Premier League 2010/11


The World of Squash
at Your Fingertips

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LEAGUE TABLE

FIXTURES
 

PREVIEW

TEAM SQUADS

 

Results

Reports

Final

Semi Finals

Round 9

Round 10

Round 9

Round 10

Round 8

Round 4

Round 8

Round 4

Round 7

Round 3

Round 7

Round 3

Round 6

Round 2

Round 6

Round 2

Round 5

Round 1

Round 5

Round 1

Final

Surrey Health & Racquets Retain PSL Crown

 

In the first all-Surrey final in the history of the world's most prestigious squash league, defending champions Surrey Health & Racquets overwhelmed final newcomers TWP St George's Hill 4/1 to win the Premier Squash League title at the Surrey Sports Park in Guildford for the third time in four years.

 

The county rivals faced each other twice earlier in the season, with Weybridge-based St George's Hill claiming victory on both occasions before going on to top the Group B table by a significant margin after winning all but one of their ten ties.

 

With ample support for both teams, the Croydon club's French star Camille Serme took on St George's England international Dominique Lloyd-Walter at the beginning of the evening - while in the adjacent court England legend Peter Nicol, the now-retired 38-year-old former world number one and world champion, faced top-ranked Hungarian Mark Krajcsak.

 

Serme, the world No9 from Paris, took only 38 minutes to overcome her Weybridge-based opponent – ranked 35 places lower - 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5 to put Surrey Health into the lead

 

But all eyes were on the titanic battle raging on the next door court, where – in their first ever meeting – Krajcsak was desperately trying to even the score against Surrey Health stalwart Nicol.

 

After dropping the first game, the 27-year-old Tour regular from Budapest moved to 10-7 and game-ball in the second.  But Nicol would not cave in – and saved four game-balls before finally clinching his own at his fourth attempt to win 16-14.

 

Nicol led 6-1 in the third, and the end looked in sight.  But Krajcsak kept up the pressure to reclaim the advantage before a full length dive into the front backhand corner caused a minor cut to the Hungarian's elbow which required the game to be halted while he received treatment.

 

The break seemed to be just what Nicol needed, as the left-hander saved Krajcsak's matchball at 11-10.  But the St George's fourth string secured his next to win the games and reduce the match deficit.

 

It was nip and tuck in the fourth game, but Nicol was able to pull off master strokes at exactly the right time before clinching the popular 11-7, 16-14, 11-13, 11-7 victory after 75 minutes which extended Surrey Health's lead to 2/0.

 

"He's very experienced – he can come back from situations which most other players wouldn't be able to," said the perplexed Hungarian afterwards of Nicol.  "He's a great fighter – he never gives up."

 

It was Krajcsak's first ever meeting with one the game's biggest names.  Was he overawed by the occasion?

 

"I may have been a bit affected by his reputation early in the match – I made five or six unforced errors – but from then on it was just like playing any other opponent," said the world No54.

 

Nicol admitted that his form was good:  "I'm in better shape now than I have been for the last three years or so – I probably only play about once a week, but I do a lot of other things to keep fit, including a lot of walking.

 

"It's hard for these guys who play day in day out – then I come along having not played for a week.  I'm their worst nightmare!

 

"But I love playing team squash – whether it's for your country or your club. And Surrey Health is particularly special for me – I do camps there and am quite involved with the club," explained the four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

 

"Mark is a tough opponent and played a good game.  But maybe he could have been more attacking – he was towards the end, but that was probably too late."

 

It was a battle between two England internationals which sealed victory for the defending champions when Londoner Adrian Grant, who made his England debut in 2004, beat this year's England debutant Tom Richards 11-7, 11-8, 11-9.

 

Grant is making a comeback after a long layoff following a hip injury.

 

"It's my first season for Surrey Health, and I was struggling with my injury in my games early in the season, so it's really a good feeling to win for the club tonight – particularly as it was the match which clinched the title," said the 30-year-old former world No9.

 

Swiss star Nicolas Mueller gave the St George's fans some consolation by beating Surrey Health's Scottish number one Alan Clyne in straight games – but in the best-of-three top string clash between England internationals and close Essex friends Peter Barker and Daryl Selby, left-hander Barker beat reigning British National champion Selby in two games to cement Surrey Health's title-winning victory.

 

"I'm really chuffed – and I'm very proud of the team," said the Croydon club's team manager Pete Smith.  "To defend the title is very special.

 

"We struggled a bit in the season – and they beat us twice, so it's good to get them back.  But the turning point for us was beating Exeter 4/1 at home at the beginning of March.

 

"Our man of the match was probably Peter Nicol," Smith continued.  "For him to play the way he did was magnificent.  We really needed that win – it gave us a cushion.

 

"But our team overall was fantastic tonight – to win the title three times in four years is incredible.  It's been a real squad effort."

 

St George's Hill team manager Danny Lee was full of praise for the new PSL champions.  "Congratulations to Surrey Health – they thoroughly deserved their win.  I thought Peter Nicol was amazing.  His shot selection tonight was superb.

 

"But overall I am delighted with what we achieved this season – even though it' a bit of an anticlimax to finish like this tonight.

 

"But we'll definitely be back next year," added the former junior England international.

 

Surrey Health & Racquets now become one of four clubs which have won the PSL title three times – including Duffield, from Derbyshire; Leekes Welsh Wizards from Cardiff; and Cannons of London. 

 

But the Croydon club will now sets their sights on next year when they could make history by becoming the first to four.

 

RESULTS:            Premier Squash League Final, Surrey Sports Park, Guildford

 

Surrey Health & Racquets 4  TWP St George's Hill 1

  Peter Barker bt Daryl Selby 11-5, 13-11 (13m)

  Adrian Grant bt Tom Richards 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 (53m)

  Alan Clyne lost to Nicolas Mueller 8-11, 8-11, 9-11 (46m)

  Peter Nicol bt Mark Krajcsak 11-7, 16-14, 11-13, 11-7 (75m)

  Camille Serme bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5 (38m)

 

 

TEAM SQUADS 2009/10
DIVISION A

TEAM SQUADS 2009/10
DIVISION B

LEAGUE TABLE

Ties

Matches

    Games

Pts

P

W

L

W

L

W

L

GROUP A: NORTH

Benz-Bavarian Duffield

8

6

2

27

12

93

58

123

LEBC Chapel Allerton

8

5

3

26

14

88

58

113

CLFS Esporta Oxford

8

4

4

24

16

81

65

101

Courtcraft Pontefract

8

4

4

14

26

63

90

83

MB Nottingham

8

1

7

8

32

44

99

49

                 

 

GROUP B: SOUTH

TWP St George's Hill

10

9

1

35

15

119

68

164

Surrey H&R

10

7

3

32

18

110

77

145

Chichester

10

5

5

24

26

91

91

116

Exeter Diamonds

10

4

6

23

27

89

96

109

IGT Winchester

10

4

6

23

27

82

96

102

UWE Bristol

10

1

9

13

37

64

127

69

 

PREMIER SQUASH LEAGUE

LEAGUE FIXTURES
2009-2010


Groups

NORTHERN GROUP A
A: CLFS ESPORTA OXFORD
B: PONTEFRACT
C: MB NOTTINGHAM
D: No Match
E: BENZ-BAVARIAN DUFFIELD
F: CHAPEL ALLERTON
SOUTHERN GROUP B
A: SURREY H&R
B: TEAM CHICHESTER
C: EXETER DIAMONDS
D: TWP ST GEORGE’S HILL
E: BRISTOL PROBUILD
F: IGT WINCHESTER

First named is home team, start time 7pm

Date Group A Group B

05 Oct

Oxford  4-1  Pontefract

Duffield 5-0 Nottingham

 Surrey H&R 4-1 Chichester

Bristol 2-3  Exeter

Winchester 2-3  St George's Hill

17 Nov Nottingham 0-5 Oxford
Pontefract 0-
5  Chapel Allerton
Exeter 4-1 Surrey
St George's Hill 4-1 Bristol
23 Nov Duffield 4 -1 Oxford
Chapel Allerton 4-1 Nottingham
Bristol 1-4 Surrey H&R
Chichester 2-3  St George's Hill
Winchester 3
-2  Exeter
25 Jan Nottingham 5-0 Pontefract
Duffield
0-5 Chapel Allerton
Surrey H&R 0-5 St George's Hill
Exeter 3
-2 Chichester
Bristol 2-3 Winchester
01 Feb Pontefract 3-2 Duffield
Chapel Allerton 3-2 Oxford
Chichester 3-2 Bristol
St George's Hill 3-2 Exeter
Winchester 1-4 Surrey H&R

 Second Half, Reversed Fixtures

15 Feb Pontefract 3-2 Oxford
Nottingham 0-5 Duffield
 
Chichester 1-4 Surrey H&R
Exeter 4
-1 Bristol
St George's Hill 4-1 Winchester
01 Mar Oxford 5-0 Nottingham
Chapel Allerton 2-3 Pontefract
Surrey H&R 4-1  Exeter
Bristol 1-4 St George's Hill
Winchester 2-3 Chichester
08 Mar Oxford 3-2 Duffield
Nottingham 1-4
Chapel Allerton
Surrey H&R 5-0 Bristol
St George's Hill 2-3 Chichester
Exeter 2-3 Winchester
15 Mar Pontefract 4-1 Nottingham
Chapel Allerton 1-4 Duffield
 
St George's Hill 3 -2 Surrey H&R
Chichester 4-1 Exeter
Winchester 5-0 Bristol
29 Mar Duffield 5-0 Nottingham
Oxford  3-2 Chapel Allerton
Bristol 3-2 St George's Hill
Exeter 1-4 St George's Hill
Surrey H&R 4-
1 Winchester
     

  Playoffs

5th April Semi Finals

Benz-Bavarian Duffield 3-2 Surrey Health & Racquets

TWP St George's Hill 3-2 LEBC Group Chapel Allerton

 Final

3th May

Finals
Surrey Health & Racquets 4-1 TWP St George's Hill

Semi Finals

Dramatic PSL Semis Lead To All-Surrey Final

 

Defending champions Surrey Health & Racquets and TWP St George's Hill will meet in an all-Surrey Premier Squash League (PSL) final after both teams survived nail-biting semi-finals of the world's most prestigious squash league which went to the wire.

