11-Oct-07:
Squash and Betting
The recent 'revelation' from Tim Henman and Andy Murray sparked off
a debate in the forum about betting on squash - Malcolm is involved
in the discussion ...
05-Oct-07:
Super League Playoffs Leeds Rhinos have been regular visitors to Pontefract Squash
Club this year to test their skills on the squash court.
On
their most recent visit I set up a competitive event for them and
Tony Smith, their coach and newly-appointed GB coach, won much
to his pleasure, though hardly to the players' liking.
As any follower of the great game of Rugby League will know, the
Grand Final approaches and tonight Leeds play Wigan at Headingley in
a match which will decide whether Leeds make the final at Old
Trafford on October 13th against St Helens.
They will want to give Tony a memorable ending to his stay at Leeds,
and all those who have got to know them at Pontefract, especially
Lee, James and myself, wish them luck tonight.
Castleford Tigers have also been to the club for a similar
squash session recently and they play a crucial match at Headingley
on Sunday against Widnes, which decides who gains promotion to the
Super League. They are Super League standard and probably both
belong there.
We wish coach Terry Matterson and his team success, Terry being a
useful squash player himself.
Reading one of the American reports from New York on the US Open had me
wondering at times whether I was reading about a different
sport.
'Opening frame' and 'ten miscues' had me thinking
about Joe Davis and 'backhand flank' recalled National
Service days. 'Re-drop' had me at St Andrews and 'swing
exchange' at the Stock Market, though what I would be doing
there I have no idea.
Add 'forehand rail', 'open-ball opposition', 'serve
return backhand drop' and 'dead-rolled' and you can
imagine that I found the report bewildering.
Is there not a universal language in the sport? And even allowing
for artistic licence and originality of expression, surely America
does not need to impose a whole new language on the game.
I had the privilege of an outstanding English teacher whilst at
school and even though I have not lived up to his high hopes, he did
teach me that simplicity of style is a great virtue. It certainly
applies to use of language.
In case I should sound churlish, let me say that America has done a
great deal for squash, highlighting spectacular venues such as Grand
Central and staging excellent tournaments. But can we more or less
retain the universality of language traditionally associated with
the game.
Reading
or hearing about mindless atrocities which injure and kill innocent
people is bad enough, but learning that newly-married Christian
and Jenny Donelan on their honeymoon in the Maldives had been
victims, thankfully still alive, was beyond belief.
Christian, before going to join Jenny working abroad, played squash
at Pontefract from a very early age. He became a very good player,
representing Yorkshire and Pontefract at Premier league level. His
toughness and fairness on a squash court illustrate Christian, the
boy and the man.
Currently working in Doha, Qatar, Christian was recently back in
Pontefract and was in every day to join in the morning practice
sessions, loving every minute of it.
Everyone at Pontefract Squash Club and in the squash world at large
will wish Jenny and Christian a complete recovery. They are being
flown home today to Manchester, where they will receive the best of
treatment.
I was shocked to see a
photo of Christian on the front page of newspapers in the UK this
weekend. Married two weeks ago and on honeymoon in the Maldives he
and his wife were caught in the nail bomb attack.
He has been working in Qatar as a squash coach/events organiser and
so many of the players will know him. Nick (Matthew) was a young
Yorkshire junior when we first met Christian and his dad on the
junior circuits and we have known them for years.
They are now being flown back to the UK for extensive burns
treatment and surgery and we would like to send him our very best
wishes for a speedy recovery. I'm sure many other readers would want
to do the same.
The Super Series formula of round robins and play-offs for positions
1-8 can sometimes lead to a flat final day, unsurprising considering
the physical demands on the players. But the final day of the ATCO
Super Series was no anti-climax.
The 7/8 play-off between Thierry Lincou and James Willstrop
set the right tone. Willstrop had every right to be deflated - on
Saturday he played for a place in the final and here he was in the
7/8 playoff. Lincou had recently celebrated the birth of his second
daughter and had understandably been below par, but both players
gave the first match of the day plenty of commitment, Willstrop
winning 2/1.
Nor did Nick Matthew, who had had a gruelling time in the
round robin, and David Palmer spare themselves in the 5/6
play-off. Matthew, resolute, took the fifth spot 2/0, but it was
well contested.
