9, 5-9, 9-3, 9-2 to give Redditch maximum points for the
night, and propel the club to third place in the Group A table.
Defending champions Duffield romped to
their 22nd successive tie without defeat with a 4/1 home win
over Esporta Oxford. But the visitors' Madeline Perry,
the Irish international making her league comeback after sustaining a
serious head injury in a fall last October, gave a polished performance
to beat Duffield's Laura Hill 9-7, 9-7, 9-6.
But it was one-way traffic for the hosts
thereafter as Shaun le Roux, Nick Taylor and Alex Stait went on to clinch another victory for the title-holders. Andrew
Whipp delighted the home crowd in the final match of the evening
when he twice stemmed comebacks by Scott Handley before beating
the Oxford number one 9-5, 8-10, 10-8, 7-9, 9-2.
Meanwhile University Sport Birmingham
maintained their grip on second place in Group A - and reduced the
gap behind Duffield by a single point - when they beat a weakened
Pontefract squad 4/1 at home. The Yorkshire club's Lauren
Siddall put in a brave performance against the hosts' Laura
Lengthorn-Massaro, but the world No12 from Preston recorded a 9-6,
11-9, 9-3 win to begin Birmingham's winning evening. Only Neil
Cordell saved Pontefract's blushes with a 7-9, 9-1, 9-2, 9-4 win
over Jonathan Tate - the teenager's second victory against the
Birmingham team manager this season.
PCL Whitehall Security Surrey
H&RC maintained their leadership of the Group
B table - but the Croydon club were given their toughest test of the
season by visitors Luxfords St George's Hill before sneaking a
3/2 win after the top string decider. The home team were facing defeat
after Adrian Waller and Ben Ford lost out to Joe Lee
and Mark Krajcsak, respectively, following Vicky
Botwright's opening match win against Luxfords' Rachael Willmott.
However, Croydon's Italian international
Davide Bianchetti pulled off a sensational 12-10, 10-8, 9-7 win
over Daryl Selby - the 25-year-old from Essex fresh from his
surprise Edinburgh Open title win at the weekend. It was then
left to the Surrey club's Egyptian wizard Wael El Hindi to work
his magic against Alister Walker - and the new world No9 duly
obliged by beating the St George's Hill number one 9-3, 9-3, 9-5.
Despite being give a perfect start by
England international Alison Waters, UniSport Guildford
were unable to provide strong enough opposition to visitors Probuild
Bristol to improve on their fifth-placed position in Group B.
Waters, the women's title winner in Edinburgh, despatched Bristol's
Sarah-Jane Perry 9-6, 9-7, 9-7 - but it was Bristol success
thereafter as Lewys Hurst, Peter Marshall and team captain
Hadrian Stiff all picked up comfortable wins.
In the top string clash, long-time
Guildford contributor Stephen Meads was unable to match the Tour
sharpness of Adrian Grant. The left-hander from London, who
already boasts a PSA Tour title this year, at the Comfort Inn
Open in Vancouver, brushed Meads aside - winning 10-8, 9-5, 9-3.
7th
round results, Tuesday 5 February 2008
Group
A:
Nottingham 0 Energie Fitness Redditch
5
Simon Parke lost to Renan
Lavigne 6-9, 9-7, 9-5, 3-9, 2-9
Eddie Charlton lost to Jonathan Kemp 2-9, 3-9, 9-11
Lewis Walters lost to David Barnett 5-9, 7-9, 8-10
Mark Fuller lost to Jaymie Haycocks 5-9, 6-9, 7-9
Emma Beddoes lost to Jaclyn Hawkes 2-9, 3-9, 4-9
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4 Esporta Oxford 1
Andrew Whipp bt Scott
Handley 9-5, 8-10, 10-8, 7-9, 9-2
Alex Stait bt Kristen Johnson 9-7, 9-4, 9-6
Nick Taylor bt Thomas Phipps 9-6, 9-3, 11-9
Shaun le Roux bt Dominic Hamilton 9-3, 9-7, 9-3
Laura Hill lost to Madeline Perry 7-9, 7-9, 6-9
University Sport Birmingham 4 Pontefract 1
Joey Barrington bt Ryan
Thompson 9-1, 9-7, 9-4
Stephen Coppinger bt Colin Ramasra 9-4, 9-2, 9-6
Jonathan Tate lost to Neil Cordell 9-7, 1-9, 2-9, 4-9
Alistair Mutch bt Sam Wileman 10-12, 9-4, 9-2, 9-3
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro bt Lauren Siddall 9-6, 11-9, 9-3
Group B:
UniSport Guildford 1 Probuild Bristol
4
Stephen Meads lost to Adrian
Grant 8-10, 5-9, 3-9
Phil Rushworth lost to Hadrian Stiff 5-9, 8-10, 5-9
Alex Ingham lost to Peter Marshall 2-9, 2-9, 11-13
Mick Biggs lost to Lewys Hurst 7-9, 10-8, 6-9, 4-9
Alison Waters bt Sarah-Jane Perry 9-6, 9-7, 9-7
PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC 3 Luxfords St George's Hill 2
Wael El Hindi bt Alister
Walker 9-3, 9-3, 9-5
Davide Bianchetti bt Daryl Selby 12-10, 10-8, 9-7
Ben Ford lost to Mark Krajcsak 6-9, 10-8, 7-9, 2-9
Adrian Waller lost to Joe Lee 7-9, 7-9, 5-9
Vicky Botwright bt Rachel Willmott 9-4, 9-3, 11-9
PSL TABLES (after 7th round)
Ties Matches Games Pts
P W L W L W L
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian
Duffield 7 7 0 28 7 89
42 124
University
Sport Birmingham 7 5 2 22 13
80 53 105
Energie
Fitness Redditch 7 2 5 18 17
67 62 77
Esporta
Oxford 7 3 4 14 21
56 79 71
Pontefract
7 2 5 12 23 50 77 60
Nottingham
7 2 5 11 24 49 78 59
Group B:
Surrey H&RC
6 6 0 22 8 74 39 104
PNH
Properties Chichester 5 4 1 15
10 55 45 75
Probuild
Bristol 6 2 4 14 16
60 60 70
Luxfords St
George's Hill 5 1 4 10 15
39 53 44
UniSport
Guildford 6 1 5 9 21
36 67 41
|
6th Round Reports
Pontefract Mount Late New Year PSL
Challenge
Playing their strongest team of the
campaign as the second half of the season got underway, Pontefract
mounted a late challenge for Premier Squash League (PSL) success
with a 4/1 home win over former champions Nottingham the
sixth round of the prestigious England Squash league sponsored by
Towergate tlc. Despite remaining at the foot of the Group A
standings, only a single point separates the Yorkshire club from the two
teams above!
Elsewhere in the group, Australian
Stewart Boswell clinched the decider for Benz-Bavarian
Duffield against Energie Fitness Redditch as the
Derbyshire title-holders extended their record to 21 ties in a
row without defeat. But second-placed University Sport Birmingham
have narrowed the gap behind Duffield with a 4/1 away win at
Esporta Oxford.
PCL Whitehall Security Surrey
H&RC maintained their unbeaten record this
season In Group B with a 3/2 win at Probuild Bristol - but PNH
Properties Chichester are still only 14 points adrift of the
table-toppers after recording a 4/1 home win against
UniSport Guildford.