 

Recently-crowned British National champion Daryl Selby led St George's Hill into the final for the first time in their fifth PSL season after beating Australian Aaron Frankcomb in the decider against 2009 champions LEBC Group Chapel Allerton.

 

Firm favourites St George's, playing on their home courts in Weybridge, twice led in the tie – but on both occasions the Leeds visitors rallied back to draw level.  Guildford-based Dominique Lloyd-Walter put the hosts ahead with an 11-5, 11-7, 11-2 win over Yorkshire's Carrie Ramsey – but Chapel Allerton bounded back when 21-year-old Adam Murrills, making only his third appearance this season for the visitors, despatched experienced veteran Stephen Meads, a 40-year-old former world No11, in straight games.

 

In one of the standout matches of the night, the home side's Hungarian number one Mark Krajcsak battled for 60 minutes to overcome Yorkshireman Laurence Delasaux 10-12, 11-3, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4 to claim his 16th successive PSL win for St George's Hill!

 

But Channel Islander Chris Simpson patiently fought for six minutes longer to see off the hosts' higher-ranked Swiss number one Nicolas Mueller in five games to set up the top string decider.

 

And whilst Selby had the advantage of 29 world ranking places above Frankcomb, the world No12 from Essex has struggled to live up to his national and international reputation in his PSL performances this season.

 

But the 28-year-old England international was determined not to let his team-mates, and the packed St George's crowd, down - and crafted out an 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 victory to take his club into their maiden final.

 

"That was fantastic – I haven't won many for St George's this season and a few of my mates have been giving me a bit of stick over it," said a jubilant Selby afterwards.  "But I said I'd try and pull it off when it really matters, and tonight was the night!

 

"Unbelievably, it's 11 years since I was last in the PSL final – for Connaught at Lambs, and we lost.  So I'm looking forward to my first win.  In fact it's one title I've never won – and my sister (Lauren) was in a winning team last year and keeps ribbing me about it, so hopefully I'll be able put that right."

 

Selby is likely to find himself facing close friend and England team-mate Peter Barker in the top string clash.  "We haven't played for a while actually, so it will be good.  But tonight's match was tough – Aaron is getting better all the time and never gave up.  I was lucky to get through," added the St George's star.

 

St George's Hill team manager Danny Lee was delighted with his team's success:   "It was a fantastic night.  We've got a really good squad – and having the depth means a lot.  Everyone really works well as a team – they all put in so much effort.

 

"It's difficult to highlight a 'man-of-the-match':  it was Daryl that finally delivered the goods, but Mark Krajcsak made a vital contribution and played really well to win his match," concluded Lee.

 

Title-holders Surrey Health & Racquets, who finished as runners-up to St George's Hill in Group B, had the disadvantage of an away tie – at three-time champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield.  Buoyed by a packed partisan crowd at their Derbyshire club, Duffield took a 2/1 lead after a dramatic five-game win by local heroine Laura Hill over higher-ranked Victoria Lust, and a straight games victory by world number one Nick Matthew over England team-mate Peter Barker.

 

But a courageous performance from the visitors' Adrian Waller saw the former British junior champion beat Duffield's Australian Matthew Karwalski 3/0 to leave the tie in the hands of the teams' second strings Adrian Grant and Joel Hinds

 

World No18 Grant, winner of a Commonwealth Games Doubles gold medal with the opposing team's Nick Matthew, took the opening game against the lower-ranked Hinds – but the Duffield hero defied the rankings by fighting back to level the match.

 

Grant's greater experience shone through, however, and the London-born left-hander took control of the match to win 11-7, 6-11, 11-1, 11-7 to take Surrey Health into their third final in four years.

 

"I'm very proud of the team – it was a brilliant effort," said Surrey Health's team manager Pete Smith.  "Adrian was brilliant – and brought us through despite a very hostile (in the nicest sense of the word) crowd.

 

"But Adrian Waller was perhaps our star of the night – when he went on we were 2/1 down and things were looking bleak.


"It's excellent that it's an all-Surrey final – and we look forward to meeting our local rivals for the third time this season," concluded Smith.

 

RESULTS:            Semi-Finals, Tuesday 5 April 2011

 

Benz-Bavarian Duffield 2  Surrey Health & Racquets 3

  Nick Matthew bt Peter Barker 11-7, 11-4, 11-4

  Joel Hinds lost to Adrian Grant 7-11, 11-6, 1-11, 7-11

  Andy Whipp lost to Alan Clyne 10-12, 11-13, 8-11

  Matthew Karwalski lost to Adrian Waller 5-11, 3-11, 8-11

  Laura Hill bt Victoria Lust 8-11, 14-12, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8

TWP St George's Hill 3  LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 2

  Daryl Selby bt Aaron Frankcomb 11-8, 11-7, 11-9

  Nicolas Mueller lost to Chris Simpson 4-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 4-11 (66m)

  Mark Krajcsak bt Laurence Delasaux 10-12, 11-3, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4 (60m)

  Stephen Meads lost to Adam Murrills 8-11, 10-12, 7-11

  Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Carrie Ramsey 11-5, 11-7, 11-2

 

Final (Tuesday 3 May):

Surrey Health & Racquets v TWP St George's Hill

 

Round 10

Duffield Clinch Group Top Spot For Home Advantage In PSL Semis

 

A sensational season-ending performance by former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield in the tenth and final round of the Premier Squash League (PSL) earned the Derbyshire club top place in the Group A tables – as well as the advantage of a home tie in next week's semi-final play-offs of the world's most prestigious squash league.

 

Led by Yorkshire's world champion Nick Matthew, Duffield delighted their loyal home supporters by defeating Courtcraft Pontefract 5/0 to top the tables for only the second time this season – the first being after the opening round, in which their season-long rivals LEBC Group Chapel Allerton received a bye!

 

Yorkshire club Chapel Allerton, champions in 2009, led Group A for most of the season – and went into the final round three points ahead of Duffield.  But the Leeds club struggled to contain CLFS Esporta Oxford in their visit south – and ultimately went down 3/2 after Oxford's Australian international Cameron Pilley beat the visitors' Renan Lavigne 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 in the tie decider.

 

But Duffield, PSL champions in 1998, 2006 and 2007, truly saved their best till last – with Derbyshire fire-fighter Laura Hill and Australian Matthew Karwalski both surviving five-game battles to clinch valuable points for the home side, and youngster Chris Fuller and experienced Jonathan Kemp claiming important straight games wins, before Matthew held off the challenge of veteran fellow Yorkshireman Simon Parke in four games to ensure maximum points for the club.

 

"I am very proud of my group of players, and tonight they did a fantastic job in front of one of the biggest crowds we've ever had – they filled every nook and cranny we had in the club," said team manager Felix Frixou

 

"Laura came back from 4-7 down in her final game – and it takes a lot of guts to do that.  And young Chris Fuller did us proud - it's good to see our young players coming through.

 

"But Pontefract really made it hard for us – and Simon Parke was really impressive.  I take my hat off to him – his match against Nick was played in great spirit."

 

The two top teams in Group B both enjoyed 4/1 wins to consolidate their places in the semi-finals.  Runaway leaders TWP St George's Hill journeyed to Devon to face Exeter Diamonds - and quickly earned the single point required to maintain their leadership, before finishing off with 17 after confident wins by British national champion Laura Massaro, Hungarian No1 Mark Krajcsak, Swiss No1 Nicolas Mueller, and new England international Tom Richards

 

In a late night conclusion to the tie, Australian international Stewart Boswell gained some consolation for the hosts by beating the Weybridge club's top string Daryl Selby 11-6, 11-3, 11-5.

 

It was a similar story for second-placed Surrey Health & Racquets, the title-holders who built up a 4/0 lead over visitors IGT Winchester before the PSL newcomers gained a consolation point in the final match when leading Frenchman Gregory Gaultier beat the Croydon club's Peter Barker 11-3, 11-9, 11-4.

 

But there were earlier commanding straight games wins by France's Camille Serme, Adrian Waller, Peter Nicol and Adrian Grant to guarantee Surrey Health's fifth successive season in the semi-finals.

 

Whilst not featuring in the battle for places in the semi-finals, the remaining tie in Group B produced a momentous outcome when UWE Bristol beat Team Chichester 3/2 at home to earn their first win of the season!

