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Final:
Azlan Iskandar (MAS) btCamron Pilley (AUS)
    10-11(0-2), 11-6, 11-10(2-0), 5-11, 11-4 (69 mins)

21-Aug:
Azlan collects PNG Double
Derek Hunter reports ...

Number 1 seed Azlan Iskandar of Malaysia triumphed over second seed Cameron Pilley of Australia in the final of the 2005 Steel Industries PNG Squash International in a hard fought five game encounter that was almost a repeat of the 2004 final.

Pilley took a one nil lead via a tiebreaker in a first game that saw both players concentrating on playing steady error free squash. Iskandar upped the pace in the second game which saw Pilley make a string of unforced errors that allowed the Malaysian to comfortably take the second
game 11-6. Iskandar took the crucial third game in another tiebreaker.

Pilley was unlucky to slip on some sweat left on the floor after a dive by Azlan while the score was 10-10. Azlan capitalised by taking the next rally and the game to lead two games to one. However it did not take Pilley long to level the score in a fourth game that lasted only seven
minutes and featured a lot of errors by a tiring Iskandar. The Malaysian managed to regroup himself and came out all guns blazing to take the fifth and final game 11-4.

The tournament was hailed a success by the players, organiser and sponsors. This is despite the pull out of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th seeds after the closing date - all for dubious reasons.
 

More from PNG

Azlan Iskandar

Bradley Hindle

Cameron Pilley

Cameron Pilley

Qualifying

Finals:
Robin Clarke (CAN) bt Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-8 6-11 11-4 11-6 (50 mins)
Graeme Wilson (NZ) bt Damien Tam (PNG) 11-10(3-1) 11-3 11-2 (23 mins)
Friedrich Scheel (GER) bt Mark Gibbons (PNG) 11-6 11-4 11-10(2-0) (22 mins)
Derek Hunter (PNG) bt Michael Elford (ENG) 11-7 11-7 11-6 (30 mins)

Qualifying First Round:
  Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Leroy Louis (PNG)          11/2, 11/7 ,11/6 (16m)
  Damien Tam (PNG) bt Michael Rucklinger (PNG)  11/7, 11/8, 11/7 (31m)
  Derek Hunter (PNG) bt Scott Evans (PNG)           11/3, 11/5, 11/8 (17m)
  Michael Elford (ENG) bt Joe Yominao (PNG)         11/4, 11/6, 11/6 (18m)
  Mark Gibbons (PNG) bt Alan Tsang (PNG)           11/9, 11/8, 11/10(3-1) (28m)
  

20-Aug:
Repeat final in Port Moresby
Derek Hunter reports ...

There were no surprises at the semi-finals of the PNG Squash International in Port Moresby tonight.

As expected the top two seeds won their semi-final matches and will now meet each other in a rematch of the 2004 final.

Number one seed Iskandar accounted for Bradley Hindle three games to nil while number two seed Pilley produced a similar result against Tim Manning of Australia. Both players were a class above their opposition.

The 2004 final produced a five game nail biter which saw Iskandar claim the title. This year, Pilley who is looking sharp will be hoping to again push his Malaysian rival to the limit. The final will kick off at 6pm sharp following the completion of the local PNG Championships which
are being held over the same weekend.

19-Aug:
Iskandar aims for
Port Moresby double
Derek Hunter reports ...

The final of the PNG Squash International is shaping up to be a repeat of last years if the form of the top two seeds in the quarter finals was anything to go by.

Top seed Azlan Iskandar continued to coast through the opening rounds with a comfortable three games to nil win over Australian Cameron White in the first quarter final of the night. The Malaysian never looked troubled during the encounter which lasted 35 minutes.

Second seed Cameron Pilley was in scintilating form and dispatched fellow Australia Institute of Sport attendee Aaron Frankcomb. Pilley was striking the ball superbly and had no trouble killing the ball despite the tropical conditions. Frankcomb was only able to keep Pilley on the court for 24 minutes.

Iskandar and Pilley will be hard to beat in the semi-finals which start tonight.

But the upset of the night was caused by Bradley Hindle of Australia when he managed to overcome Wai Hang Wong of Hong Kong in a tight 5 game encounter. The game see-sawed back and forth with no player able to assert their dominance for a sustained period of time. Hindle managed to hold it together at the right time and took the final game 11-8. This is the first time that Hindle has made the semi-final of a 1.5 star tournament and the points gained will give him quite a boost up the rankings.