It was only the second time in two
seasons that Pontefract's two leading stars James Willstrop and
Lee Beachill turned out together in the club's PSL line-up - and
tonight's presence led to the squad's second win of the season. Indeed,
with Neil Cordell cancelling out Kirsty McPhee's earlier
loss, and Leeds University-based Indian champion Saurav Ghosal
giving the home side a 2/1 lead, it was Beachill who clinched overall
victory for Pontefract with a convincing 9-5, 9-6, 9-6 win over
Nottingham's Irish international John Rooney.
"It was an encouraging comeback for Lee,
in his first competitive match since having a hernia operation at the
beginning of the month," said team manger and leading coach Malcolm
Willstrop. "He was hitting the ball beautifully and looks to be in
fine shape."
In an entertaining climax to the evening,
Willstrop junior battled with fellow Yorkshireman Simon Parke,
the now retired former world No3 who has been a Nottingham stalwart for
numerous years. "Simon ran his heart out for the visitors and gave a
great show - even though there was never any real doubt about the final
result," added Willstrop senior after his son's 7-9, 9-6, 10-8, 9-6
victory.
The Duffield roadshow continues - but the
Derbyshire club was taken the full distance at Redditch before
maintaining their unbeaten PSL record since April 2006. Fire-fighter
Laura Hill set the tone for the visitors, before new Duffield
regular Nick Taylor stemmed a fight-back by Adam Stevenson
to beat the Redditch number four 9-6, 9-7, 10-12, 5-9, 9-5.
However, David Barnett and
ex-Duffield star Jonathan Kemp levelled the tie for Redditch
before Stewart Boswell despatched Frenchman Renan Lavigne
9-5, 9-5, 9-2 to seal Duffield's 3/2 success.
Esporta Oxford
had a disappointing start in their home battle against University
Sport Birmingham when Irish star Kerri Shields lost to the
west midlands side's Emma Chorley in straight games. But two
five-game encounters were the highlights of the evening which saw the
visitors earn a 4/1win.
In a match described by team manager
Jason Martin as "most entertaining", stalwart Kristen Johnson
recorded his fourth successive PSL win for Oxford - and his first win in
three league clashes with Joel Hinds since October 2006 - when he
beat the University squad No4 9-4, 1-9, 7-9, 11-9, 9-4. But, despite
having 12 match-balls in a later match against Jonathan Harford,
it wasn't to be Chris Ryder's night as the Oxford second string
went down 6-9, 9-1, 9-7, 5-9, 8-10 to Harford in the penultimate match
of the tie!
PNH Properties Chichester
consolidated their position in second place in the
Group B tables with their 4/1 home win against southern rivals
UniSport Guildford. But the Surrey club made a great start when
England international Alison Waters - showing no signs of the
effects of rushing back across the Atlantic after a surprise appearance
in Sunday's final of the Greenwich Open in New York - beat
Chichester newcomer Susannah King 9-2 9-2 10-8.
An upset looked on the cards when two
37-year-old veterans of the sport locked horns in the second string
match. However, Alex Gough, the Welshman still ranked 20 in the
world, was eventually too strong for Guilford's Stephen Meads,
beating the former world No11 9-6, 6-9, 9-5, 3-9, 9-5 to ensure the
Sussex side's win.
A full house in Bristol were entertained
by Group B leading visitors PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC -
and the match between the hosts' 36-year-old former world No2
Peter Marshall, and the Croydon club's Adrian Waller, exactly
half his age, perhaps proved to be the decisive one: The experienced
Marshall led after the first game, then recovered from 1/2 down to
ensure a fifth game. But at 4-2 up in the decider, the double-hander
from Nottingham sustained a calf cramp - and teenager Waller wrapped up
an easy victory 8-10, 9-6, 9-7, 6-9, 9-4 in 57 minutes.
6th
round results, Tuesday 29 January 2008
Group
A:
Pontefract 4 Nottingham 1
James Willstrop bt Simon Parke 7-9,
9-6, 10-8, 9-6
Lee Beachill bt John Rooney 9-5,
9-6, 9-6
Saurav Ghosal bt Jethro Binns 9-3,
9-6, 9-7
Neil Cordell bt Arthur Gaskin 10-8,
9-2, 7-9, 6-2 ret.
Kirsty McPhee lost to Sarah Kippax
8-10, 5-9, 6-9
Energie Fitness Redditch 2
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 3
Renan Lavigne lost to Stewart
Boswell 5-9, 5-9, 2-9 (33m)
Jonathan Kemp bt Andrew Whipp 9-5,
11-9, 9-3 (21m)
David Barnett bt Alex Stait 6-9,
9-7, 7-9, 9-6, 12-10 (46m)
Adam Stevenson lost to Nick Taylor
6-9, 7-9, 12-10, 9-5, 5-9 (41m)
Wendy Maitland lost to Laura Hill
3-9, 9-6, 2-9, 2-9 (24m)
Esporta Oxford 1 University Sport
Birmingham 4
Scott Handley lost to Joey
Barrington 9-7, 6-9, 5-9, 3-9
Chris Ryder lost to Jonathan
Harford 6-9, 9-1, 9-7, 5-9, 8-10
Dylan Bennett lost to Stephen
Coppinger 5-9, 6-9, 9-7, 2-9
Kristen Johnson bt Joel Hinds 9-4,
1-9, 7-9, 11-9, 9-4
Kerri Shields lost to Emma Chorley
8-10, 5-9, 5-9
Group B:
PNH Properties Chichester 4 UniSport
Guildford 1
Mohd Azlan Iskandar bt Stacey Ross
9-6, 6-9, 9-5, 9-6
Alex Gough bt Stephen Meads 9-6,
6-9, 9-5, 3-9, 9-5
Tim Vail bt Jesse Engelbrecht 9-6,
9-1, 9-5
Peter Genever bt Alex Ingham 10-8,
9-1, 9-5
Susannah King lost to Alison Waters
2-9, 2-9, 8-10
Probuild Bristol 2 PCL Whitehall
Security Surrey H&RC 3
Adrian Grant bt Wael El Hindi 9-11,
9-4, 9-4, 6-9, 9-2 (76m)
David Evans lost to Peter Barker
5-9, 2-9, 6-9 (27m)
Hadrian Stiff lost to Davide
Bianchetti 9-4, 3-9, 10-12, 7-9 (72m)
Peter Marshall lost to Adrian
Waller 10-8, 6-9, 7-9, 9-6, 4-9 (57m)
Sarah-Jane Perry bt Lauren Selby
7-9, 9-2, 10-8, 9-7 (24m)
|
Duffield Celebrate 20 Not
Out In PSL
Derbyshire club Benz-Bavarian
Duffield established a remarkable record the fifth round of
the Premier Squash League (PSL) by beating Pontefract 5/0
away from home to record their 20th consecutive unbeaten tie
at the end of the first half of the season in the prestigious England
Squash league sponsored by Towergate tlc.
The victory extends Duffield's lead at
the top of the Group A table to 23 points - ahead of University Sport
Birmingham, who beat a Nottingham squad weakened by
the last-minute absence of top string Simon Parke through
injury. Birmingham scored a 4/1 home win, while Esporta Oxford
defeated league newcomers Energie Fitness Redditch 3/2 to
overtake Nottingham and move into third place in the standings.
In Group B, PNH Properties Chichester
suffered their first loss of the season as PCL Whitehall Security
Surrey H&RC extended their unbeaten run with a 4/1 away win. And
there were celebrations elsewhere in Surrey when Luxfords St George's
Hill, of Weybridge, secured their first win of the season by edging
out Probuild Bristol 3/2 at home.