 

Semi-finals line-up (Tuesday 5 April):

Benz-Bavarian Duffield v Surrey Health & Racquets

TWP St George's Hill v LEBC Group Chapel Allerton

 

 

RESULTS:            10th round, Tuesday 29 March 2011

 

    Group A:

Benz-Bavarian Duffield 5  Courtcraft Pontefract 0

  Nick Matthew bt Simon Parke    11-8, 10-12, 11-3, 11-4

  Jonathan Kemp bt Lee Beachill    11-7, 11-2, 11-2

  Matthew Karwalski bt Neil Cordell    6-11, 8-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-6

  Chris Fuller bt Karan Malik    11-8, 15-13, 11-0

  Laura Hill bt Kirsty McPhee    11-7, 11-3, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9

CLFS Esporta Oxford 3  LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 2

  Cameron Pilley bt Renan Lavigne    11-7, 11-7, 11-7

  Borja Golan bt Aaron Frankcomb    11-9, 11-8, 13-11

  Chris Ryder bt Chris Simpson    5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9

  Scott Handley lost to Laurence Delasaux    12-14, 8-11, 6-11

  Katherine Quarterman lost to Jenny Duncalf    1-11, 5-11, 2-11

 

    Group B:

UWE Bristol 3  Team Chichester 2

  Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Max Lee    11-3, 11-5, 11-9

  Lucas Serme lost to Olivier Pett    5-11, 8-11, 8-11

  Michael Harris bt Tim Vail    11-9, 11-5, 6-11, 12-10

  Daniel West bt Alex Gough    5-11, 9-11, 11-2, 11-7, 12-10

  Rebecca Quiney lost to Lauren Briggs    5-11, 6-11, 1-11

Exeter Diamonds 1  TWP St George's Hill 4

  Stewart Boswell bt Daryl Selby    11-6, 11-3, 11-5

  Campbell Grayson lost to Tom Richards    11-9, 7-11, 7-11, 11-3, 4-11

  James Snell lost to Nicolas Mueller    8-11, 7-11, 9-11

  Peter Creed lost to Mark Krajcsak    11-7, 8-11, 8-11, 11-9, 4-11

  Victoria Temple-Murray lost to Laura Massaro    1-11, 5-11, 7-11

Surrey Health & Racquets 4  IGT Winchester 1

  Peter Barker lost to Gregory Gaultier    3-11, 9-11, 4-11

  Adrian Grant bt Joey Barrington    11-9, 11-9, 11-7

  Peter Nicol bt Dylan Bennett    11-5, 11-8, 11-8

  Adrian Waller bt Mark Cairns    11-7, 11-4, 11-5

  Camille Serme bt Zephanie Curgenven    11-4, 11-6, 11-3

 

Round 9

Selby Secures PSL Play-Off Place For St George's Hill

 

England international Daryl Selby notched up his first win since becoming British National champion for the first time a month ago when he clinched the deciding match which ensures TWP St George's Hill a place in next month's semi-final play-offs of the Premier Squash League (PSL), the world's most prestigious squash league.

 

The Weybridge club were hosting county rivals Surrey Health & Racquets, the title-holders whose squad featured Peter Nicol, the now-retired former world number one and world champion.  The home side set the early pace in the crucial ninth round Group B clash, with Dominique Lloyd-Walter and Stephen Meads claiming four-game victories over the visitors' opposition.

 

But the Croydon club struck back – Adrian Waller reducing the deficit when St George's stalwart Joe Lee was forced to withdraw midway through the second game with a back injury, then Nicol taking on new England international Tom Richards in a match described by St George's team manager Danny Lee as 'the best game of squash ever seen at the club'.

 

Richards, the 24-year-old world No29 fresh from making his England debut at last week's World Cup in India, recovered from a game down to open up a 2/1 lead over his experienced opponent.  But Nicol, 13 years his senior, refused to bow down – taking the fourth game and saving three match-balls from 7-10 down in the decider to win 11-8, 3-11, 5-11, 11-9, 13-11 in 64 minutes.

 

Eager to recover from a three-match losing streak for his club since beating world number one Nick Matthew in February's British National Championship final, Selby chose the perfect occasion to rediscover his earlier form to beat Surrey Health's rising Egyptian star Karim Abdel Gawad 11-8, 11-7, 11-8.

 

The 3/2 victory takes St George's Group B points haul for the season to 147 - 19 points ahead of Surrey Health.  But both clubs have done enough to make the end-of-season play-offs – with St George's simply needing two points from their final tenth round tie against Exeter Diamonds to guarantee a top-of-the-table finish.

 

Elsewhere in Group B, Team Chichester moved up to third place after beating Exeter Diamonds 4/1, and PSL newcomers IGT Winchester celebrated their first 5/0 win of the season with a comprehensive home victory over UWE Bristol.

 

A three-horse race has developed in Group A where former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield battled to a 4/1 away win over LEBC Group Chapel Allerton to leave the two clubs heading the table just three points apart.

 

But CLFS Esporta Oxford, not in ninth round action, lurk less than 20 points behind – and are still in contention for an all-important finish in the group's top two.

 

World champion Nick Matthew led Duffield to away success at Chapel Allerton, the 2009 champions from Leeds.  A stalwart of the Derbyshire club for eight seasons, Matthew beat Frenchman Renan Lavigne 11-4, 11-6, 11-2 – but it was arguably team-mate Andy Whipp who exhibited the bravest Duffield performance, the 30-year-old part-timer holding off the challenge of Chapel Allerton's Laurence Delasaux by beating the 25-year-old world No77 12-10, 9-11, 11-3, 11-13, 11-6.

 

Duffield, PSL champions in 1998, 2006 and 2007, began the night 16 points behind top-placed Chapel Allerton – but are now just three points adrift of the Leeds club.

 

Fellow Yorkshire club Courtcraft Pontefract celebrated their fourth PSL victory in a row with a 4/1 win over bottom-placed MB Nottingham.  Before a crowd described by Pontefract team manager Malcolm Willstrop as "the biggest I've ever seen at the club – it was jam-packed", there were various standout performances by home team players – including an 11-7, 15-13, 13-11 win over Nottingham's Emma Beddoes by Dutch star Vanessa Atkinson. 

 

The indefatigable Yorkshire legend Simon Parke, now 38, defeated full-timer Lewis Walters 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 - and team number one James Willstrop, who led England to the WSF World Cup final in Chennai at the weekend, dug deep to recover from two games behind, and 5-10 down in the decider, to overcome Eddie Charlton 4-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-9, 13-11.

 

 

RESULTS:            9th round, Tuesday 15 March 2011

 

    Group A:

Courtcraft Pontefract 4  MB Nottingham 1

  James Willstrop bt Eddie Charlton    4-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-9, 13-11

  Simon Parke bt Lewis Walters    11-5, 11-4, 11-7

  Neil Cordell bt Chris Truswell    8-11, 11-9, 11-6, 12-10

  Karan Malik lost to Mark Fuller    11-13, 9-11, 6-11

  Vanessa Atkinson bt Emma Beddoes    11-7, 15-13, 13-11

 

LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 1  Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4

  Renan Lavigne lost to Nick Matthew    4-11, 6-11, 2-11

  Chris Simpson lost to Jonathan Kemp    12-14, 11-7, 6-11, 7-11

  Laurence Delasaux lost to Andy Whipp    10-12, 11-9, 3-11, 13-11, 6-11

  Shaun le Roux bt Matthew Karwalski    8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 12-14, 11-8

  Carrie Ramsey lost to Jaclyn Hawkes    3-11, 5-11, 1-11

 

    Group B:

TWP St George's Hill 3  Surrey Health & Racquets 2

  Daryl Selby bt Karim Abdel Gawad    11-8, 11-7, 11-8 (47m)

  Tom Richards lost to Peter Nicol    8-11, 11-3, 11-5, 9-11, 11-13 (64m)

  Joe Lee lost to Adrian Waller    6-11, 0-4 ret.

  Stephen Meads bt Tim Garner    11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10

  Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Victoria Lust    11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 11-3

 

Team Chichester 4  Exeter Diamonds 1

  Max Lee lost to Campbell Grayson    11-7, 4-11, 9-11, 11-8, 9-11

  Olivier Pett bt Jonathan Harford    11-9, 11-6, 11-8

  Tim Vail bt Peter Creed    11-6, 11-9, 11-9

  Alex Gough bt Mike Gregory    11-8, 11-5, 11-6

  Nicolette Fernandes bt Victoria Temple-Murray    11-6, 11-4, 11-2

 

IGT Winchester 5  UWE Bristol 0

  Dylan Bennett bt Michael Harris    11-4, 11-8, 11-7 (22m)

  Stacey Ross bt Daniel West    11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 14-12 (48m)

  Mark Cairns bt Ben Rodgers    11-3, 11-3, 11-3 (29m)

  Kirby Sinclair bt Wojciech Nowisz    11-0, 4-11, 11-9, 11-9 (33m)

  Lauren Selby bt Anna Jurkun    11-4, 11-2, 11-4

 

Round 8

Chichester End St George's Hill Unbeaten PSL Run

 

TWP St George's Hill's unbeaten run in this season's Premier Squash League (PSL) came to a dramatic end when the Group B leaders slumped 3/2 to Team Chichester in the eighth round of the of the world's most prestigious squash league.

 

Meanwhile defending champions Surrey Health & Racquets continued their strong form in the group by thumping UWE Bristol 5/0 – earning their fourth successive PSL win and dramatically reducing the gap behind St George's Hill in the tables.  Third-placed Exeter Diamonds weakened their bid for a place in the end-of-season play-offs by going down 3/2 at home to PSL newcomers IGT Winchester.

 

Former champions LEBC Group Chapel Allerton strengthened their lead in the Group A tables with a 4/1 away win at MB Nottingham – while England's world number one Nick Matthew played a decisive role in Benz-Bavarian Duffield gaining a 3/2 away win over CLFS Esporta Oxford to improve their chances of a play-off place.

 

It was a rueful St George's Hill manager Danny Lee who commented "the wrong Lee won" after his son Joe Lee lost to Chichester's late replacement Alex Gough, while Chichester's Max Lee recorded a marathon victory over British National Champion Daryl Selby.

 

Guyana's Nicolette Fernandes started the Chichester run by upsetting the home side's Dominique Lloyd-Walter in five games – while the now-retired Alex Gough, a former world No5, produced one of the shocks of the season by despatching world No63 Joe Lee 13-11, 11-5, 11-7 in just 36 minutes.

 

The home crowd sensed that normal service would be resumed as middle order stalwarts Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan and Mark Krajcsak levelled the tie – and hopes were high that Selby would rediscover the form that saw him lift the British National title against expectations less than a month ago.

 

And the world No10 from Essex led 2/1 against Max Lee before the Hong Kong 22-year-old – ranked 52 places lower in the world – pulled off one of the best wins of his career to beat Selby 13-11, 11-13, 8-11, 12-10, 11-5 in 77 minutes.