Third/fourth play-offs are probably not Amr Shabana's idea of
heaven - nor would playing fellow countryman Karim Darwish
add to his joy. He struggled at first, but managed to level at
one-all before yielding in the third. Darwish will be well pleased
with his third place.
An so to the final with the sport's sensation Ramy Ashour
pitted against Gregory Gaultier. Ashour, because of the
nature of the Manchester group and his own remarkable ability, had
been in his comfort zone all week, whereas Gaultier lost on the
first night an needed a combination of good fortune and hard work to
reach the final. Wins in five over Shabana and Matthew took him
there, but the odds seemed stacked against him.
Happily Bwin were betting on the event and 1.60 on Ashour taking the
title looked generous. So it proved, but not before the Frenchman
put up a show of skill and resistance.
The
first game was important as both well knew and it was Ashour who
took it. He took the well contested second game too, Gaultier fought
back to take the third, and it was only in the fourth that they
phenomenal young Egyptian tool total control.
Ramy Ashour is something else - his movement is better than anyone
in the game, and allied to his unique racket skills and vision, he
lights up the sport. Not only that but his modesty and engaging
smile make him a rare commodity.
All being well he is going to grace squash for a long time. Other
aspiring players at world level, such as his final opponent, will
have to raise their own bar. It is still hard to imagine a player
dominating in this day and age, but if anydody can it is Ramy
Ashour.
Everyone at Manchester will be grateful to Ziad Al-Turki,
ATCO and Paul Walters for bringing the Super Series
Finals there and Ziad's words about raising the profile of the game
and improving the professional squash player's lot were wise indeed.
27-Jul-07:
Good to be Back
With all the activity on the world scene, there is little doubt that
everyone, especially the players, need a summer break. It's a chance
to rest, freshen up and then practice and train, none of which are
possible during the season.
Having said all that I am sure that the world's top players are
ready to do battle again and I, for one, am looking forward to
watching the quality of squash and entertainment they have been
providing since the game adopted 11 scoring.
What a feast, too, for spectators in this country with the Super
Series Finals, Birmingham Grand Prix, British Open
and English Open all in the first half of the season. The
Super Series Final in Manchester, rescued from Broadgate by Paul
Walters and Ziad Al-Turki, are almost upon us.
But
first to Malaysia, where the darling of the home country,
Nicol David, looking for her third consecutive win in the event,
heads a very powerful draw. Nearly everyone is there, but unless the
pressure of being on home ground gets to her, most will expect her
to win.
I had the pleasure recently of a visit from five extremely talented
Malaysian under 19 girls. I see that Wee Nee Low, Yan Xin Tan and
Wee Wern Low were in the qualifiers, and whatever their results they
have a future. I am a great admirer of Wee Wern, who recently won in
Europe again and she could become a major figure in women's world
squash if all goes well with her.
The
men's event is not at quite the same world level, but is fascinating
nonetheless. Stewart Boswell, who has done so well to recover from
the longstanding injury he had, and Lee Beachill head the draw, but
they face strong challenges from Malaysia's top two of Ong Beng Hee
and Azlan Iskandar, and Cameron Pilley may also have a say.
And so to the Super Series Finals in Manchester from Thu 9th
to Sun 12th August, and what a lineup it is, despite the absence of
last year's finalists Anthony Ricketts and Lee Beachill.
The first night matches are:
6pm Gregory Gaultier v James Willstrop
7pm Ramy Ashour v Karim Darwish
8pm Amr Shabana v Nick Matthew
9pm David Palmer v Thierry Lincou
And so it will go on for four nights of massive confrontations.
PSA events have been impossible to predict for some time and the
outcome of the Super Series Finals will depend on many things: the
readiness of the players and how their preparation has gone, what
happens on the first night since one heavy match at this early stage
of the season will have even more than the usual effect.
In Northern parlance, Bring it on!
26-Jul-07:
Pontefract's 30th year
Pontefract Squash Club's past and present gathered in force to
celebrate the 30thyear of the club's existence.
Peter Murgatroyd it was, who was set on building a club and
leasing the land, and he engaged the late Ian Massey to provide the
design and it has to be said he did a great job, siting the bar
overlooking the two main original courts a captive audience.
Joined later by Bob Ashby, Peter's brainchild enjoyed the fruits of
the boom, although Pontefract being in a mining area, the infamous
miners' strike did the cause little good.