It was back in April 2006, two
seasons ago, that Duffield last lost a tie - since when the club has won
the national title twice and kept all-comers at bay. But despite the
absence of England No1 Tania Bailey and the new world No5 Nick
Matthew - who will lead England's defence of the title in the
Men's World Team Championships later this week in India - Duffield
were up to the task against a junior Pontefract side, also reduced by
the absence of England internationals James Willstrop and
Lee Beachill.
But the 5/0 victory hides a series of
tough encounters in which the Yorkshire youngsters battled hard for
local honours before succumbing to more experienced opposition. In the
opening match, 22-year-old Kirsty McPhee produced an impressive
fight back against Laura Hill before the experienced Duffield
31-year-old secured her 9-2, 9-1, 6-9, 9-7 win. And Pontefract's
19-year-old Adam Taylor led Manchester's seasoned Peter
Billson before bowing out 6-9, 5-9, 9-2, 9-3, 9-5 to the Duffield
No3.
The second string clash also went to the
wire, with Duffield's Alex Stait stemming a fight back by Neil
Cordell before beating the Pontefract 18-year-old 9-6, 9-6, 7-9,
5-9, 10-8.
"I'm really proud of the team - it's a
remarkable achievement to have notched up 20 ties without defeat," said
Duffield team manager Brian Hargrave. "It's a credit not only to
the great squad we have - which, like tonight, can handle things when
our top players are unavailable - but also to our fantastic loyal
supporters. When players are struggling - like they did tonight - they
really get behind them and it makes a real difference.
"But Pontefract deserve great credit -
their young side really gave us a good fight, going for every ball and
really making us work hard for our win," added Hargrave.
Kristen Johnson
and World University champion Chris Ryder were winners for
Esporta Oxford, while New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes and England
No6 Jonathan Kemp clinched victories for visitors Energie Fitness
Redditch. But, according to Oxford team manager Jason Martin,
the fourth string match between the hosts' Thomas Phipps and
Andrew Birks "was always going to be the pivotal one".
And so it turned out to be, with
20-year-old Birks twice cancelling leads by his 21-year-old opponent
before Phipps finally clinched the 9-5, 4-9, 10-8, 6-9, 9-7 win - with a
forehand cross-court volley nick - which gave the Oxford crowd the
chance to cheer a dramatic home victory.
Sarah Kippax
was the sole winner for Nottingham, dismissing the hosts'
Emma Chorley 9-5, 9-5, 9-7 in just 18 minutes in the opening
match at University Sport Birmingham. But the home side came back with
a vengeance, with Joel Hinds, Jonathan Harford, Mohamed
El Shorbagy and Joey Barrington - fresh from a successful
qualifying campaign in last week's World Open in Bermuda - all
winning in quick succession to give the student team its third win of
the season.
Both teams were trying to protect
unbeaten season-long runs in Group B when PNH Properties Chichester
entertained Croydon's PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC. But the 9-3,
5-9, 6-9, 9-6, 9-7 victory by Sussex's 19-year-old former England junior
international Oliver Pett over Kent's 31-year-old James
Robbins proved to be the Sussex side's only win as Vicky
Botwright, Adrian Waller, Davide Bianchetti and Bradley Ball
claimed hard-fought wins to hand the Surrey visitors a 4/1 win and a
comfortable midway season top-of-the-table position.
Meanwhile, the home crowd at Luxfords St
George's Hill enjoyed the first win of the season when the team hosted
last season's runners-up Probuild Bristol. The home side recovered from
an early loss by Surrey University student Rachel Willmott to
Irish international Laura Mylotte when Joe Lee, Mark Krajcsak
and Daryl Selby all recorded dramatic victories - Lee
fighting back from 1/2 down to beat Lewys Hurst 9-5, 5-9, 4-9,
9-7, 9-6 and Hungarian No1 Krajcsak overcoming a two-game deficit to
defeat former world No2 Peter Marshall 4-9, 6-9, 10-8, 9-7, 9-7.
The visitors earned a final consolation
when England international Adrian Grant survived a close match
against rising star Alister Walker, the England No11, 9-6, 8-10,
9-6, 9-2 - to leave the Weybridge club as 3/2 winners.
5th
round results, Tuesday 4 December 2007
Group
A:
Pontefract 0 Benz-Bavarian Duffield 5
Ryan Thompson lost to Andrew Whipp
5-9, 4-9, 9-7, 7-9
Neil Cordell lost to Alex Stait 6-9,
6-9, 9-7, 9-5, 8-10
Adam Taylor lost to Peter Billson 9-6,
9-5, 2-9, 3-9, 5-9
Sam Wileman lost to Shaun le Roux 7-9,
8-10, 5-9
Kirsty McPhee lost to Laura Hill 2-9,
1-9, 9-6, 7-9
Esporta Oxford 3 Energie Fitness
Redditch 2
Scott Handley lost to Jonathan Kemp
7-9, 9-6, 4-9, 4-9
Chris Ryder bt Jaymie Haycocks 9-7,
9-6, 11-9
Kristen Johnson bt James Snell 9-7,
9-4, 9-5
Thomas Phipps bt Andrew Birks 9-5,
4-9, 10-8, 6-9, 9-7
Kerri Shields lost to Jaclyn Hawkes
6-9, 4-9, 2-9
University Sport Birmingham 4
Nottingham 1
Joey Barrington bt Eddie Charlton 9-6,
9-4, 9-5 (24m)
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Lewis Walters
10-8, 9-3, 9-6 (24m)
Jonathan Harford bt Duncan Walsh 9-7,
9-0, 4-9, 9-3 (26m)
Joel Hinds bt Neil Desai 9-0, 9-4, 9-4
(22m)
Emma Chorley lost to Sarah Kippax 5-9,
5-9, 7-9 (18m)
Group B:
PNH Properties Chichester 1 PCL
Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC 4
Tim Vail lost to Bradley Ball 9-3,
3-9, 7-9, 3-9
Peter Genever lost to Davide Bianchetti
9-7, 4-9, 3-9, 3-9
Tom Pashley lost to Adrian Waller 3-9,
9-11, 9-4, 9-7, 6-9
Oliver Pett bt James Robbins 9-3, 5-9,
6-9, 9-6, 9-7
Dominique Lloyd-Walter lost to Vicky
Botwright 7-9, 1-9, 9-6, 0-9
Luxfords St George's Hill 3 Probuild
Bristol 2
Alister Walker lost to Adrian Grant
7-9, 9-7, 10-12, 7-9
Daryl Selby bt Joseph Kneipp 15-13,
9-5, 11-9
Mark Krajcsak bt Peter Marshall 4-9,
6-9, 10-8, 9-7, 9-7
Joe Lee bt Lewys Hurst 9-5, 5-9, 4-9,
9-7, 9-6
Rachel Willmott lost to Laura Mylotte
6-9, 10-8, 6-9, 2-9
PSL TABLES (after 5th round)
Ties Matches Games Pts
P W L W L W L
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian
Duffield 5 5 0 21 4 66
28 91
University
Sport Birmingham 5 3 2 14 11
53 42 68
Esporta
Oxford 5 3 2 12 13
44 53 59
Nottingham
5 2 3 10 15 42 51 52
Energie
Fitness Redditch 5 1 4 11 14
43 49 48
Pontefract
5 1 4 7 18 34 59 39
Group B:
Surrey H&RC
4 4 0 16 4 52 24 72
PNH
Properties Chichester 4 3 1 11
9 43 39 58
Probuild
Bristol 4 1 3 8 12
39 44 44
Luxfords St
George's Hill 4 1 3 8 12
33 43 38
UniSport
Guildford 4 1 3 7 13
26 43 31
4th Round Reports
Redditch & Guildford Celebrate Maiden
PSL Victories
UniSport Guildford
and league newcomers Energie Fitness Redditch
recorded their first wins of the season the fourth round of the
Premier Squash League (PSL) - while an under-strength
Benz-Bavarian Duffield squad claimed an unlikely 4/1 home win over
University Sport Birmingham to extend their unbeaten run in the
prestigious England Squash league sponsored by Towergate tlc
to 19 ties since April 2006.