 

Surrey Health & Racquets dropped just two games in their commanding victory over former runners-up UWE Bristol.  England international Alison Waters laid down a marker for the hosts with an 11-4, 11-8, 11-7 win over Bristol's Sarah-Jane Perry – and Ben Ford, captain Tim Garner, Adrian Waller duly followed Waters' winning example before top-ranked Scot Alan Clyne ensured maximum points by beating rising French star Lucas Serme 10-12, 11-5, 11-2, 11-7.

 

It was French number one Gregory Gaultier, making only his second appearance for the club, who led IGT Winchester to their 3/2 away win over Exeter Diamonds.  With the tie poised at two-all, world No6 Gaultier recovered from two games down to beat Exeter's Stewart Boswell 10-12, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 – inflicting the first defeat of the season on the Australian international.

 

It was a similar story in Oxford where Derbyshire club Benz-Bavarian Duffield, the three times champions eager to make the final for the first time in two years, were level at two matches apiece against CLFS Esporta Oxford.  The decider saw the world's top player Nick Matthew take on the top Spaniard Borja Golan.  World champion Matthew took the opening two games, but Golan battled back to draw level.

 

Disappointment for the hosts was matched be elation for the visitors when Matthew recovered the advantage to win 11-5, 15-13, 11-13, 11-7.  The win strengthens Duffield's position in third place in the Group A tables, just three points adrift of Oxford – but with a tie in hand.

 

LEBC Group Chapel Allerton began their victory bid at MB Nottingham a match down after local star Emma Beddoes beat the Yorkshire club's Carrie Ramsey 11-3, 11-5, 11-3.

 

But stirring wins by the visitors' Anthony Graham, Shaun le Roux, Laurence Delasaux and Chris Simpson gave Chapel Allerton the 4/1 win which extends their lead at the top of the Group A tables to 23 points ahead of Esporta Oxford.

 

RESULTS:            8th round, Tuesday 8 March 2011

 

    Group A:

CLFS Esporta Oxford 2  Benz-Bavarian Duffield 3

  Borja Golan lost to Nick Matthew 5-11, 13-15, 11-2, 13-11, 7-11

  Chris Ryder bt Jonathan Kemp 12-10, 11-4, 11-7

  Scott Handley lost to Andy Whipp 11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 5-11, 6-11

  Ben Coleman lost to Matthew Karwalski 4-11, 2-11, 6-11

  Madeline Perry bt Jaclyn Hawkes 10-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6

MB Nottingham 1  LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 4

  Chris Truswell lost to Chris Simpson 10-12, 11-0, 7-11, 11-13

  Mark Fuller lost to Laurence Delasaux 8-11, 9-11, 7-11

  Declan James lost to Shaun le Roux 5-11, 6-11, 3-11

  Andrew Widdison lost to Anthony Graham 9-11, 2-11, 8-11

  Emma Beddoes bt Carrie Ramsey 11-3, 11-5, 11-3

 

    Group B:

Surrey Health & Racquets 5  UWE Bristol 0

  Alan Clyne bt Lucas Serme 10-12, 11-5, 11-2, 11-7

  Adrian Waller bt Michael Harris 11-6, 11-5, 11-7

  Tim Garner bt Daniel West 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8

  Ben Ford bt Ben Rodgers 11-3, 11-2, 11-7

  Alison Waters bt Sarah-Jane Perry 11-4, 11-8, 11-7

TWP St George's Hill 2  Team Chichester 3

  Daryl Selby lost to Max Lee 11-13, 13-11, 11-8, 10-12, 5-11 (77m)

  Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan bt Olivier Pett 10-12, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 (55m)

  Mark Krajcsak bt Tim Vail 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-2 (33m)

  Joe Lee lost to Alex Gough 11-13, 5-11, 7-11 (36m)

  Dominique Lloyd-Walter lost to Nicolette Fernandes 9-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-1, 9-11 (68m)

Exeter Diamonds 2  IGT Winchester 3

  Stewart Boswell lost to Gregory Gaultier 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 6-11, 6-11

  Campbell Grayson lost to Joey Barrington 11-8, 8-11, 12-14, 15-13, 4-11

  Jonathan Harford lost to Marwan El Shorbagy 8-11, 5-11, 6-11

  James Snell bt Robert Downer 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 12-10

  Aisling Blake bt Lauren Selby 11-2, 11-1, 8-11, 11-1

 

 

Round 7

Champions Surrey Health Back In The Chase For PSL Glory

 

Reigning champions Surrey Health & Racquets celebrated their third successive Premier Squash League (PSL) win with a 4/1 home victory over Exeter Diamonds – a reversal of the result earlier in the season which strengthens the Croydon club's second place behind runaway leaders TWP St George's Hill in Group B of the world's most prestigious squash league.

 

While Team Chichester moved up to third place in the Group after a 3/2 away win over PSL newcomers IGT Winchester, St George's Hill extended their unbeaten run by beating UWE Bristol 4/1 for the second time this season

 

After beating fellow Yorkshire club Courtcraft Pontefract 5/0 earlier in the season in Group A, 2009 champions LEBC Group Chapel Allerton slumped 2/3 at home to a star-studded Pontefract side – but still remain top of the Group tables.  Meanwhile, CLFS Esporta Oxford move into second place in Group A after thumping former champions MB Nottingham 5/0 at home.

 

Surrey Health & Racquets team manager Pete Smith admitted it was a "good night" for his squad after a near-maximum points victory over the Devon rivals with whom they shared second place before the night's matches unfolded.  The home side's Alison Waters, Adrian Waller and Alan Clyne quickly established an unassailable lead for Surrey Health – though Londoner Waters, the world No3, was taken to five games by Irish PSL debutante Aisling Blake after failing to convert a match-ball in the third game.

 

Australian international Stewart Boswell put in another starring performance for Exeter by beating the hosts' higher-ranked England international Adrian Grant in straight games before world No7 Peter Barker extended the Surrey club's lead by beating Dutch champion Laurens Jan Anjema 11-8, 11-8, 11-5.

 

TWP St George's Hill delivered another near-perfect performance in the West Country – where they consigned 2007 runners-up UWE Bristol to their seventh successive defeat of the season.  The Weybridge club stalwarts Rachel Willmott, Stephen Meads. Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan and Tom Richards all despatched Bristol opponents put in their way before recently-crowned British National champion Daryl Selby sought to make it maximum points from the top string clash with the home side's Mohamed El Shorbagy.

 

But the 20-year-old Egyptian international was too strong for Selby, winning 11-5, 12-10, 11-8 to give the home crowd some consolation.

 

A packed gallery at IGT Winchester were hoping to see revenge against the southern rivals who beat them earlier in the season.   And after Team Chichester took the opening two matches, Winchester's former club manager Mark Cairns – a 43-year-old former world No10 - was set to make a hero's return to the court .... and turn matters round.

 

"Mark was absolutely in the zone," said team manager Gary Hinton.  "He was simply in awesome form – and duly won his match." 

 

Cairns saw off Chichester captain Tim Vail 9-11, 13-11, 11-2, 11-7 in 58 minutes.  But it was all in vain, as on an adjacent court Robbie Temple played one the games of his life to defeat Winchester's higher-ranked Joey Barrington in straight games.

 

But the Winchester crowd was then treated to its first appearance of French star Gregory Gaultier, the world No6 from Aix-en-Provence who recovered from a game down to defeat the visitors' Malaysian number one Mohd Azlan Iskandar 8-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 to reduce the deficit to 2/3.

 

After losing the first three ties of the season, Courtcraft Pontefract turned the tables tonight by recording their third win in a row - against Yorkshire rivals LEBC Group Chapel Allerton.   The Leeds club's world No2 Jenny Duncalf was too strong for the visitors' former world champion Vanessa Atkinson – but now retired former world number one Lee Beachill called upon all his vast experience to eke out a 11-9, 4-11,3-11, 11-7, 12-10 win over Chapel Allerton's Anthony Graham.

 

And after Indian number one Saurav Ghosal showed off his prowess to beat the home club's Australian international Aaron Frankcomb in four games, it was left to Pontefract star James Willstrop to clinch victory for the underdogs with his 11-8, 5-11, 13-11, 11-2 win over Frenchman Renan Lavigne.

 

But CLFS Esporta Oxford boosted their chances of a place in the end-of-season semi-final playoffs with a powerful 5/0 home win over MB Nottingham.  Despite last-minute changes to the line-up, the home side's squad of Chris Ryder, Scott Handley, Andrew Birks, Kristen Johnson and Madeline Perry all came up trumps with wins over their visiting opponents.

 

The Oxford team now move up to second place in the Group A tables, just six points behind leaders Chapel Allerton.

