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Thursday 12th, Round one, bottom
half:
[7] Adrian Grant (Eng) bt [Q] Peter Barker
(Eng)
12/15, 15/5, 15/5, 12/15, 15/8 (93m)
[2] Lee Beachill (Eng) bt Mansoor Zaman (Pak)
15/7, 15/11, 15/11 (42m)
[3] John White (Sco) bt Ben Garner (Eng)
15/10, 9/15, 15/9, 5/15, 15/11 (69m)
[6] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [Q] Scott Handley (Eng)
15/6, 15/10, 15/13 (38m)
Framboise reports on Day TWO at the
Crucible
CONTRACT HONOURED
AND FULFILLED, BEN…
Not easy to get a wild card from your brother, is it? People could think,
“yeah right, a bit easy, don’t you think”?
Well, the new father of twins John White wears in his legs the
proof that Ben Garner “rightly deserved to be here”….
 What
a match!
Yes, yes, I know, everybody knows that John was exhausted, that “they just
keep on crying…”, that he was a bit slow, but I very rarely saw a player
as committed, as focused, as tenacious as Ben was tonight.
“I know it sounds a bit of a cliché, but I just focused on every rally. I
was concentrating on hitting good length, because, with a player like
John, if you are too short, he is bound to hit a nick, he is ruthless!”
And John was ruthless in the first game, hitting hard and precisely, in
front, leading every rally, making few mistakes. 15/10. And I wrote as a
note: “John very focused, not happy when making mistakes, Ben keeping in
touch, not overwhelmed by John’s hitting, quite a good first set”.
In my mind, that was it! Ben had given it his best, fought hard, proved
that he had his place in this tournament…. Now, John was home free…
Euh, WRONG!
In the second, John just slowed down the pace. Not that he lost his
concentration, he just lacked the energy to get into fifth gear, he was
let’s say, in third.
Ben was in seventh gear, and got the second game 15/9 in 12 minutes.
In the third, John hit so many “perfect length” shots in a row it must
have been sickening for the young Englishman. Crosscourt forehand,
backhand, drive… A lesson I tell you.
But Ben wasn’t overwhelmed, and encouraged by Paul Carter, England Squad
coach, kept his cool, his head, and more importantly… his legs!
“Paul was telling me to make sure that I was keeping the length, to keep
it deep, and to keep positive. And there is one thing I’m really glad
about, my fitness. I worked extremely had this summer, and it paid off, as
when I arrived in the 5th, I was tired, of course, but not exhausted. I
know now that I can physically stand the challenge, and it makes me feel
good”.
Garner took the fourth very easily in 8 minutes, John was just out of
energy.
But it was John’s turn to receive advice, from his friend from Prince,
Andy Bunting.
“I told him that, if he wanted to win this match, he had to stop fooling
around, that he had to get some length and width, to go back to basics and
to play some squash.”
And that he did. In the fifth, he found his energy, his length and his
focus all together, but don’t think that Ben just let him win the points.
3/3. 4/4. 7/7. And John found the accelerator, his kills, and eventually,
his smile.
“Was it hard work John”, asked compere Malcolm Willstrop cheekily. ” No,
it’s was alright” retorted Big John. “Ben took advantage of me being slow,
but it doesn’t take anything away from him, he played extremely well.”
Yes, extremely well.
Congratulations, Ben, I was impressed….
STAY FOCUSED, MR GRANT…
“I started slowly, it took me a while to find my rhythm ...”
Yop, Adrian Grant, you are right, you did start slowly dear, losing 12/15 to a
very strong, very length hitting, very focused young Peter Barker, one of
Paul Carter’s protégés. A first game that lasted 24 long minutes, where both
players, used to training together quite a lot, obviously knew and respected
each other’s game.
Adrian woke up at 1/3 in the second, and just accelerated his game, starting
attacking instead of just responding, got in front, where he stayed for the
next 25 minutes, and took the second and the third 15/5, 15/5.
But then he thought, “what the heck, can have a little rest now” and
although up 6/3, he let Peter attack his way back in, coming back at 7/7,
realised that the match was still on at 9/14, and finally lost the 4th 12/15
in 18 minutes…
“During two games, I played really well, I felt really comfortable. And then
I relaxed a little bit, and I wasn’t concentrating on placing the ball
anymore. I just wanted to get off court quickly to keep my energy for the
next match, and I found that I wasn’t controlling the rallies anymore, and
he was clever and capitalised on it.”
By the time the fifth came, Adrian was all focused and precise again, took
the lead 7/2, and never looked back.
“I just got back to basics, length and width, which I was doing in the
second and third, and got the control back…”
In a long 93 minutes, Adrian won the right to play Lee Beachill in the
quarter final. It could have been done easily in 70 minutes, but then again,
why make things simple when you can make them complicated…
JUST A STRETCH OF
THE LEGS FOR LEE
It was the first time I saw Mansoor Zaman, after hearing a lot of
good things about him.
I was disappointed.
I know, it’s not that easy to play Lee Beachill, certainly quite
difficult to play in a foreign country, against the world number 2, but …
to win, you need to want it badly, and be very committed.
I don’t think Mansoor was either.
The least interesting match of the evening from far, lasting 42 minutes.
Sorry guys, nothing more to say….
JAMES : IN CONTROL
Despite the shortness of the meeting (38 minutes, the shortest match of
the evening), James Willstrop, the new marvel of the world squash,
and Scott Handley, a well respected name on the circuit, known for
his fighting spirit, his great smile, and a very good speed on court, gave
us a very nice closing match.
James was very much in control in the first game, but Scott started to get
the measure of his opponent in the second. 3/3, 7/7, 8/8. And don’t think
that James was making unforced errors, like he is prone to do sometimes.
No, Scott was hitting good length, staying with the 6' 5" Yorkshire boy.
Scott eventually lost the second 10/15, and really gave James a good run
for his money in the third, sticking to the score, keeping his focus and
his will alive. 8/8. 10/10. 12/10 to Scott. But James got back, to finally
take the third and last 15/13.
Scott got near, very near to taking the third, but James Willstrop, as
with all great players, knew that danger was knocking at his door, and
made sure he kept it firmly closed…
James is now playing John White. That is a match you shouldn’t miss, so,
if you live around here, come into Sheffield, ask for the Crucible, buy a
ticket, and enjoy the show…
Also: Malcolm Willstrop analyses
the action
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Also:
Malcolm Willstrop
analyses
the action
White's mighty relieved!
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I’m happy with
their performances, it was a competitive game. Peter was very good in the
first game. Overall a very good performance.
Paul Carter |
Adrian autographs a
memento for the kids
Well done, son ... |