Redditch beat Pontefract 5/0 to
lift themselves off the bottom of the Group A table, while Duffield's
win stretches the Derbyshire club's lead at the top of the table to 20
points - ahead of the University of Birmingham squad. Elsewhere in the
group, Nottingham hosted a close-fought battle with Esporta
Oxford, which the visitors clinched 3/2 - but still remain behind
the East Midlands club in the points table.
There were wild celebrations in Surrey
where UniSport Guildford beat county rivals Luxfords St George's Hill
3/2 in the team's first PSL win since October last year. Meanwhile,
PNH Properties Chichester fought back from 2/0 down at
Probuild Bristol to beat their Avon hosts 3/2 and consolidate their
second place in Group B, behind Croydon's PCL Whitehall Security
Surrey H&RC, who were enjoying a rest day.
Without either of their world top
15 players Nick Matthew or Stewart Boswell for the first
time this season, league champions Duffield looked in danger of losing
their two season unbeaten run in front of a home crowd - especially when
they suffered their first women's string loss of the season as club
stalwart Laura Hill went down 5-9, 2-9, 7-9 to the visitors'
world No12 Laura Lengthorn-Massaro.
But, roused undoubtedly by the strong
local support, Shaun le Roux and Alex Stait led the fight
back - fourth string Le Roux taking out Alistair Mutch 9-5, 9-4,
10-8 and Stait defeating South African Stephen Coppinger 9-7,
9-6, 4-9, 9-4. But the Duffield hero was third string Peter Billson,
who came back from two games down against Joel Hinds to beat the
former Duffield player 9-11, 6-9, 9-4, 10-8, 9-1.
Further lifted now by the
boisterous Duffield supporters, newly-promoted team number one Andrew
Whipp made it 4/1 for the hosts with a comprehensive 9-4, 9-6, 9-2
win over the visitors' Jonathan Harford.
Energie Fitness Redditch wasted no time
in earning maximum points from their home clash with Pontefract - a team
weakened by the imminent departure of its stars James Willstrop, Lee
Beachill and Saurav Ghosal to Bermuda for this week's
Men's World Open. Even the presence of Pontefract debutante
Vanessa Atkinson, the former world champion from the Netherlands,
failed to ignite the Yorkshire club's attack as Redditch's Jaclyn
Hawkes defeated the former world number one 9-7, 6-9, 9-4, 9-3.
But it was straight games wins for the
Worcestershire hosts thereafter as Jonathan Kemp, Aaron
Frankcomb, David Barnett and Jaymie Haycocks battled
for a combined time of just 93 minutes to claim a 5/0 victory for the
PSL first-timers.
A capacity crowd welcomed Esporta Oxford
to Nottingham - and were duly treated to high-quality drama up until the
final few points. Honours were shared after the first two matches as
Emma Beddoes put the hosts ahead with a 9-5, 9-7, 9-4 win over
Rachel Donald, then Oxford's Kristen Johnson levelled the tie
after beating Arthur Gaskin in four games. Fighting off the
effects of a heavy cold, Nottingham's John Rooney recovered from
two games down to beat Chris Ryder 7-9, 8-10, 9-7, 9-1, 9-3 - but
club stalwart Simon Parke, making a comeback from a gluteus
injury, saw a 2/1 lead slip away as Oxford's Scott Handley again
levelled the tie with a 10-8, 2-9, 7-9, 9-4 9-5 win over the former
world No4.
The decider also went to five games - in
which the visitors' Cameron Pilley, the world No22 from
Australia, fought back from a game down to upset Malaysia's world No17
Ong Beng Hee 6-9, 9-3, 9-7, 5-9, 9-5 to give Oxford a hard-fought
3/2 victory.
Despite retiring from the international
circuit almost four years ago, long-time UniSport Guildford player
Stephen Meads is still able to hold his own against top Tour
opponents. And with the squad 2/1 up, the 37-year-old from Berkshire
found himself facing Hungarian international Mark Krajcsak, the
Luxfords St George's Hill's second string, in a potential tie decider.
Meads, who reached a career-high world
No11 ranking more than 12 years ago, dug deep - and ultimately beat
world No63 Krajcsak 6-9, 9-7, 9-4, 7-9, 9-6 to put victory beyond the
reach of the St George's Hill visitors.
There was high drama too in Bristol where
Probuild Bristol forged a 2/0 lead over visitors PNH Properties
Chichester after Australian Kasey Brown despatched England's
Dominique Lloyd-Walter 9-6, 9-5, 9-5 and veteran campaigner Peter
Marshall, a former world number two behind the legendary Jansher
Khan, beat Chichester stalwart Peter Genever 4-9, 9-3, 9-6,
4-9, 9-5.
But the Sussex side fought back - firstly
with Tim Vail prevailing against host club captain Hadrian
Stiff 12-10 in the fifth game, then Alex Gough beating
long-time Welsh international team-mate David Evans in four
games.
Separated by just two places in the world
top 20 rankings, England's world No19 Adrian Grant faced
Malaysia's world No17 Mohd Azlan Iskandar in the decider It was
Chichester who prevailed, however, as Iskandar triumphed 9-5, 9-11, 9-5,
9-3 over the Englishman to maintain their unbeaten PSL record this
season.
RESULTS:
4th round, Tuesday 20 November 2007
Group
A:
Nottingham 2 Esporta Oxford 3
Ong Beng Hee lost to Cameron Pilley
9-6, 3-9, 7-9, 9-5, 5-9
Simon Parke lost to Scott Handley
8-10, 9-2, 9-7, 3-9, 5-9
John Rooney bt Chris Ryder
7-9, 8-10, 9-7, 9-1, 9-3
Arthur Gaskin lost to Kristen Johnson
7-9, 4-9, 13-11, 7-9
Emma Beddoes bt Rachel Donald
9-5, 9-7, 9-4
Energie Fitness Redditch 5 Pontefract
0
Jonathan Kemp bt Colin Ramasra
9-3, 9-4, 9-2 (18m)
Aaron Frankcomb bt Neil Cordell
9-7, 9-6, 9-5 (38m)
David Barnett bt Adam Taylor
9-5, 10-8, 9-1 (19m)
Jaymie Haycocks bt Sam Wileman
9-3, 9-4, 9-2 (18m)
Jaclyn Hawkes bt Vanessa Atkinson
9-7, 6-9, 9-4, 9-3 (26m)
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4 University
Sport Birmingham 1
Andrew Whipp bt Jonathan Harford
9-4, 9-6, 9-2
Alex Stait bt Stephen Coppinger
9-7, 9-6, 4-9, 9-4
Peter Billson bt Joel Hinds
9-11, 6-9, 9-4, 10-8, 9-1
Shaun le Roux bt Alistair Mutch
9-5, 9-4, 10-8
Laura Hill lost to Laura
Lengthorn-Massaro
5-9, 2-9, 7-9
Group B:
UniSport Guildford 3 Luxfords St
George's Hill 2
Stacey Ross lost to Daryl Selby
5-9, 4-9, 7-9
Stephen Meads bt Mark Krajcsak
6-9, 9-7, 9-4, 7-9, 9-6
Jesse Engelbrecht bt Tom Richards
9-6, 9-1, 9-2
Alex Ingham lost to Joe Lee
4-9, 4-9, 5-9
Alison Waters bt Rachel Willmott
9-1, 9-3, 9-5
Probuild Bristol 2 PNH Properties
Chichester 3
Adrian Grant lost to Mohd Azlan
Iskandar 5-9, 11-9, 5-9, 3-9
David Evans lost to Alex Gough
10-8, 6-9, 6-9, 3-9
Hadrian Stiff lost to Tim Vail
11-9, 10-8, 7-9, 5-9, 10-12
Peter Marshall bt Peter Genever
4-9, 9-3, 9-6, 4-9, 9-5
Kasey Brown bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter
9-6, 9-5, 9-5
PSL
TABLES (after 4th round)
Ties Matches Games Pts
P W L W L W L
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian
Duffield
4 4 0 16 4 51 22 71
University
Sport Birmingham
4 2 2 10 10 41 38 51
Nottingham
4 2 2 9 11 38 39 48
Esporta Oxford
4 2 2 9 11 34 45 44
Energie Fitness
Redditch
4 1 3 9 11 35 39 40
Pontefract
4 1 3 7 13 28 44 33
Group
B:
Surrey H&RC
3 3 0 12 3 38 16 53
PNH Properties
Chichester
3 3 0 10 5 35 25 50
Probuild
Bristol
3 1 2 6 9 29 33 34
UniSport
Guildford
4 1 3 7 13 26 43 31
Luxfords St
George's Hill
3 0 3 5 10
3rd Round Report
Duffield & Croydon Extend Unbeaten PSL Runs
Derbyshire's
Benz-Bavarian Duffield and Croydon's PCL
Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC extended their unbeaten
Premier League (PSL) runs this season with
convincing home wins the 3rd round ties in the
prestigious England Squash league sponsored by Towergate
tlc.