 

RESULTS:            7th round, Tuesday 1 March 2011

 

    Group A:

CLFS Esporta Oxford 5  MB Nottingham 0

  Chris Ryder bt Chris Truswell 11-2, 11-3, 11-9

  Scott Handley bt Mark Fuller 11-8, 11-7, 11-4

  Andrew Birks bt Declan James 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8

  Kristen Johnson bt Ollie Holland 8-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-3, 11-7

  Madeline Perry bt Emily Whitlock 11-7, 11-9, 14-12

LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 2  Courtcraft Pontefract 3

  Renan Lavigne lost to James Willstrop 8-11, 11-5, 11-13, 2-11

  Aaron Frankcomb lost to Saurav Ghosal 11-9, 4-11, 3-11, 3-11

  Laurence Delasaux bt Simon Parke 9-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6

  Anthony Graham lost to Lee Beachill 9-11, 11-4, 11-3, 7-11, 10-12

  Jenny Duncalf bt Vanessa Atkinson 11-5, 4-11, 11-7, 11-7

 

    Group B:

Surrey Health & Racquets 4  Exeter Diamonds 1

  Peter Barker bt Laurens Jan Anjema 11-8, 11-8, 11-5

  Adrian Grant lost to Stewart Boswell 5-11, 2-11, 9-11

  Alan Clyne bt Jonathan Harford 11-4, 11-9, 11-9

  Adrian Waller bt James Snell 4-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-9 (48m)

  Alison Waters bt Aisling Blake 11-5, 11-3, 11-13, 7-11, 11-0

UWE Bristol 1  TWP St George's Hill 4

  Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Daryl Selby 11-5, 12-10, 11-8

  David Evans lost to Tom Richards 11-7, 12-14, 8-11, 10-12

  Lucas Serme lost to Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan 9-11, 11-8, 7-11, 10-12

  Michael Harris lost to Stephen Meads 9-11, 3-11, 13-11, 7-11

  Rebecca Quiney lost to Rachel Willmott 9-11, 6-11, 8-11

IGT Winchester 2  Team Chichester 3

  Gregory Gaultier bt Mohd Azlan Iskandar 8-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 (49m)

  Joey Barrington lost to Robbie Temple 2-11, 10-12, 8-11 (38m)

  Stacey Ross lost to Olivier Pett 4-11, 7-11, 10-12 (29m)

  Mark Cairns bt Tim Vail 9-11, 13-11, 11-2, 11-7 (58m)

  Lauren Selby lost to Lauren Briggs 6-11, 7-11, 9-11 (26m)

 

Round 6

Former Champions Duffield Hit Back In Second Half Season Opener

 

Former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield hit back in the opening tie of the second half of the Premier Squash League (PSL) season to slam MB Nottingham 5/0 away from home and score their second maximum points win over their East Midlands rivals this season in Tuesday's sixth round of the world's most prestigious squash league.

 

Team newcomer Jaclyn Hawkes, the New Zealand number two, began the assault with a five-game victory over Nottingham regular Emma Beddoes.  A rare family duel between brothers Mark Fuller and Chris Fuller saw the younger sibling Chris increase the visitors' lead with an 11-8, 11-7, 4-11, 11-7 win.

 

Further wins by the Derbyshire club's Joel Hinds and Stephen Coppinger made way for Duffield star Nick Matthew.  The world No1 and world champion, making his first appearance for the club since November, put behind him his shock defeat in Sunday's British National championship final by crushing Nottingham's top string Eddie Charlton 11-2, 11-6, 11-3.

 

The impressive victory takes Duffield into second place in the Group A tables behind group leaders LEBC Group Chapel Allerton, the Leeds club which did not have a sixth round tie.

 

There was popular revenge in Group A In Yorkshire where Courtcraft Pontefract crafted a 3/2 home win over CLFS Esporta Oxford – reversing the result of their early season meeting.

 

The clash, before a packed crowd at Pontefract, was delicately poised at two-all when club hero James Willstrop took to the court against Oxford's Australian number one Cameron Pilley.  It was an eagerly awaited clash – Willstrop's first match since a shock quarter-final exit in last week's British National championships in Manchester.

 

The 27-year-old world No4 from Leeds was back to his devastating best – and recovered from a game down to despatch Pilley 12-14, 11-1, 11-3, 11-5.

 

"James played as well as I've seen him play all year - with complete freedom," said team manager Malcolm Willstrop afterwards.

 

Like Chapel Allerton in Group A, TWP St George's Hill have built a commanding lead at the top of the Group B tables – with a 4/1 home win over PSL newcomers IGT Winchester extending the Surrey club's unbeaten record this season.

 

Team stalwarts Dominique Lloyd-Walter, Joe Lee, Mark Krajcsak and Tom Richards all scored straight games wins – leaving team number one Daryl Selby, the new surprise British National champion, to bring home maximum points.

 

But the 28-year-old from Essex was clearly unable to reproduce the stunning performance which saw him defeat firm favourite Nick Matthew in Sunday's final – and went down 16-14, 9-11, 9-11, 14-12, 8-11 to Winchester's Dylan Bennett, the Dutch championship runner-up.

 

"Daryl was obviously shattered – and I wouldn't have been surprised had he been unable to make the match," said St George's Hill team manager Danny Lee.  "He's been an inspiring member of our squad and we're very proud of his achievement in Manchester."

 

But the battle for second place in the group gathered momentum today as both Surrey Health & Racquets and Exeter Diamonds celebrated 4/1 wins – over Team Chichester and UWE Bristol, respectively - and both are level in second place with 83 points.

 

Surrey Health's world No3 Alison Waters made a successful comeback since aggravating an Achilles injury in the Commonwealth Games in October by beating Chichester's Hannah Wright-Davies in straight games.

 

Later wins by Adrian Waller and Germany's Simon Rosner ensured victory for the Croydon club – but the final match between the two top strings went late into the night before Londoner Peter Barker finally celebrated an 11-6, 8-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-5 over the home side's Malaysian number one Mohd Azlan Iskandar to extend Surrey Health's win to 4/1.

 

It was the new Dutch national champion Laurens Jan Anjema who ensured the same scoreline in Devon for Exeter Diamonds after clinching an 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 victory over the higher-ranked Bristol number one Mohamed El Shorbagy, the world No9 from Egypt.  

 

This followed earlier wins by James Snell, Jonathan Harford and Stewart Boswell – the Australian international who beat former Welsh international David Evans 11-8, 11-7, 11-3 to record his fourth successive win this season for Exeter.

 

RESULTS:            6th round, Tuesday 15 February 2011

 

    Group A:

Courtcraft Pontefract 3  CLFS Esporta Oxford 2

  James Willstrop bt Cameron Pilley 12-14, 11-1, 11-3, 11-5

  Saurav Ghosal bt Chris Ryder 11-6, 11-9, 11-8

  Simon Parke bt Scott Handley 11-9, 11-13, 11-6, 11-3

  Lee Beachill lost to Jaymie Haycocks 4-11, 11-8, 11-3, 8-11, 7-11

  Kirsty McPhee lost to Madeline Perry 6-11, 5-11, 6-11

MB Nottingham 0  Benz-Bavarian Duffield 5

  Eddie Charlton lost to Nick Matthew 2-11, 6-11, 3-11

  Lewis Walters lost to Stephen Coppinger 12-10, 8-11, 4-11, 8-11

  Chris Truswell lost to Joel Hinds 8-11, 6-11, 3-11

  Mark Fuller lost to Chris Fuller 8-11, 7-11, 11-4, 7-11

  Emma Beddoes lost to Jaclyn Hawkes 11-5, 5-11, 9-11, 11-9, 9-11

 

    Group B:

Team Chichester 1  Surrey Health & Racquets 4

  Mohd Azlan Iskandar lost to Peter Barker 6-11, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 5-11

  Robbie Temple bt Adrian Grant 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8

  Olivier Pett lost to Simon Rosner 2-11, 4-11, 11-5, 5-11

  Tim Vail lost to Adrian Waller 7-11, 5-11, 8-11

  Hannah Wright-Davies lost to Alison Waters 2-11, 5-11, 5-11

Exeter Diamonds 4  UWE Bristol 1

  Laurens Jan Anjema bt Mohamed El Shorbagy 11-8, 11-6, 11-5

  Stewart Boswell bt David Evans 11-8, 11-7, 11-3

  Jonathan Harford bt Michael Harris 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5

  James Snell bt Nathan Lake 11-5, 10-12, 11-5, 13-11

  Victoria Temple-Murray lost to Sarah-Jane Perry 10-12, 6-11, 12-14

TWP St George's Hill 4  IGT Winchester 1

  Daryl Selby lost to Dylan Bennett 16-14, 9-11, 9-11, 14-12, 8-11

  Tom Richards bt Stacey Ross 11-5, 13-11, 11-4

  Mark Krajcsak bt Mark Cairns 11-8, 11-4, 11-8

  Joe Lee bt Robert Downer 11-4, 11-5, 11-8

  Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Lauren Selby 11-4, 11-6, 11-9

 

 

Round 5 Report

St George's Hill & Chapel Allerton End First Half of PSL Season Unbeaten

 

With the first half of the Premier Squash League (PSL) season now behind them, both LEBC Group Chapel Allerton and TWP St George's Hill remain unbeaten - and have extended their leadership of Groups A & B, respectively, after the fifth round of the world's most prestigious squash league.

 

Yorkshire club Chapel Allerton, winners of the PSL title in 2009, celebrated a 3/2 home win over Group A rivals CLFS Esporta Oxford.  Frenchman Renan Lavigne clinched a valuable win in the tie decider in his maiden appearance for the Leeds club.  In a fine battle between two 36-year-olds, former world No17 Lavigne - now retired from the Tour - recovered from two games down to beat Oxford stalwart Scott Handley 1-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-1.

 

Meanwhile, in a packed St George's Hill in Weybridge, Surrey, the home side also relied on a veteran newcomer this season to pull the side through in a 3/2 win over Group B rivals Exeter Diamonds.  After eight seasons for nearby Guildford, 40-year-old Stephen Meads made a significant home debut for his new club by beating promising full-timer James Snell, aged 22, 11-8, 8-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-8.

 

Later St George's regular Tom Richards, fresh from two successful runs in PSA Tour events in the USA in January, clinched victory for the hosts with a 6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 win over Exeter's New Zealander Campbell Grayson.

 

"It was a fantastic performance from Steve, who has only just returned from coaching duties with the Hong Kong national squad," said St George's Hill team manager Danny Lee.  "We're enjoying a great run this season – and it's down to a good depth of squad we have, which is the envy of the rest of the teams in the league."

 

Reigning champions Surrey Health & Racquets made up for two recent defeats by recording a 4/1 away win over PSL newcomers IGT Winchester.  In the standout match of the tie, former squash great Peter Nicol, the ex-world number and world champion who retired some years ago, took on Winchester's rising Egyptian star Marwan El Shorbagy, the 17-year-old who last year won the prestigious British Junior U17 Open title.

 

The teenager went into the match with all guns blazing – but 37-year-old Nicol was able to call upon all the skills which made him one of the world's best ever players by despatching his young opponent 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 in 24 minutes.