There were no surprises in the final game of the night between third seed Tim Manning and Paul Davis, both of Australia. Davis was unable to apply any sustained pressure and Manning took the match three games to nil.

In the semi-finals Hindle faces a huge task when he comes up against the in-form Iskandar and Manning will also have his work cut out for him if he is to upset second seeded Pilley.
   

18-Aug:
Iskandar aims for
Port Moresby double
Derek Hunter reports ...

The first round of the main draw of the PNG Squash International was played at the Holiday Inn Sports Club in Port Moresby tonight. The event was officially opened by the Governor General of Papua New Guinea, Sir Paulias Matane.

On the night there was only one seeded player to fall. That was number 8 seed, Timothy Arnold from Malaysia, who fell to Australian Paul Davis. The match was in the balance at one game each after two games however Davis was too strong and took the last game 11-5 11-5.

PNG hopes were dashed when local qualifier Derek Hunter drew number 1 seed and defending champion Azlan Iskandar of Malyasia after coming through from the qualifying the round. The number 16 player in the world was too quick, to strong and too consistent for Hunter and won comfortably three games to nil.

Iskandar will now meet number 5 seed Cameron White of Australia, who accounted for qualifier Graeme Wilson of New Zealand.

One of the closest matches of the night was fought out between number 4 seed Wai Hang Wong of Hong Kong and qualifier Robin Clark of Canada. Clarke took the first game and looked like a serious chance to upset the fourth seed. However Wong's experience paid off in the next two games when he narrowly edged out Clarke 11-9 11-9. He then comfortable won the final game 11-5.

Wong will play Bradley Hindle of Australia who was too strong for Australian Tony James.

Number 3 seed Timothy Manning and number 2 seed Cameron Pilley, both of Australia cruised through to the quarter-finals. Manning beat German qualifier Friedrich Scheel while Pilley overcame Jason Mudge of Australia.

Aaron Frankcomb beat Steve Finitsis to seal the final spot in the quarter finals. Frankcomb won the first game in a tiebreaker then cruised through the second game 11-1. Finitsis fought back in the third game but Frankcomb held on to take the final game 11-9. He will now meet AIS compatriot Pilley in the quarter-final.

17-Aug:
Qualifying complete
in Port Moresby
Derek Hunter reports ...

The final round of qualifying for the 2005 Steel Industries PNG Squash International was completed tonight at the Port Moresby Squash Club.

The first and longest match of the night was played between Robin Clarke of Canada and Chris Simpson of England. Clarke prevailed in a 50 minute four game encounter. This was by far the highest quality match of the night and Simpson was very unlucky to find himself drawn against the top seed in the qualifier.

The next two matches went to plan with Graeme Wilson of New Zealand overcoming the number 2 local player Damien Tam. Tam put up a fight in the first game which went to a tiebreaker however he could not sustain the pace and provided little resistance in the final two games. Friedrich Scheel accounted for tennis-come-squash playing local Mark Gibbons comfortably 3 games to nil despite narrowly winning the final game in a tiebreaker.

The only upset of the night came when local PNG Champion, Derek Hunter, defeated Michael Elford of England in straight sets. The local tropical conditions did not suit the drop and volley game of Elford, and he found it difficult to put the ball away.

16-Aug:
PNG under way at Port Moresby
Derek Hunter reports ...

The first round of the PNG International Qualifying event took place at the Port Moresby Squash Club featuring 5 PSA players and 8 local players.

Three PSA players - Robin Clarke (Canada), Friedrich Scheel (Germany) and Graeme Wilson (NZ) - received byes in the first round and automatically progressed through to the finals.

The other two PSA players, both from England, breezed through their matches with the local players unable to provide much resistance against their more experienced opponents. English Junior Champion Chris Simpson accounted for Leroy Louis and Michael Elford beat Joe Yominao.

In the other matches it was an all PNG affair with Damien Tam beating promising junior Michael Rucklinger, Derek Hunter too strong for ex-PNG representative Scott Evans and Mark Gibbons (PNG's number one tennis player who is making a comeback to squash) overcoming PNG stalwart Alan Tsang.

2004 Final:
[2] Azlan Iskander (Mas) bt [3] Cameron Pilley (Aus)
      15/11, 13/15, 15/6, 12/15, 15/5  (91m)

Players at the reception at Parliament House in 2004, wearing hats that are those worn by local people in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.