In an
eagerly-awaited East Midlands derby, title-holders Duffield
- who now boast 18 successive ties without defeat - crushed former
champions Nottingham 5/0 to maintain their leadership of
the Group A points table. University Sport Birmingham move
up to second place following their 4/1 home win over league
newcomers Energie Fitness Redditch - while a last-minute
withdrawal from the Pontefract squad saw the Yorkshire side
slip to a 3/2 home defeat to Esporta Oxford.
The 4/1
win over UniSport Guildford extends Surrey H&RC's
lead at the top of the Group B standings - but second-placed PNH
Properties Chichester, with a tie in hand, are also
unbeaten this season after clinching a late-night 3/2 home win
over Luxfords St George's Hill.
It was
an under-strength Nottingham squad which arrived in
Duffield for the twice-yearly PSL fixture which always
attracts full houses. But the visitors were under pressure from
the start when Sarah Kippax failed to exploit her two-game
advantage over lower-ranked Laura Hill, as the Duffield
star - a full-time Derbyshire fire-fighter - fought back to clinch
the tie opener 6-9, 8-10, 9-6, 9-6, 10-8.
Two PSL
stalwarts were making their debuts for Duffield - and both
immediately impressed their new Derbyshire fans: Nick Taylor, the
British Open and British National Over-35 champion from
Manchester, despatched Nottingham's Eddie Charlton 9-7,
6-9, 9-3, 9-4. To round off the evening and clinch the maximum
points win for the hosts, Australian Stewart Boswell, a long-time
regular for Edgbaston Priory, defeated Nottingham
No1 John Rooney 9-4, 9-2, 9-1.
Pontefract took an early lead against Esporta Oxford
when Lauren Siddall beat the visitors' Rachel Donald 9-1, 9-2,
9-4. But the late withdrawal of England international Lee Beachill
from the Pontefract squad led to Namibian Ryan Thompson and
Indian Saurav Ghosal stepping up the team order, while 17-year-old
local player Sam Wileman took over the fourth string position. All
three, however, lost to the established Esporta opposition - but
squad number one James Willstrop reduced the deficit for his home
club with a testing 5-9, 9-7, 9-5, 4-9, 9-5 victory over the
visitors' Cameron Pilley, from Australia.
Visitors Energie Fitness Redditch also established an early
lead at University Sport Birmingham when the Worcestershire
club's Jaclyn Hawkes, a New Zealander, fought back from 1/2 down
to upset higher-ranked England international Laura
Lengthorn-Massaro 9-5, 5-9, 7-9, 9-7, 9-7.
A
second match seemed to be going Redditch's way when fourth
string Adam Stevenson built up a 9-5, 9-4, 7-1 lead over the
University side's Alistair Mutch. But an accidental slip caused
the Yorkshireman's back to go into spasm - and, despite being just
two points away from victory, Stevenson was forced to concede the
match to Mutch.
But the
'match of the night' was reserved for the top string clash between
Birmingham's 16-year-old Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy and England
number six Jonathan Kemp - in which the teenager upset his
experienced opponent, ranked some 100 places higher in the world,
9-5, 7-9, 9-5, 12-10 in 34 minutes.
The
Group B encounter between two England team-mates Vicky Botwright
and Alison Waters produced a notable upset - and the only win of
the evening for UniSport Guildford in their all-Surrey
clash with Croydon-based PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC.
Waters, ranked seven places lower in the world list than Botwright,
beat the Manchester star 9-5, 9-5, 9-2. Both had only just
returned from Tour action in Hong Kong - where Botwright scored
the win of her life by beating the newly-crowned world champion
Rachael Grinham.
Botwright's club-mates went on to score straight games wins over
their Guildford opponents, with England international Peter Barker
rounding off the home side's success with a 9-2, 10-8, 9-3 victory
over UniSport stalwart Stephen Meads.
By
comparison with Pontefract, PNH Properties Chichester
were boosted at the last-minute by the unexpected availability of
top string Mohd Azlan Iskandar. And the world No17 from Malaysia
was called upon to clinch a decider when the tie was poised at 2/2
when he faced Luxfords St George's Hill's top string
Alister Walker.
An away
win looked on the cards as Walker took the opening two games and
forced the third into a tie-break. But the experienced Malaysian
held his nerve and retained the initiative to record a tie-winning
6-9, 8-10, 11-9, 9-6, 9-3 victory.
RESULTS: 3rd round, Tuesday 13
November 2007
Group
A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 5 Nottingham 0
Stewart Boswell bt John Rooney
9-4, 9-2, 9-1
Andrew Whipp bt Jethro Binns
9-0, 9-5, 9-6
Alex Stait bt Arthur Gaskin
9-6, 10-9,
1-9, 10-8
Nick Taylor bt Eddie Charlton
9-7, 6-9,
9-3, 9-4
Laura Hill bt Sarah Kippax
6-9, 8-10,
9-6, 9-6, 10-8
Pontefract 2 Esporta Oxford 3
James Willstrop bt Cameron Pilley
5-9, 9-7,
9-5, 4-9, 9-5
Saurav Ghosal lost to Scott Handley
7-9, 7-9,
9-7, 6-9
Ryan Thompson lost to Kristen Johnson
6-9, 8-10,
4-9
Sam Wileman lost to Thomas Phipps
8-10, 9-3,
3-9, 7-9
Lauren Siddall bt Rachel Donald
9-1, 9-2, 9-4
University Sport Birmingham 4 Energie Fitness Redditch
1
Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Jonathan Kemp
9-5, 7-9,
9-5, 12-10 (34m)
Stephen Coppinger bt David Barnett
9-4, 9-6,
6-9, 12-10 (32m)
Joel Hinds bt Jaymie Haycocks
9-3, 9-4, 9-5
(30m)
Alistair Mutch bt Adam Stevenson
5-9, 4-9, 1-7
ret.