 

In the final match of the day, the Croydon club's 40-year-old captain Tim Garner celebrated his 13th match in the last 11 days by recovering from two games down to beat the home side's South African ace Jesse Engelbrecht 7-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-4.

 

Team Chichester won the battle to stay off the bottom of the Group B tables by seeing off visitors UWE Bristol 3/2.  The home side quickly claimed their victory with successive wins by Lauren Briggs, Brandon Hanley and club stalwart Peter Genever.  But Bristol bounced back when Theodore Anderson beat Nic Birt in four games – and young Frenchman Lucas Serme stemmed a fightback by Tim Val to beat the Chichester captain 11-8, 11-3, 11-13, 10-12, 11-5.

 

In the other Group A tie, Yorkshire club Courtcraft Pontefract celebrated their first win of the season in a 3/2 home victory over Derbyshire's three-time champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield.

 

"It was a great evening of squash – with a fantastic performance from 38-year-old former England international Simon Parke who just never gave up in his incredible 14-12, 8-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8 win over tough opponent Joel Hinds, the 23-year-old reigning world university champion," said Pontefract team manager Malcolm Willstrop.

 

Former Pontefract number Lee Beachill also entertained the packed crowd with his performance against in-form Cheshire player Andrew Whipp.  At 2/1 down, Beachill gave it his all to level the match after a tie-break in the fourth – but the younger Whipp blasted back in the decider to win 7-11, 13-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-2.

 

But it was the host club's Indian star Saurav Ghosal who clinched victory for the team.  In his first PSL appearance for more than a year, Ghosal beat England international Jonathan Kemp 11-8, 11-13, 19-17, 11-7.

 

RESULTS:            5th round, Tuesday 1 February 2011

 

    Group A:

Courtcraft Pontefract 3  Benz-Bavarian Duffield 2

  Saurav Ghosal bt Jonathan Kemp    11-8, 11-13, 19-17, 11-7

  Simon Parke bt Joel Hinds    14-12, 8-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8

  Lee Beachill lost to Andrew Whipp    11-7, 11-13, 4-11, 12-10, 2-11

  Neil Cordell lost to Chris Fuller    8-11, 2-11, 11-7, 10-12

  Kirsty McPhee bt Laura Hill    11-7, 11-9, 14-12

LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 3  CLFS Esporta Oxford 2

  Renan Lavigne bt Scott Handley    1-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-1

  Laurence Delasaux lost to Jaymie Haycocks    6-11, 8-11, 12-14

  Anthony Graham bt Lee Drew    13-11, 11-5, 11-9

  Adam Murrills lost to Andrew Birks    11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 2-11, 8-11

  Carrie Ramsey bt Katherine Quarterman    11-4, 11-8, 11-8

 

      Group B:

Team Chichester 3  UWE Bristol 2

  Tim Vail lost to Lucas Serme    8-11, 3-11, 13-11, 12-10, 5-11

  Nic Birt lost to Theodore Anderson    11-7, 5-11, 4-11, 9-11

  Peter Genever bt Daniel West    13-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8

  Brandon Hanley bt Konrad Tyma    11-6, 11-6, 13-11

  Lauren Briggs bt Rebecca Quiney    11-3, 11-0, 11-3

TWP St George's Hill 3  Exeter Diamonds 2

  Daryl Selby lost to Stewart Boswell    11-13, 10-12, 9-11

  Tom Richards bt Campbell Grayson    6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6

  Neil Hitchens lost to Jonathan Harford    5-11, 8-11, 7-11

  Stephen Meads bt James Snell    11-8, 8-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-8

  Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Rhianne O'Donnell    11-4, 11-0, 11-3

IGT Winchester 1  Surrey Health & Racquets 4

  Kashif Shuja lost to Peter Barker    3-11, 6-11, 6-11 (23m)

  Marwan El Shorbagy lost to Peter Nicol    6-11, 9-11, 9-11 (24m)

  Jesse Engelbrecht lost to Tim Garner    11-7, 11-6, 10-12, 6-11, 4-11

  Stacey Ross bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool    11-5, 11-9, 11-7 (39m)

  Lauren Selby lost to Victoria Lust    4-11, 9-11, 12-10, 12-14 (40m)

 

Round 4 Report

Chapel Allerton & St George's Hill Extend Unbeaten PSL Runs

 

TWP St George's Hill and Yorkshire club LEBC Group Chapel Allerton extended their unbeaten runs in the Premier Squash League (PSL) this season with comprehensive 5/0 victories in the fourth round of the world's most prestigious squash league.

 

In a battle between two former PSL champions, England's world No2 Jenny Duncalf led Chapel Allerton to an away win over three times champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield.  Duncalf, from Harrogate, began the rout with an 11-4, 11-5, 11-9 victory over the Derbyshire club's Laura Hill – before team-mates Anthony Graham, Laurence Delasaux and Chris Simpson clinched their wins, leaving the door open for the team's Australian number one Aaron Frankcomb to make it a clean sweep with his straight games success over the home side's world university champion Joel Hinds.

 

Chapel Allerton, the 2009 champions from Leeds, are now 16 points ahead of second-placed CLFS Esporta Oxford in Group A, with Duffield a further point adrift.

 

There was a further whitewash in Group A when MB Nottingham recorded their first success of the season with a 5/0 win over Yorkshire's Courtcraft Pontefract.  Teenager Emily Whitlock celebrated her first PSL win since becoming the British Junior U17 Open champion earlier in the month – the first English winner of a British Junior Open trophy for almost a decade – when she bravely battled to an 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 2-11, 11-9 victory over Pontefract's experienced former world No53 Kirsty McPhee.

 

The evening also marked the return of former Nottingham stalwart Simon Parke – a Nottingham PSL regular since 1999 who was making his first appearance at the club as an away player.   Now living near Pontefract and playing for the established club, 38-year-old Parke took the first game against the home side's 22-year-old top string Eddie Charlton – but youth ultimately prevailed as Charlton bounced back to win 5-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6 to maintain the Nottingham's squad's clean sheet for the night.

 

TWP St George's Hill were one of the few teams fielding their regular top string – and used their benefit to maximum advantage by crushing title-holders Surrey Health & Racquets 5/0 away from home in Group B.

 

The home side's debuting Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad – a 19-year-old who already boasts 5 PSA Tour titles - was unable to make a winning first impression, as the visitors' Hungarian number one Mark Krajcsak ground out a 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 1-11, 11-8 victory.  And St George's number one Daryl Selby, fresh from a last 16 berth in the Tournament of Champions in New York, dealt the final blow for the home crowd by recovering from a game down to beat the Croydon club's top-ranked Italian Davide Bianchetti 10-12, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10.

 

It took the final game of the night in the south west for hosts Exeter Diamonds to clinch a 3/2 win over Team Chichester – a success which strengthens the Devon club's grip on second place in Group B.  Australian Stewart Boswell was the Diamonds' hero, despatching Chichester's top string Robbie Temple 11-5, 11-3, 11-5.

 

And there was cause for celebration in Avon, where event newcomers IGT Winchester earned a 3/2 win over hosts UWE Bristol.  The visitors gained their win early on, with victories by Lauren Selby, Robert Downer and veteran Mark Cairns – the 43-year-old 1997 British National champion overcoming rising French star Lucas Serme, the reigning European Junior champion.

 

But Bristol countered with their own demonstration of senior success when Welshman David Evans, the 36-year-old winner of the British Open crown in 2000, fought back from a game behind to see off Winchester's Egyptian star Marwan El Shorbagy, the 2010 British Junior U17 Open champion, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8.

 

And the home side further reduced the deficit when their French number one Mathieu Castagnet beat the visitors' Dylan Bennett, the Dutch No2 making his debut for the club, 10-12, 8-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-7.

 

RESULTS:            4th round, Tuesday 25 January 2011

 

    Group A:

MB Nottingham 5  Courtcraft Pontefract 0

  Eddie Charlton bt Simon Parke    5-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6

  Mark Fuller bt Neil Cordell    11-7, 11-3, 11-4

  Declan James bt Jacques Kruger    11-7, 11-2, 11-7

  Ollie Holland bt Taminder Gata-Aura    11-5, 11-8, 11-5

  Emily Whitlock bt Kirsty McPhee    11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 2-11, 11-9

Benz-Bavarian Duffield 0  LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 5

  Joel Hinds lost to Aaron Frankcomb    5-11, 5-11, 9-11

  Andrew Whipp lost to Chris Simpson    11-9, 10-12, 8-11, 4-11

  Aqeel Rehman lost to Laurence Delasaux    7-11, 4-11, 11-8, 6-11

  Kevin White lost to Anthony Graham    3-11, 13-11, 5-11, 5-11

  Laura Hill lost to Jenny Duncalf    4-11, 5-11, 9-11

 

    Group B:

Surrey Health & Racquets 0  TWP St George's Hill 5

  Davide Bianchetti lost to Daryl Selby    12-10, 6-11, 6-11, 10-12

  Karim Abdel Gawad lost to Mark Krajcsak    11-6, 7-11, 9-11, 11-1, 8-11

  Tim Garner lost to Joe Lee    4-11, 11-9, 9-11, 4-11

  Ben Ford lost to Neil Hitchens    8-11, 11-9, 11-3, 5-11 ret.