At
a later date Keith and Margaret Rotherford took charge
Margaret remains as general manager and from them the club passed
into the current hands of Michael Todd some eight years ago.
It would be true to say that under Michael's guidance the club has
gone and continues to go from strength to strength. There are
immediate plans in place for major re-development which are about to
be realised.
Pontefract from its early days always had a playing reputation: the
late Kevin Shawcross and stateside coach Bryan Petterson,
with a young Simon Parke were the early notables. Happily
Simon, who coaches at Heaton but lives nearby, still trains at
Pontefract, maintaining a high standard and a great enthusiasm for
playing. He was present with his better half, Jayne.
Lee Beachill unfortunately was on his way to play in Malaysia, since
few have given the club more, but James Willstrop, Derek
Ryan a longtime Pontefract player and Vanessa Atkinson
were all there to celebrate.
From Peter's creation Pontefract has become a centre of
international activity: Saurav Ghosal is based here;
Joshna Chinappa will be joining her countryman soon; Ong Beng
Hee, Nicolette Fernandes, Jaclyn Hawkes, last
season Anthony Ricketts and Shelley Kitchen amongst
many others are regular visitors to the club. The Malaysian Under 19
girls, so talented and headed by the gifted Wee Wern Low were
recent visitors.
Add Pontefract's home-grown players, Lauren Siddall, Kirsty
McPhee, Deon Saffery, Neil Cordell, Sam Wileman, Adam Taylor and
Peter can be proud that he created a club which had achieved so much
and which provides a social environment for adults and children
alike.
There
is value in looking back and Saturday night proved that, at the same
time notice there is much to look forward to. The best example I can
give of that is a potential team consisting of Ben Beachill
(aged 3), Sam Todd (aged 4), Harry Carr (son of Shawn,
aged 5), and Joe Calvert (son of Dave, aged 6), and believe
you me, they are already all playing and showing immense promise,
certainly a lot more than their fathers!
13-Jul-07:
The resurgence of
John White
John White may have a problem with his identity: Australian, playing
for Scotland, once domiciled in England, now in America, married to
an American, with children with multiple options if they ever play
sport internationally, but everyone connected with the game will
have welcomed and wondered at his marvellous resurgence last season.
Thirty-three,
renowned for his awesome power and as popular a player as there is
amongst the top ten with players and spectators alike, he should be
just about putting his feet up. But perhaps inspired by the example
of the even older Alex Gough, but more likely motivated by his love
of the game and the competitive professional scene, he seems more
than determined not to let go.
His form in 2007 was a revelation and he does seem to have a sound
body - if not always a sound mind! With so many of the world's best
players having injury problems, soundness is paramount. Many will
have watched, wincing, as John often performs outrageous splits.
Not
surprisingly he is often part of outstanding matches and his
sustained performances at Canary Wharf this year were remarkable. To
play four five-setters in a row, a
semi-final against
Thierry Lincou of monumental dimensions and then get up and
perform as well as he did in the final beggared belief.
Of course when you can hit a ball stone dead like John can it helps,
but it was raw courage that saw him home in that semi-final.
I first met him many years ago and advised him to find another
sport. Not many people listen to me and it was as well he didn't,
for there is not much he hasn't achieved, not many who don't enjoy
watching him and on his way he has made an army of friends.
I had the dubious pleasure of
touring Canada with John and James, where we put on four very
enjoyable and well-received squash nights. It was in Calgary that he
coined the phrase, having incurred my wrath, "Give us a hug, mate,"
with which he now invariably greets me.
This is no obituary I am writing, just an affectionate testimony to
a player who, I hope, will have as successful a 2007/08 as he did a
2006/07.
"I've enjoyed the week, enjoyed all the matches, I'm pleased with
how I've played and to do it four days in a row is a great feeling."
One aspect of the world tour which even the most ardent fan might
not appreciate is the problem for players moving from 'outside'
courts to the glass court in the later stages of a tournament.
The difference between 'outside' traditional, plaster courts and
the all-glass court in venues as diverse as Qatar, Kuwait, Hong Kong
and Manchester is a massive consideration, especially since those
courts are usually bouncy and attritional.
So how does this affect matters? Firstly there is a levelling out
which which closes the gap between the top ten and the next twenty
or so. Shots are not anywhere near as telling, athletic players
and there are plenty of those come more into their own and class
differences are eroded.