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro lost to Jaclyn Hawkes
5-9, 9-5, 9-7, 7-9, 7-9 (46m)
Group
B:
PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC 4 UniSport Guildford
1
Peter Barker bt Stephen Meads
9-2, 10-8,
9-3
Bradley Ball bt Jesse Engelbrecht
9-5, 9-5, 9-4
Chris Simpson bt Phil Rushworth
10-8, 9-4,
9-6
Adrian Waller bt Alex Ingham
9-4, 9-5, 9-6
Vicky Botwright lost to Alison Waters
5-9, 5-9, 2-9
PNH
Properties Chichester 3 Luxfords St George's Hill 2
Mohd Azlan Iskandar bt Alister Walker
6-9, 8-10,
11-9, 9-6, 9-3
Tim Vail lost to Daryl Selby
7-9, 6-9, 6-9
Peter Genever lost to Mark Krajcsak
7-9, 9-3,
7-9, 9-7, 6-9
Oliver Pett bt Joe Lee
9-6, 9-7,
6-9, 8-10, 10-8
Suzie Pierrepont bt Rachel Willmott
9-7, 9-3, 9-6
2nd Round Report
Beachill Fights Back To Take Pontefract To First PSL Win
Yorkshire's three-time British
National Champion Lee Beachill twice had to come from behind to
beat English rival Joey Barrington in the decider between
Pontefract and University Sport Birmingham the
second round of the Premier Squash League (PSL) which earned the
Yorkshire club its first ever win in two seasons in the prestigious
England Squash league sponsored by
Towergate tlc.
The 3/2 home victory takes
Pontefract into fourth place in Group A, with title holders
Benz-Bavarian Duffield moving back to the top of the table after a
4/1 away win at Esporta Oxford which extends the Derbyshire
club's unbeaten record to 17 successive ties! By a single point,
Duffield are holding off former champions Nottingham, who also
scored a 4/1 away win against PSL newcomers
Energie Fitness Redditch.
A 4/1 away win over Luxfords St
George's Hill by PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC gives the
Croydon club a 12-point lead at the top of the Group B table, ahead of
Probuild Bristol, who clinched a 3/2 home win against
UniSport Guildford.
Neil Cordell
and Lauren Siddall put Pontefract ahead after
convincing straight games wins over the visitors' Jonathan Tate
and Emma Chorley, respectively - but the University of Birmingham
team's Jonathan Harford and Joel Hinds battled back to win
the second and third string matches to force a decider.
Beachill had moved up the Pontefract
order following the last-minute withdrawal of James Willstrop
with a minor injury - and the home player, ranked 11 in the world, was
fully tested by Barrington, the world No29 whose game perhaps better
suits the plaster courts at Pontefract. However, spurred on by the
packed partisan crowd, Beachill ultimately beat 24-year-old Joey 4-9,
10-8, 5-9, 9-6, 9-7 to give his club a long-awaited PSL breakthrough.
The PSL juggernaut that is
Benz-Bavarian Duffield - winners of their second successive title
last season and unbeaten since April last year - quickly established a
2/0 lead over Esporta Oxford when England No1 Tania Bailey
beat 23-year-old Oxford newcomer Rachel Donald 9-1, 9-3, 9-2 and
Peter Billson defeated Kristen Johnson in four games in a
match in which both players came off court after the third game thinking
that the encounter was over. A misunderstanding between the players and
the referee, however, led to the players returning to re-finish the
third game - which Johnson duly won! Billson went on to clinch victory
in the fourth, winning 9-6, 9-7, 10-12, 9-7.
Meanwhile, the ever-improving Chris
Ryder reduced the deficit for the home team and it was hoped that
Esporta stalwart Scott Handley would then level the tie. But
playing - and beating - the legendary Pakistani Jansher Khan in
last week's London Open had clearly taken its toll on the
Oxfordshire number one, who went down to Duffield's in-form Andrew
Whipp in straight games. In the final top string tussle, home
supporters sensed an upset when Australian Cameron Pilley took
the second game against Duffield's Nick Matthew. But the
recently-crowned US Open champion regained the upper hand to win 9-3,
5-9, 9-7, 9-5 to ensure a 4/1 victory for the visitors.
Nottingham
also notched up their second win of the season in the 4/1
victory in Redditch. A spirited performance from the visitors' Emma
Beddoes in her first PSL appearance this year saw the 22-year-old
from Leamington Spa continue the form that took her to her maiden Tour
title success in Portugal last week by beating world No21 Jaclyn
Hawkes - ranked 43 places higher - 9-11, 9-4, 9-7, 2-9, 9-7 in 47
minutes.
Jethro Binns,
John Rooney and Malaysian Ong Beng Hee followed the
winning theme set by Beddoes - but young Australian Scott Arnold,
making his PSL debut, earned a consolation point for Redditch by beating
Nottingham stalwart Simon Parke 9-4, 6-9, 9-2, 9-6 in 48 minutes.
Last-minute injury woes gave Luxfords
St George's Hill team manger Danny Lee no alternative to
fielding himself in the club's opening fixture in the new PSL season
against PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC. But while the
45-year-old former England pro lost out to recent European Junior
champion Chris Simpson, the local fans were able to enjoy a
sparkling performance from Sarah Fitz-Gerald. The now retired
record five-time World Open champion from Australia battled to a
5-9, 9-5, 9-7, 9-7 win over the visitors' former England international,
now policewoman, Stephanie Brind - a victory which extends
Fitz-Gerald's remarkable unbeaten PSL run since October 2000 to 32
matches!
Surrey H&RC fought back when David
Bianchetti beat the host club's Phillip Barker 3/0, before
Peter Barker avenged his older brother's defeat - albeit playing for
the opposing team - when he defeated Hungarian Mark Krajcsak in
four close games. In the final match, Egypt's PSL newcomer Wael El
Hindi secured his first win for his new
Croydon club, beating the hosts' number one Daryl Selby 10-8,
9-5, 9-7.
A delayed flight from his new home in
Jersey meant that former British Open champion David Evans was
unable to turn out for Probuild Bristol - but team manager
Hadrian Stiff stepped into the breach, and also persuaded former
world No2 Peter Marshall to race from his Nottingham home in
order to complete the team line-up against UniSport Guildford.
Marshall lost a close battle with the visitors' South African Jesse
Engelbrecht 7-9, 8-10, 9-6, 8-10 - but a fine 9-6, 9-7, 5-9, 3-9,
9-6 win by Stiff over Guildford stalwart Stephen Meads took the
tie to two-all.
UniSport number one Stacey Ross
fully tested the higher-ranked Adrian Grant in the decider, but
the Bristol top string ultimately prevailed 10-8, 9-5, 6-9, 9-6 to give
the home team a 3/2 victory - and second place in the Group B points
table.