  Victoria Lust lost to Dominique Lloyd-Walter    8-11, 7-11, 8-11

Exeter Diamonds 3  Team Chichester 2

  Stewart Boswell bt Robbie Temple    11-5, 11-3, 11-5

  Jonathan Harford bt Olivier Pett    14-12, 11-9, 11-6

  James Snell lost to Tim Vail    11-13, 11-7, 8-11, 3-11

  Peter Creed bt Nic Birt    11-7, 10-12, 11-7, 11-3

  Victoria Temple-Murray lost to Lauren Briggs    4-11, 5-11, 4-11

UWE Bristol 2  IGT Winchester 3

  Mathieu Castagnet bt Dylan Bennett    10-12, 8-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-7

  David Evans bt Marwan El Shorbagy    8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8

  Lucas Serme lost to Mark Cairns    9-11, 9-11, 3-11

  Daniel West lost to Robert Downer    6-11, 13-15, 8-11

  Rebecca Quiney lost to Lauren Selby    5-11, 11-8, 5-11, 2-11

 

Round 3 Report

St George's Hill Stretch PSL Lead

A third successive win in the new season of the Premier Squash League (PSL) extends TWP St George's Hill's lead at the top of the Group B tables after the third round of the world's most prestigious squash league.

 

The Surrey club visited south coast rivals Team Chichester – and, after the hosts took the early advantage when Lauren Briggs beat the visitors' Rachel Willmott 11-7, 11-5, 11-9, St George's Hill fought back with impressive straight games wins by team stalwarts Mark Krajcsak, the Hungarian number one, and Nicolas Mueller, the top Swiss player.

 

And Tom Richards ensured a St George's Hill victory when he recovered from a game down to beat Chichester regular Tim Vail 9-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-7.

 

But the standout match came at the end of the night when Chichester's Olivier Pett, ranked well outside the world top 100, took on England international Daryl Selby, the world No13.  After surviving a close first game, Pett dropped the next two as the crowd undoubtedly sensed another win going to the visitors.

 

But Pett, making a determined comeback after two major injury upsets over the past 15 months, stuck to his game-plan and ultimately beat his higher-ranked opponent 12-10, 9-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9 in 79 minutes.

 

"It's been a good day," admitted the 22-year-old from Sussex.  "That's by far my best ever result."

 

It was in August 2009 that Pett's world sunk to an all-time low when he underwent surgery on both ankles only shortly after his father died suddenly.  "I was out for about seven months, and on crutches for some of that time – but in fact it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it gave me time to think about things and deal with the loss of my Dad.

 

"Then, some three months after getting back on court, I suffered a further injury setback - which meant that I've only been training properly again for the past month or so.

 

"But tonight's win means so much to me as I've put in so much hard work recently, both with my trainer and my coach Tim Vail," added the world No 145.

 

PSL title-holders Surrey Health & Racquets returned to winning ways after a 4/1 away victory at UWE Bristol.  But the 2010 champions, who suffered a rare defeat last week, survived five-game matches in all their wins – Scotland's Alan Clyne clinching victory for the visitors after fighting back from 2/0 down to beat the home side's former world No4 David Evans 12-14, 5-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4 in 59 minutes.

 

Surrey squad number two Adrian Grant made his debut for his new club on the courts of the Bristol club he represented for the past four seasons – but battled for 67 minutes to beat Mathieu Castagnet in five games to begin his new affiliation on a positive note.

 

But Surrey team-mate and fellow Londoner Peter Barker was unable to give his team maximum points:  The world No8 went down in five games to Mohamed El Shorbagy, the world No12 from Bristol who avenged his defeat by Barker earlier in the month in the Qatar Classic.

 

And IGT Winchester had good reason to celebrate after the PSL newcomers beat Exeter Diamonds 3/2 to record their first win in the league.  After Lauren Selby and Marwan El Shorbagy gave the home side a good start, it was Portsmouth teenager Robert Downer who clinched Winchester's win by beating Chris Tasker-Grindley 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8.

 

"We had a total sell-out here tonight, with some 200 supporters – and the place was really buzzing," said Winchester team manager Gary Hinton.  "And Robert played out of his skin tonight to give us a fantastic win."

 

Despite losing away from home, CLFS Esporta Oxford maintain a slender lead at the top of the Group A tables.  It was a workman-like performance by former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield who, in only their second tie of the season, romped to a 4/1 win in Oxford, with squad number one Nick Matthew – playing his first PSL match since winning two Commonwealth Games gold medals in Delhi – beating Australia's in-form Cameron Pilley 15-13, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4.

 

The visitors gained consolation points at the end of the evening when Oxford's top-ranked Spaniard Borja Golan despatched Jonathan Kemp 11-6, 11-6, 11-2.

 

The other tie in Group A featured a battle between two former champions – in which the 2009 winners LEBC Group Chapel Allerton beat 1999 champions MB Nottingham 4/1.

 

Like Derbyshire club Duffield, Leeds-based Chapel Allerton have also only played two ties so far this season – and both unbeaten clubs share second place in the Group A tables on 37 points, just four behind league leaders Esporta Oxford.

 

RESULTS:            3rd round, Tuesday 23 November 2010

 

    Group A:

Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4  CLFS Esporta Oxford 1

  Nick Matthew bt Cameron Pilley 15-13, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4

  Jonathan Kemp lost to Borja Golan 6-11, 6-11, 2-11

  Stephen Coppinger bt Scott Handley 11-7, 11-3, 12-10

  Andrew Whipp bt Andrew Birks 13-11, 14-12, 11-6

  Millie Tomlinson bt Katherine Quarterman 11-4, 11-3, 11-3

LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 4  MB Nottingham 1

  Alister Walker bt Lewis Walters 11-6, 11-9, 11-2

  Aaron Frankcomb bt Chris Truswell 11-5, 11-8, 11-7

  Chris Simpson bt Mark Fuller 11-1, 11-8, 11-4

  Shaun le Roux bt Declan James 6-11, 9-11, 11-1, 11-3, 11-4

  Carrie Ramsey lost to Emily Whitlock 9-11, 0-5 ret.

 

Group B:

UWE Bristol 1  Surrey Health & Racquets 4

  Mohamed El Shorbagy bt Peter Barker 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 7-11, 11-9 (68m)

  Mathieu Castagnet lost to Adrian Grant 7-11, 11-7, 15-17, 13-11, 1-11 (67m)

  David Evans lost to Alan Clyne 14-12, 11-5, 6-11, 8-11, 4-11 (59m)

  Michael Harris lost to Adrian Waller 3-11, 3-11, 12-10, 11-7, 7-11 (42m)

  Rebecca Quiney lost to Margaux Moros-Pitarch 15-17, 7-11, 11-1, 11-3, 9-11 (37m)

Team Chichester 2  TWP St George's Hill 3

  Olivier Pett bt Daryl Selby 12-10, 9-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9 (79m)

  Tim Vail lost to Tom Richards 11-9, 9-11, 2-11, 7-11

  Alex Gough lost to Nicolas Mueller 8-11, 5-11, 4-11

  Nic Birt lost to Mark Krajcsak 5-11, 4-11, 5-11

  Lauren Briggs bt Rachel Willmott 11-7, 11-5, 11-9

IGT Winchester 3  Exeter Diamonds 2

  Joey Barrington lost to Laurens Jan Anjema 12-14, 8-11, 9-11 (45m)

  Ryan Cuskelly lost to Campbell Grayson 10-12, 13-11, 5-11, 12-14 (79m)

  Marwan El Shorbagy bt James Snell 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7 (50m)

  Robert Downer bt Chris Tasker-Grindley 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8 (43m)

  Lauren Selby bt Emma Chorley 11-4, 11-9, 11-5 (25m)


Round 2 Report

Champions Defeated In PSL Upset

 

Title-holder Surrey Health & Racquets suffered their first defeat in over a year when they were beaten 4/1 by Exeter Diamonds in the second round of the Premier Squash League (PSL), the world's most prestigious squash league.

 

The Croydon club's number one and England international Peter Barker prevented a whitewash in the Group B tie when he beat Exeter's top string Laurens Jan Anjema, the Dutch No1, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 in the final match of the night.

 

But to the delight of the home crowd, Exeter's Emma Chorley started the rout with an 11-6, 11-1, 11-3 victory over the visitors' Spanish newcomer Margaux Moros-Pitarch – and team-mates James Snell and Stewart Boswell followed with straight games wins. 

 

But perhaps the most notable home victory of the night was recorded by Exeter's third string Jonathan Harford.  The 27-year-old world No 142 from Birmingham defeated Scottish international Alan Clyne – ranked 90 places higher - 11-5, 10-12, 11-3, 12-10 in 47 minutes.

 

But the second successive win does not take Exeter Diamonds to the top of the Group B table.  By a single point, that place is taken by TWP St George's Hill after the Surrey team crushed UWE Bristol 4/1 in a tie which also saw the top string providing a  consolation win for the losing team.

 

England Commonwealth Games silver medallist Laura Massaro, making her debut for the Weybridge club, led the St George's Hill winning campaign by beating Bristol's Rebecca Quiney 11-3, 11-4, 11-2.

 

Straight games home wins by Joe Lee, Mark Krajcsak and Nicolas Mueller ensured victory for St George's – but top string Daryl Selby was unable to make it maximum points.  The world No13 from Essex failed to exploit a 2/1 lead over Mohamed El Shorbagy before losing 5-11, 11-8, 11-3, 7-11, 9-11 to the rising Egyptian star.

 

Elsewhere in Group B, PSL stalwarts Team Chichester inflicted the second successive defeat on IGT Winchester by beating the league newcomers 3/2.  Visitors Winchester were leading 2/1, but impressive wins by Tim Vail and Olivier Pett – over 17-year-old Marwan El Shorbagy and Joey Barrington, respectively - gave the local supporters a dramatic home win to savour.

 

A second win in a row takes CLFS Esporta Oxford to the top of the Group A tables.  Despite missing their top two players, Oxford travelled to former champions MB Nottingham and came away with a maximum points 5/0 victory.

 

Many times Irish champion Madeline Perry led the assault with a 13-11, 11-8, 11-1 win over Nottingham's Emma Beddoes – and Andrew Birks, Ben Coleman and Lee Drew survived bruising five-game battles to keep the visitors' score sheet clean.