Add to that the fact that those outside the top 16 are playing their
cup finals, so to speak, and it can easily be seen that the
differences become marginal.
What is worse for the players with aspirations to winning is that
they may well have played two or three matches on outside courts
before moving to the glass.
What is even worse, and this certainly happened recently in Kuwait
and Qatar, is that some leading players play all their matches on
glass, whereas others played all their early rounds on the outside
courts.
Those in the latter category would therefore get minimal and I
mean minimal practice time on glass before playing one of their
more fortunate opponents. It is therefore paramount that PSA and
tournament organisers must ensure that time on the glass court is
equally and fairly distributed.
Not that there is anything seriously wrong with players having to
contend with different playing conditions, but the playing field
should be a fair one when everyone knows that what happens on the
glass court is what ultimately matters.
30-Jun-07:
European Individual Champs, time for change ?
Anyone associated with players on the World Tour will appreciate the
need for rest, briefly during the season at appropriate times and
longer during June and July.
The excellent 11 scoring and the demanding schedule with many
significant events are both to be welcomed, but it means that by the
end of May players need to wind down, be at home or take a holiday
so that they will be refreshed and ready for the next long haul.
So to hold a potentially important event such as the European
Individual Championships in June makes little sense, nor does the
high tin and the now defunct traditional scoring system.
Obviously there will be pressure on top players from National Bodies
for their top players to compete, and equally obviously there will
be players who are reluctant to play, tired as they are.
So is it too much to ask for the tournament to be better timed, to
have a lower tin and to use 11 scoring? Then it would gain the
status it warrants. Players would see it as part of the calendar,
National Bodies would be pleased to be properly represented and the
European Individual Championships would be more meaningful.
So come on the ESF or whoever is responsible, give both the
championship and the players a chance ...
14-Jun-07:
Lost for Words
heads for Cornwall Lee Beachill,James Willstrop and Vanessa Atkinson
will provide the squash, and Lost for Words, directed by Sylvan
Richardson, will provide the musical entertainment as the
players and musicians head for Falmouth on Friday, where they
appeared a year ago.
Lee and James have performed at over 40 clubs and Vanessa makes her
second appearance, having been part of the team at Dunnington, near
York, earlier this year.
Four of Cornwall's leading players will be involved and since Lee,
fresh from a golfing trip where he played exceedingly well, I have
heard, and James and Vanessa back from a restful holiday in Greece,
are both lacking match practice they may well be taxed by Cornwall's
best.
Sylvan, well known around the squash scene not only for his music
but for his skills as a sports physiotherapist, will lead his
musicians, with Paul Kilvington making a welcome third
appearance for the band on keyboard, the irrepressible Stafford
Murray on guitar with lee providing support.
Stafford will have the talented duo Andy Proctor and
Martin Sunderland as well as James providing vocals, the band
always providing at least four singers. With none of the usual women
singers available, perhaps Sylvan will persuade the reticent
Vanessa, since reports are that she sings very well.
With Brad as usual lending his expertise as soundman, Lost
for Words, with the three world class squash players, promise
Falmouth a night to remember.
Mastermind at the Falmouth end is Peter Lochrie, without whom
none of this would be possible. His enthusiasm and energy are what
makes it all come together.
Have your own night ...
Clubs who may want to stage music/squash nights, seperately or
together, can contact me on 01977-793333 or on the club's
email:
pontesquash.club@virgin.net
09-May-07:
Super League and Fair Play Pontefract's association with
the Leeds Rhinos goes back to a benefit night which the club staged
for the now retired Barry McDermott, establishing himself as a TV
pundit.
Prior to the 2007 Super League season Leeds players played three
visits to Pontefract for squash practice, which clearly did them no
harm as they are currently top of the Super League table.
Rhino
coach Tony Smith, recently appointed as Great Britain coach, is a
squash player and he takes a big interest in James and Lee, who keep
in regular contact with him. Both of them are confirmed rugby league
watchers and we attend Headingley whenever possible, and Tony has
been to the English Open and the British Closed.
Several of the Rhinos show promise as squash players, as might be
expected, and had they the time and inclination would soon play
competitively.