2nd round
results, Tuesday 16 October 2007
Group A:
Energie Fitness Redditch 1 Nottingham
4
Jonathan Kemp lost to Ong Beng Hee
3-9, 9-4, 6-9, 8-10 (38m)
Scott Arnold bt Simon Parke
9-4, 6-9, 9-2, 9-6 (48m)
David Barnett lost to John Rooney
8-10, 4-9, 6-9 (28m)
Jaymie Haycocks lost to Jethro Binns
2-9, 4-9, 7-9 (26m)
Jaclyn Hawkes lost to Emma Beddoes
11-9, 4-9, 7-9, 9-2, 7-9 (47m)
Esporta Oxford 1 Benz-Bavarian
Duffield 4
Cameron Pilley lost to Nick Matthew
3-9, 9-5, 7-9, 5-9
Scott Handley lost to Andrew Whipp
5-9, 3-9, 3-9
Chris Ryder bt Laurence Delasaux
9-4, 9-5, 1-9, 9-2
Kristen Johnson lost to Peter Billson
6-9, 7-9, 12-10, 7-9
Rachel Donald lost to Tania Bailey
1-9, 3-9, 2-9
Pontefract 3 University Sport
Birmingham 2
Lee Beachill bt Joey Barrington
4-9, 10-8, 5-9, 9-6, 9-7
Saurav Ghosal lost to Jonathan Harford
9-6, 4-9, 9-4, 5-9, 7-9
Ryan Thompson lost to Joel Hinds
6-9, 4-9, 9-5, 8-10
Neil Cordell bt Jonathan Tate
9-4, 9-4, 9-5
Lauren Siddall bt Emma Chorley
9-5, 9-2, 9-5
Group B:
Probuild Bristol 3 UniSport Guildford
2
Adrian Grant bt Stacey Ross
10-8, 9-5, 6-9, 9-6
Hadrian Stiff bt Stephen Meads
9-6, 9-7, 5-9, 3-9, 9-6
Peter Marshall lost to Jesse
Engelbrecht 7-9, 8-10, 9-6, 8-10
Lewys Hurst bt Phil Rushworth
9-4, 9-4, 9-6
Kasey Brown lost to Alison Waters
5-9, 4-9, 6-9 (27m)
Luxfords St George's Hill 1 PCL
Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC 4
Daryl Selby lost to Wael El Hindi
8-10, 5-9, 7-9
Mark Krajcsak lost to Peter Barker
8-10, 12-10, 5-9, 8-10
Phillip Barker lost to Davide
Bianchetti 5-9, 1-9, 3-9
Danny Lee lost to Chris Simpson
4-9, 4-9, 6-9
Sarah Fitz-Gerald bt Stephanie Brind
5-9, 9-5, 9-7, 9-7
PSL TABLES (after 2nd round)
Ties Matches Games Pts
P W L W L W L
Group A:
Benz-Bavarian
Duffield 2 2 0 7 3 24
12 34
Nottingham
2 2 0 7 3 23 13 33
University
Sport Birmingham 2 1 1 5 5
21 19 26
Pontefract
2 1 1 5 5 19 18 24
Energie
Fitness Redditch 2 0 2 3 7
13 24 13
Esporta
Oxford 2 0 2 3 7
12 26 12
Group B:
Surrey H&RC
2 2 0 8 2 26 13 36
Probuild
Bristol 2 1 1 4 6
19 22 24
PNH
Properties Chichester 1 1 0 4
1 13 5 18
UniSport
Guildford 2 0 2 3 7
14 23 14
Luxfords St
George's Hill 1 0 1 1 4
4 13 4
1st Round Report
Champions Duffield Tested
By PSL
Newcomers Redditch
Title-holders Benz-Bavarian Duffield extended their unbeaten
Premier Squash League (PSL) run to 16 ties - but the Derbyshire club
were fully tested by Energie Fitness Redditch before beating the
Worcestershire newcomers 3/2 in the first round of the
25th season of the prestigious England Squash league
sponsored by Towergate tlc.
But a
3/2 home win by University Sport Birmingham over Esporta
Oxford puts the West Midlands side at the top of the Group A points
table - ahead of Duffield by a single point - while former champions
Nottingham, who also enjoyed a 3/2 home win against Pontefract,
are one point further adrift in third place.
PNH Properties Chichester
crafted a 4/1 win at
UniSport Guildford to earn a top-of-the-table position in Group B
- with PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC sharing the same
number of points but taking up second position after a 4/1 victory over
last season's league debutants and beaten finalists
Probuild Bristol.
England number one Tania Bailey led Duffield to victory with a
9-4, 9-7, 9-1 win over New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes. It was the
world No4 from Lincolnshire's 16th successive win for
Duffield since March 2005. Home wins by Alex Stait and Andrew
Whipp ensured the tie victory for Duffield - and in the final 'dead'
rubber between Duffield number one Nick Matthew, the world No10
fresh from his sensational US Open title win in New York last
week, and former club-mate Jonathan Kemp, it was the new Redditch
top string who prevailed, winning 10-8, 9-6, 12-10 in an entertaining
match between two good friends.
A
one-sided encounter in the University of Birmingham sports centre saw
the home team's Laura Lengthorn-Massaro cruise to a 9-0, 9-2, 9-0
win in just 17 minutes over Esporta Oxford's Deon Saffery.
University team stalwarts Joel Hinds and Joey Barrington
made certain of a home win with victories over Oxford regulars
Kristen Johnson and Scott Handley, respectively - but both
Jonathan Harford and Mohamed El Shorbagy had match-balls in
their clashes which could have resulted in a 5/0 win for the academic
squad.
Harford squandered match balls in the fourth game against Dylan
Bennett before the Dutch PSL newcomer claimed a 9-6, 3-9, 8-10,
11-9, 9-6 win in 54 minutes - and Mohamed El Shorbagy, a
16-year-old Egyptian making his league debut, failed to convert three
match-balls in the decider before going down 9-5, 9-6, 3-9, 5-9, 10-8 to
Oxford's World University champion Chris Ryder.
Nottingham made a positive start to their 2007/08 campaign by
establishing an early tie-winning lead against Pontefract after the
first three matches - with Sarah Kippax, Neil Desai and
Mark Fuller claiming swift wins over the Yorkshire side's Kirsty
McPhee, Neil Cordell and Colin Ramasra, respectively.
But
Pontefract secured two valuable wins to reduce the deficit when Indian
champion Saurav Ghosal fought back from a game down to beat
Irishman John Rooney 8-10, 9-6, 9-7, 9-3 - and life-long
Pontefract stalwart Lee Beachill despatched veteran Yorkshireman
and life-long Nottingham club man Simon Parke 9-4, 9-7, 9-5.
The
last-minute withdrawal of France's recently-crowned British Open
champion Gregory Gaultier severely reduced the fire-power of
Probuild Bristol, all of whose players moved up the order to face a
full-strength PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC line-up on their home
courts in Croydon. England's world No6 Vicky Botwright had to be
on top of her game to beat Bristol's Australian hotshot Kasey Brown
9-7, 7-9, 10-8, 10-8 to put the Surrey club ahead.
Fine
performances by Bristol part-timers Peter Marshall, the former
world No2, team captain Hadrian Stiff, and former British Open
champion David Evans, stretched tour regulars Davide
Bianchetti, Bradley Ball and Peter Barker - but the
home team players survived after lengthy battles. It was left to
Bristol's promoted top string Adrian Grant to pull off the
biggest upset, beating the Surrey club's league newcomer Wael El
Hindi, the world No12 from Egypt, 7-9, 9-7, 11-9, 9-7, to earn the
visitors a well-deserved consolation point.
In the
other Group B tie, Surrey hosts UniSport Guildford were unable to
capitalise on the early lead established by Alison Waters over
PNH Properties Chichester's Dominique Lloyd-Walter. World No14
Waters recovered from a game down to beat last month's Icelandair
Group Classic champion 8-10, 9-5, 9-7, 12-10. Tough battles
followed in all of the remaining matches, in which the Sussex visitors
prevailed - but in the final rubber between long-time Guildford top
string Stacey Ross, the world No41, and Chichester's number one
Mohd Azlan Iskandar, Ross had game balls in both the second and
final games before going down 9-5, 10-8, 4-9, 11-9 to the world No16
from Malaysia.