 

Top string Chris Ryder, enjoying his fifth season for last season's runners-up Esporta, then clinched the final match in stunning style – despatching the Nottingham No1 Eddie Charlton 11-3, 11-2, 11-7.

 

In an all-Yorkshire clash in Group A, former champions LEBC Group Chapel Allerton opened their 2010/11 season campaign with a 5/0 win at Courtcraft Pontefract.

 

Pontefract's squad mixed long-time stalwarts like former world number ones Lee Beachill and Vanessa Atkinson with newcomers like South African youngster Jacques Kruger.

 

But the visitors' firepower was too strong as world No2 Jenny Duncalf, Adam Murrills, Anthony Graham, Chris Simpson and Alister Walker all collected impressive victories to give their Leeds club maximum points and a share of second place in the Group A tables.

 

RESULTS:            2nd round, Tuesday 16 November 2010

 

    Group A:

MB Nottingham 0  CLFS Esporta Oxford 5

   Eddie Charlton lost to Chris Ryder 3-11, 2-11, 7-11

   Chris Truswell lost to Lee Drew 7-11, 15-13, 11-9, 6-11, 7-11

   Mark Fuller lost to Ben Coleman 5-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-5, 10-12

   Andrew Widdison lost to Andrew Birks 16-14, 3-11, 16-14, 2-11, 4-11

   Emma Beddoes lost to Madeline Perry 11-13, 8-11, 1-11

Courtcraft Pontefract 0  LEBC Group Chapel Allerton 5

   Simon Parke lost to Alister Walker 11-9, 5-11, 3-11, 3-11

   Lee Beachill lost to Chris Simpson 10-12, 4-11, 11-8, 8-11

   James Earles lost to Anthony Graham 11-8, 4-11, 10-12, 7-11

   Jacques Kruger lost to Adam Murrills 3-11, 1-11, 8-11

   Vanessa Atkinson lost to Jenny Duncalf 11-13, 3-11, 5-11

 

    Group B:

Exeter Diamonds 4  Surrey Health & Racquets 1

   Laurens Jan Anjema lost to Peter Barker 7-11, 5-11, 8-11 (53m)

   Stewart Boswell bt Davide Bianchetti 11-2, 11-4, 11-5

   Jonathan Harford bt Alan Clyne 11-5, 10-12, 11-3, 12-10 (47m)

   James Snell bt Tim Garner 11-5, 11-3, 13-11 (42m)

   Emma Chorley bt Margaux Moros-Pitarch 11-6, 11-1, 11-3 (23m)

TWP St George's Hill 4  UWE Bristol 1

   Daryl Selby lost to Mohamed El Shorbagy 5-11, 11-8, 11-3, 7-11, 9-11 (62m)

   Nicolas Mueller bt Michael Harris 11-4, 11-6, 11-8 (26m)

   Mark Krajcsak bt Nathan Lake 11-4, 11-3, 11-8 (29m)

   Joe Lee bt Theodore Anderson 11-4, 11-2, 11-2 (22m)

   Laura Massaro bt Rebecca Quiney 11-3, 11-4, 11-2 (17m)

Team Chichester 3  IGT Winchester 2

   Olivier Pett bt Joey Barrington 11-9, 11-6, 11-9

   Tim Vail bt Marwan El Shorbagy 5-11, 11-9, 10-12, 12-10, 11-7

   Alex Gough lost to Jesse Engelbrecht 9-11, 11-13, 5-11

   Nic Birt lost to Mark Cairns 9-11, 6-11, 3-11

   Lauren Briggs bt Catherine Finlayson 11-3, 11-7, 11-6

 

Round 1
Champions Surrey Health Win New PSL Season Opener

 

Defending champions Surrey Health & Racquets continued where they left off last season with a confident win over Team Chichester in the opening round of the new season of the Premier Squash League (PSL), the world's most prestigious squash league.

 

Led by Italian number one Davide Bianchetti, and including England's former world number one and world champion Peter Nicol, the Croydon team – the only squad not including new team members since last season - enjoyed a 4/1 home win over southern rivals Chichester.

 

The win puts Surrey Health & Racquets at the top of the Group B table – two points ahead of Exeter Diamonds, the Devon club for whom club newcomer Laurens Jan Anjema, the Dutch number one, clinched a valuable five-game victory over the home team's Mohamed El Shorbagy, the world No12 from Egypt who is studying at the University of the West of England.  The triumph gave Exeter a 3/2 win over UWE Bristol.

 

The other tie in the group also ended in a 3/2 away win when Surrey star Tom Richards beat New Zealander Kashif Shuja as TWP St George's Hill celebrated a valuable opening win over PSL newcomers IGT Winchester.

 

But the most decisive result came in Group A where former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield crushed East Midlands rivals MB Nottingham 5/0.

 

The win puts the Derbyshire club firmly at the top of the Group A table – but three points behind are CLFS Esporta Oxford, who defeated Yorkshire club Pontefract 4/1. 

 

RESULTS:            1st round

 

    Group A:

CLFS Esporta Oxford  4  Pontefract 1

  Borja Golan bt Simon Parke    6-11, 11-6, 12-10, 6-11, 11-9

  Chris Ryder bt Lee Beachill    12-10, 11-4, 11-5

  Scott Handley bt Sam Wileman    11-6, 11-5, 11-2

  Ben Coleman bt George Wileman    11-6, 11-4, 11-3

  Katherine Quarterman lost to Kirsty McPhee    5-11, 5-11, 2-11

Benz-Bavarian Duffield 5  MB Nottingham 0

  Stephen Coppinger bt Lewis Walters    11-3, 12-10, 11-8

  Andrew Whipp bt Mark Fuller    11-9, 11-2, 11-4

  Matthew Karwalski bt Declan James    11-9, 11-9, 12-10

  Paul Hargrave bt Ollie Holland    6-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-5

  Laura Hill bt Emily Whitlock    19-17, 12-10, 13-11

 

    Group B:

Surrey Health & Racquets 4  Team Chichester 1

  Davide Bianchetti bt Robbie Temple    11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8

  Peter Nicol bt Max Lee    11-6, 11-9, 12-10

  Adrian Waller bt Tim Vail    11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6

  Ben Ford lost to Leo Au    11-7, 5-11, 4-11, 11-8, 8-11

  Camille Serme bt Lauren Briggs    11-8, 11-5, 11-7

UWE Bristol 2  Exeter Diamonds 3

  Mohamed El Shorbagy lost to Laurens Jan Anjema    9-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4, 4-11 (56m)

  Mathieu Castagnet bt Jonathan Harford    10-12, 11-4, 11-5, 11-9 (58m)

  David Evans bt James Snell    6-11, 11-6, 11-8, 13-15, 11-5 (71m)

  Jethro Binns lost to Peter Creed    11-8, 14-16, 8-11, 11-5, 8-11 (77m)

  Sarah-Jane Perry lost to Emma Chorley    7-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6, 5-11 (51m)

IGT Winchester 2  TWP St George's Hill 3

  Kashif Shuja lost to Tom Richards    6-11, 11-4, 7-11, 5-11 (36m)

  Marwan El Shorbagy bt Nicolas Mueller    7-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8 (54m)

  Stacey Ross lost to Joe Lee    4-11, 4-11, 4-11 (23m)

  Mark Cairns bt Stephen Meads    11-4, 11-4, 11-6 (49m)

  Lauren Selby lost to Rachel Willmott    14-12, 8-11, 7-11, 6-11 (55m)

 

 
Preview


Dunlop To Sponsor Premier Squash League

 

As part of Dunlop’s five-year agreement to become a key sponsorship partner of England Squash & Racketball (ESR), the world’s number one squash brand will be the principal sponsor of the Premier Squash League.

 

The 27th season of the world's most prestigious squash league gets underway next Tuesday (5 October).

 

In a major deal with the sport’s English governing body, Dunlop has become the Official Development Partner to ESR and lead sponsor of several high profile events including the National Racketball Championships and the governing body’s Mini Squash programme.

 

Dunlop, which sponsors numerous elite athletes including England’s world No2 Nick Matthew, has enjoyed a long-standing association with professional squash and is now expanding its links to focus on supporting both Squash and Racketball at grass roots and development level.

 

"Sponsorship of England Squash and Racketball provides Dunlop with the opportunity to support player and game development at all levels, including the PSL, the world's best squash league,” said Dunlop’s Sports Marketing Executive Chloe Passant.  “As the world's number 1 ball, racket and apparel supplier, we are looking forward to playing our part in the growth of both sports in the future.”

 

Eleven teams will compete in the 2010/11 Premier League season, with defending champions Surrey Health & Racquets, from Croydon, looking to win the crown for the third time since 2008.

 

After a gap of 16 years since winning the title in 1995, Winchester - led by England’s world No30 Joey Barrington - will return to the PSL this season.  Winchester beat Duffield in the 1995 final in only the Derbyshire club’s second season in the league.

 

Sponsored by Benz-Bavarian for the 10th season in a row, Duffield won the title in 1998, 2006 and 2007 and are now celebrating a record 18th successive season in the PSL.

 

Debutants Winchester host Surrey’s TWP St George's Hill in a first round tie in Group B, on Tuesday, while title-holders Surrey Health & Racquets entertain Covers Chichester.  A West Country clash sees UWE Bristol host Exeter Diamonds.

 

While Leeds-based 2009 champions LEBC Group Chapel Allerton have a rest day in the opening round in Group A,  fellow Yorkshire club Pontefract visit CLFS Esporta Oxford, while - in a popular East Midlands derby - Benz-Bavarian Duffield entertain 1999 champions MB Nottingham.

 

1st round fixtures, 5 October 2010:

 

Group A:

CLFS Esporta Oxford v Pontefract         

Benz-Bavarian Duffield v MB Nottingham          

 

Group B:

Surrey Health & Racquets v Covers Chichester              

UWE Bristol v Exeter Diamonds            

IGT Winchester v TWP St George's Hill