They are due to pay their fourth visit this week and happily Lee and
James are available to help look after them. Kirsty McPhee, Lauren
Siddall, Deon Saffery and Andrew Cross have helped on past
occasions, though Lauren and Kirsty are playing abroad this time,
which will disappoint them and some of the Rhinos too!
Anyone who follows rugby league may have seen the Leeds v Bradford
match at Cardiff for the Millennium weekend. Leeds edged home in
fortuitous circumstances with a late try by Jordan Tansey, who was
blatantly offside. However bizarre the score was - it occurred after
a rebound off the bar from a penalty by Kevin Sinfield - the
suggestion by the Bradford chief executive that Leeds should hand
back the two points they gained for their win was even more bizarre.
I am all for fair play, but half the sporting results on earth would
be reversed on this basis: who can forget Maradona, and what about
that ball several feet over Manchester United's goal-line which went
un-noticed. I didn't notice Sir Alex offering the goal which it
clearly was - not that soccer's the best game for fair play.
Happily,
and I hope it lasts, squash has for the most part retained a sense
of fair play - there was no better example than Peter Nicol. Now
that he is busy elsewhere it is up to the leading players to
continue to follow the example he set. Once cheating is accepted as
the norm the sport is valueless, except for a certain type of
spectator, the ones who in days of your would have watched hangings,
cockfights and the rest.
09-May-07:
Wear and Tear
Anyone who has followed the game since it adopted the 11 scoring
system will have been thrilled by the quality offered by the world's
leading professionals. Those who feared for very short matches soon
had their fears allayed, as the players' standards of attack and
defence and of fitness were raised to new levels.
The result: magnificent entertainment for spectators with matches
played at high speed with attack foremost in the players' minds. How
well the players have responded to the demands, so that matches of
top quality are the norm.
I can well remember going to the British Open at Wembley in
Jahangir's days for the quarter-finals, hoping there would be an
outstanding match. I often left disappointed. Not so nowadays. At
the last professional event I was at, Canary Wharf, there were four
excellent quarters, two excellent semis and an excellent final, and
that is not unusual.
There has to be a price to pay, and many will have noticed how many
of the world's top players have had injury problems this season.
Gregory Gaultier and Thierry Lincou have just missed the European
Team Championships through injury; Anthony Ricketts had problems at
the World Championship in Egypt, which re-emerged in New York; Amr
Shabana missed Canary Wharf through injury; Nick Matthew was out of
action for some time. Both James Willstrop and Lee Beachill had time
out, though their problems may not have been due to wear and tear.
It's quite a catalogue and players will tell you how hard the game
is on their bodies.
What becomes paramount is soundness - look at the prime examples of
unsound sportsmen, Johnny Wilkinson and Michael Vaughan, and there
is no doubt that some are naturally sounder than others.
Happily most players have access to physios and other specialists
who help them to look after their overstretched bodies - think of
the gargantuan efforts of Lincou at the British Open, Ricketts at
Canary Wharf 2006 and White at Canary Wharf this year. Just how much
can the body take?
I'm sure the players need no urging to look after themselves and all
the physios I have met have been the most helpful professionals
imaginable.
Siddall on Soccer AM
Lauren
Siddall, one of the Pontefract girls featuring on the club's
calendar to celebrate their success in the European Club
Championships in Malmo, is to appear this Saturday on Sky Sports'
Soccer AM.
The calendar attracted attention from as far away as Los Angeles,
and Harry Gration, BBC Yorkshire TV presenter, was much taken with
it and so the girls featured on television.
Lauren's appearance on Saturday, which won't do the game of squash
any harm and which emphasises the need for the sport to be
professionally and properly marketed, is a feather in her cap.
She arrives back in Leeds tomorrow from playing in America and will
be treated to five-star hospitality prior to Saturday's appearance.
Who knows, she might be on the verge of stardom and a change of
career? Personally I look forward to seeing her on the catwalk ...
01-Jan-07:
Hopes, Predictions and Resolutions
That Johnny Wilkinson especially
and Michael Vaughan are restored to health. They are outstanding
sportsmen in every respect and Wilkinson's persistence in the face
of adversity is an example to all.
That Sporting Awards ceremonies
are balanced recognitions of achievement. The recent ones I have
seen and attended (with the exception of the Squash Awards) have
been demeaning and embarrassing.
That soccer puts its house in
order, stops condoning cheating and sets an example to the
children who are playing the game.