RESULTS: 1st round, Tuesday
9 October 2007
Group A:
Nottingham 3 Pontefract 2
Simon Parke lost to Lee Beachill 4-9,
7-9, 5-9
John Rooney lost to Saurav Ghosal 10-8,
6-9, 7-9, 3-9
Mark Fuller bt Colin Ramasra 9-6, 9-1, 9-6
Neil Desai bt Neil Cordell
9-6, 9-7, 2-9, 9-7
Sarah Kippax bt Kirsty McPhee 9-5,
9-4, 9-4
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 3 Energie Fitness Redditch 2
Nick Matthew lost to Jonathan Kemp 8-10,
6-9, 10-12
Andrew Whipp bt Jaymie Haycocks 8-10, 9-2,
9-6, 9-4
Alex Stait bt Chris Truswell
9-1, 9-3, 9-2
Laurence Delasaux lost to Adam Stevenson 4-9, 8-10, 9-4,
9-1, 5-9
Tania Bailey bt Jaclyn Hawkes 9-4,
9-7, 9-1
University Sport Birmingham 3 Esporta Oxford 2
Joey Barrington bt Scott Handley 9-3,
9-7, 9-6 (44m)
Mohamed El Shorbagy lost to Chris Ryder 5-9, 6-9, 9-3,
9-5, 8-10 (51m)
Jonathan Harford lost to Dylan Bennett 6-9, 9-3,
10-8, 9-11, 6-9 (54m)
Joel Hinds bt Kristen Johnson 9-5, 4-9, 9-3, 9-1 (31m)
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro bt Deon Saffery 9-0, 9-2, 9-0
(17m)
Group B:
UniSport Guildford 1 PNH Properties Chichester 4
Stacey Ross lost to Mohd Azlan Iskandar 5-9, 8-10,
9-4, 9-11
Stephen Meads lost to Alex Gough 3-9,
5-9, 9-6, 3-9
Jesse Engelbrecht lost to Tim Vail 5-9,
11-13, 8-10
Phil Rushworth lost to Peter Genever 6-9,
2-9, 2-9
Alison Waters bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter 8-10, 9-5,
9-7, 12-10
PCL
Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC 4 Probuild Bristol 1
Wael El Hindi lost to Adrian Grant 9-7,
7-9, 9-11, 7-9
Peter Barker bt David Evans
9-5, 6-9, 9-7, 6-9, 9-7
Bradley Ball bt Hadrian Stiff
2-9, 9-7, 9-5, 3-9, 9-7
Davide Bianchetti bt Peter Marshall 7-9,
9-2, 9-4, 9-3
Vicky Botwright bt Kasey Brown 9-7,
7-9, 10-8, 10-8
PSL TABLES (after 1st round)
Ties Matches Games Pts
P W
L W L W L
Group A:
University Sport Birmingham
1 1 0 3 2 13 7 18
Benz-Bavarian Duffield
1 1 0 3 2 11 7 16
Nottingham
1 1 0 3 2 10 7 15
Pontefract
1 0 1 2 3 7 10 7
Energie Fitness Redditch
1 0 1 2 3 7 11 7
Esporta Oxford
1 0 1 2 3 7 13 7
Group B:
PNH Properties Chichester
1 1 0 4 1 13 5 18
Surrey H&RC
1 1 0 4 1 13 9 18
Probuild Bristol
1 0 1 1 4 9 13 9
UniSport Guildford
1 0 1 1 4 5 13 5
British Open Champion Gaultier
To Boost Bristol In New PSL Season
The 25th
season of the Premier Squash League (PSL) gets underway next
Tuesday (9 October) - with recently-crowned British Open champion
Gregory Gaultier making his debut for Probuild Bristol as
the west country side bids to go one better than the runners-up finish
achieved in last season's debut in the England Squash league now
sponsored by
Towergate tlc.
In a
dramatic finale to the 'Wimbledon of Squash' last month in Manchester,
Gaultier became the first ever Frenchman to win the prestigious British
Open trophy. The 24-year-old, who has leapt to three in this month's
world rankings, will make his first PSL appearance for two years as he
leads Probuild Bristol in their opening Group B tie next week against
Croydon's PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC.
"Even before winning the British Open, Greg had already established
himself as one of the leading players on the Tour - and we are delighted
that we have signed him to lead our bid to go all the way this season,"
said team manager Hadrian Stiff.
"He's a player with a high level of confidence who, on his day, can beat
anyone - and that's a huge factor."
"In fact, it was our previous number one Adrian Grant who suggested we
approach Greg - and, on the basis that their Tour commitments won't
always make them available together, they can now share the
responsibilities of leading the squad," added Stiff.
Gaultier will take on PSL newcomer Wael El Hindi the
opening clash in Croydon. The world No12 from Egyptian leads the new
Surrey H&RC squad, which also includes England internationals Peter
Barker and Vicky Botwright who are making their debuts for
the Croydon club.
Making their first appearance in the new PSL season are Energie
Fitness Redditch, managed by British Open Over-55 champion Bett
Dryhurst. The Worcestershire club will be led by England No6
Jonathan Kemp in their opening away fixture against Benz-Bavarian
Duffield.
Duffield, the 2005/06 season champions, remained unbeaten throughout
last season and went to successfully defend their title. Led for the
fifth successive season by Yorkshire's world No10 Nick Matthew -
who this week won the US Open title in an all-English final - the
Derbyshire club is bidding to become the first club in the history of
the elite league to claim a hat trick of successive PSL titles.
1st
round - Tuesday 9 October:
Group A:
Nottingham v Pontefract
Ong Beng Hee v James Willstrop
Simon Parke v Lee Beachill
John Rooney v Saurav Ghosal
Mark Fuller v Neil Cordell
Sarah Kippax v Kirsty McPhee
Benz-Bavarian Duffield v Energie Fitness Redditch
Nick Matthew v Jonathan Kemp
Andrew Whipp v Jaymie Haycocks
Alex Stait v Chris Truswell
Laurence Delasaux v Adam Stevenson
Tania Bailey v Jaclyn Hawkes
University Sport Birmingham v Esporta Oxford
Joey Barrington v Scott Handley
Mohamed El Shorbagy v Chris Ryder
Jonathan Harford v Dylan Bennett
Joel Hinds v Kristen Johnson
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro v Deon Saffery
Group B:
UniSport
Guildford v PNH Properties Chichester
Stacey Ross v Mohd Azlan Iskandar
Stephen Meads v Alex Gough
Jesse Engelbrecht v Tim Vail
Alex Ingham v Peter Genever
Alison Waters v Dominique Lloyd-Walter
PCL
Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC v Probuild Bristol
Wael El
Hindi v Gregory Gaultier
Peter Barker v Adrian Grant
Bradley Ball v David Evans
Davide Bianchetti v Hadrian Stiff
Vicky Botwright v Kasey Brown |
FINAL Duffield 3 Redwood 2
Final Report |
Semi-Final Leg 2: Results |
Semi-Final Leg 2: Report |
Semi-Final Leg 1: Results |
Semi-Final Leg 1: Report |
Final League Table |
10th Round Results |
10th Round Report |
9th Round Results |
9th Round Report |
8th Round Results |
8th Round Report |
7th Round Results |
7th Round Report |
6th Round Results |
6th Round Report |
5th Round Results |
5th Round Report |
4th Round Results |
4th Round Report |
3rd Round Results |
3rd Round Report |
1st Round
Results |
1st
Round Report |
|