That soccer pundits stop telling
how brilliant it all is when most of it is very average, to put it
mildly.
That the sporting press stop
condemning coaches for short-term failure. Anyone who coaches
knows that success comes and goes and takes time to achieve.
That all the useless sports
commentators, and there are many of them, disappear and that
special ones, John McEnroe, Mike Atherton, Jeff Snelling, Matthew
LeTissier, Jim McGrath (English version) and John Francome
survive.
That Men's squash remains as
competitive as it now is.
That squash players are better
rewarded for their hard work and efforts to entertain.
That I don't mellow as much as
Lee Beachill reckons I have.
That I never wake up not wanting
to coach.
That the second half of the
season is better for the professionals at Pontefract than the
first. Beachill and Ricketts were last year's Super Series
finalists and neither made the draw this year. Sack the coach!
That all professional sportsmen
and women recognise how lucky they are and give back in some way.
That Leeds Rhinos have a great
season, because coach Tony Smith is probably the most genuine and
enlightened coach I have ever met in any sport.
22-Dec-06: Sporting
Awards Dinners
The last awards dinner I attended was the BBC TV Yorkshire version
in Sheffield recently. In truth for Nick Matthew, Lee Beachill and
James Willstrop it was demeaning.
Nick's first English win in the British Open since 1939 and his
joint success with the British Closed in the same year didn't
warrant a mention. Nor, unsurprisingly, did Lee's Commonwealth Gold
or James's Commonwealth Silver. Perhaps the all-Yorkshire team which
won the World Team Championship would be good enough to gain some
attention. Sadly not.
Football, in the shape of Barnsley and Rotherham, were given awards
that were hard to understand and the more deserving Neil Warnock won
the major award for guiding Sheffield United to the Premiership.
The team award went to Houghton Main CC, who won the Village
Championship and the recipient - a well-built, jovial fellow -
admitted he was not a prime athlete, but could sink a few pints.
Quite amusing, but hardly to the point.
Lee, obviously not best pleased, set fire to a menu on out table to
draw attention to England's squash achievements, but to no avail!
And so to the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, which I gave up
watching years ago. No mention of Peter Nicol's two gold medals in
Melbourne and his World Team Championship - no mention of his other
qualities, which include having a personality.
Zara Phillips seems a good sort and her choice of boyfriends, eg
Richard Johnson, leading National Hunt rider, and Muke Tindall,
rugby heavyweight, do her much credit. But two winners from the same
family - albeit Royal - is hard to take.
And so tonight to the World Squash Awards at the RAC Club in London,
organised by Eventis, where I am sure justice will be done and
genuine, achieving athletes will receive their due
28-Dec-06: No rest before Toronto
Full Canadian Classic coverage
There is, so it is said, no peace for the wicked there is certainly
little rest for the squash professional, since the Canadian Classic is
only 13 days away.
The combination of inactivity and parties is hardly conducive to
performing on a squash court and desirable as it is for ant top level
sportsman to preserve the normality in his/her life, the squash
professional is back in work.
When I went into the club on Boxing Day Lee Beachill, James Willstrop,
Anthony Ricketts, Stewart Boswell and Shelley Kitchen were all exercising,
either in the gym or on the court. No doubt they will all enjoy New Year's
Eve and working this week will be an indemnity. Nor is it any great
sacrifice, since most of the squads players don't feel good if they are
not training, and contrary to how it may look from time to time, they
enjoy playing.
Only Lincou is absent from Toronto and as so often happens these days the
draw is crucial and repeatedly throws up oddities. Amr Shabana, confirmed
ad the world's number one, Ramy Ashour and Mohammed Abbas, who played well
in Saudi Arabia, are all in the same quarter but the rest is more of a mix
than usual.
Should seedings work out the quarter-final lineup would read:
Shabana v Ashour, Gaultier v Ricketts,
Darwish v Matthew and Palmer v Willstrop.
There are plenty of obstacles though: Gaultier has Beachill to get past,
Darwish has White, Matthew has El Hindi and Willstrop has Boswell. Recent
events tell us that upsets, if that is what they are, occur on a regular
basis. The early rounds on outside courts are a death trap, often
attritional, thus bringing together players when there is quite a gap in
standard.
Shabana, Ashour - even though Darwish beat him in Saudi - and Gaultier are
currently the men to beat and they are all in the top half. Preparation
over the holiday period is an additional factor and those who get that
right will not only have done well, but will have an advantage.
Tony Smith,
the Leeds Rhinos coach, is a keen squash follower and player and at
his suggestion he brought ten of his players, plus three nursing
injuries, to Pontefract to try their hand at squash.
Kevin Sinfield, the club captain who was strangely not on the
Tri-Nations Tour, led his men, only one of whom had played before.
Luckily for me I had the assistance of Andrew Cross,
Kirsty McPhee, Adam Taylor and Deon Saffery, three
of whom are in the middle of their level three coaching courses.
Several
of the players showed distinct ability and certainly Jamie
Thackeray and Clinton Toopi can talk with the best.
Kevin looked promising, as did assistant coach Francis Cummings
and Scott Donald, and the injured pair Willie Poaching
and Ali Lautiiti kept an eye on things from the sidelines.
Obviously my heavy-handed policies carried a certain risk, and as I
was castigating Clinton for being too vociferous I suddenly felt
aware that if he took an instant dislike to me I would probably be
prematurely dead, though some might say not before time.
From what Tony said later the players enjoyed themselves - certainly
they provided much entertainment. Several ladies in the club at the
time found it all too much and needed to go outside to cool down.
Rugby League is a great sport, played by genuine athletes and I am
happy at the relationship Pontefract enjoys with the Leeds Rhinos.
There is mutual respect, both sports representing standards of
behaviour and mental and physical toughness.
Kirsty, Adam, Deon and Andrew did a good job and the upshot of it
all is the strengthening of the relationship between the sports, and
the Rhinos will be back shortly for another session.
The
first game was important as both well knew and it was Ashour who
took it. He took the well contested second game too, Gaultier fought
back to take the third, and it was only in the fourth that they
phenomenal young Egyptian tool total control.
But
first to Malaysia, where the darling of the home country,
Nicol David, looking for her third consecutive win in the event,
heads a very powerful draw. Nearly everyone is there, but unless the
pressure of being on home ground gets to her, most will expect her
to win.
The
men's event is not at quite the same world level, but is fascinating
nonetheless. Stewart Boswell, who has done so well to recover from
the longstanding injury he had, and Lee Beachill head the draw, but
they face strong challenges from Malaysia's top two of Ong Beng Hee
and Azlan Iskandar, and Cameron Pilley may also have a say.
At
a later date Keith and Margaret Rotherford took charge
Margaret remains as general manager and from them the club passed
into the current hands of Michael Todd some eight years ago.
There
is value in looking back and Saturday night proved that, at the same
time notice there is much to look forward to. The best example I can
give of that is a potential team consisting of Ben Beachill
(aged 3), Sam Todd (aged 4), Harry Carr (son of Shawn,
aged 5), and Joe Calvert (son of Dave, aged 6), and believe
you me, they are already all playing and showing immense promise,
certainly a lot more than their fathers!
Thirty-three,
renowned for his awesome power and as popular a player as there is
amongst the top ten with players and spectators alike, he should be
just about putting his feet up. But perhaps inspired by the example
of the even older Alex Gough, but more likely motivated by his love
of the game and the competitive professional scene, he seems more
than determined not to let go.
Not
surprisingly he is often part of outstanding matches and his
sustained performances at Canary Wharf this year were remarkable. To
play four five-setters in a row, a
Rhino
coach Tony Smith, recently appointed as Great Britain coach, is a
squash player and he takes a big interest in James and Lee, who keep
in regular contact with him. Both of them are confirmed rugby league
watchers and we attend Headingley whenever possible, and Tony has
been to the English Open and the British Closed.
Happily,
and I hope it lasts, squash has for the most part retained a sense
of fair play - there was no better example than Peter Nicol. Now
that he is busy elsewhere it is up to the leading players to
continue to follow the example he set. Once cheating is accepted as
the norm the sport is valueless, except for a certain type of
spectator, the ones who in days of your would have watched hangings,
cockfights and the rest.
Lauren
Siddall, one of the Pontefract girls featuring on the club's
calendar to celebrate their success in the European Club
Championships in Malmo, is to appear this Saturday on Sky Sports'
Soccer AM.
Several
of the players showed distinct ability and certainly Jamie
Thackeray and Clinton Toopi can talk with the best.
