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Barbados Nationals 2009 |
MEAKINS
ROLLS ON; CUMBERBATCH UPSETS MEN’S CHAMPION
The 35th annual Barbados National Squash Championships,
sponsored by the Barbados Olympic Association Inc.,
concluded yesterday evening (Saturday) May 30th with two
convincing displays in both the Men’s and the Ladies finals.
In the latter the top two seeded players met for the third
straight year and although this match was a little more
competitive than the previous two finals the outcome was
still the same.
 Local
squash queen, Karen Meakins, the #1 player local
player this decade duly won her ninth successive Ladies
National Squash title in straight games with a convincing
display of controlled aggression against the #2 seed and
former Caribbean GU-19 Junior Champion, Cheri-Ann Parris.
The tall and powerfully built Parris, who is only 18 years
old, will surely claim her first national ladies title in
the near future, and attacked from the start of the first
game with tremendous pace and tried to impose herself on the
experienced Meakins.
For a time the tactic worked and it seemed to the enthralled
spectators in court #1 at the Barbados Squash Club that
Meakins would have a difficult afternoon ahead of her.
Parris seemed to be dominating the exchanges as Meakins
struggled to establish good length on her shots.
 The
local teenager led in the first game 6-5, then 7-6, then 8-7
and 9-8 and came within two points of becoming the first
local player to take a game from Meakins in these
Championships in nine years. But it was not to be. Meakins
won the last three rallies to take the first game 11-9 and
thereafter it was one-way traffic. Meakins began to serve a
little softer and higher and her young opponent was forced
onto the defensive right from the start of each rally.
Meakins’ length and width of shot improved and after
dropping the first two points in the second game reeled off
seven straight points to regain the momentum and her control
of the match. Parris never led again in the match that
Meakins closed out 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 in 20 minutes.
 The
Men’s final was also eagerly anticipated as the top two
local players, #1 Shawn Simpson and #2 Gavin
Cumberbatch met for the fourth straight year in the
final. In the previous three finals, Simpson, the tall
athletic left-hander who is the reigning 2008 Southern
Caribbean Men’s Champion was able to take the sting out of
the up-tempo style of game that Cumberbatch enjoys playing.
 In
the past Simpson was able to keep his fellow 25 year old
national team member on court for more than 40 minutes and
was able to run his charismatic opponent into the ground.
Not so this year. Cumberbatch attacked from the off with
flurry of winners hit at extreme pace on both wings. Even on
the drop shot and on volleys, where Cumberbatch is not
particularly strong he was in complete command. Simpson won
the first point of the match and never took the lead again
as the deadlocked Cumberbatch cruised to a convincing 11-5,
11-5, 11-3 victory in 21 minutes.
The third place playoffs #3 Lilianna White defeated #4 Carla
Jackson in straight games 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 while on the
men’s side #3 Mark Sealy, a former eight-time national
champion, had to work much harder to defeat the ageless
Nigel Griffith 11-4, 11-7, 11-4 in half an hour.
In the trophy presentation that followed the men’s final
B.O.A. Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Cammie Burke, noted
that the B.O.A. was pleased to be able to assist with
funding for this domestic competition and then praised the
BSRA for being one of the more effectively run National
Sports Federations in Barbados. He also wished the National
teams well in the upcoming Caribbean Junior Squash
Championships being hosted by Barbados from July 11-18th as
well as the Caribbean Senior Squash Championships in
Trinidad in August. He noted that squash had won three
bronze medals at the 2006 CAC Games in Cartagena, Colombia
and stated that the B.O.A. would expect more medals from
squash in the 2010 CAC Games scheduled for Mayaguez, Puerto
Rico.
Ladies Final #1 Karen Meakins def. #2 Cheri-Ann Parris 11-9,
11-4, 11-7
Ladies 3rd place #3 Lilianna White def. #4 Carla Jackson
11-8, 11-5, 11-8
Ladies 5th place Ayoni Bradshaw def. Cylla Seale 11-5, 11-7,
9-11, 11-8
Ladies 7th place Zoe Lisk def. Gylla Mackenzie 7-11, 12-10,
11-2, 11-5
Men’s Final #2 Gavin Cumberbatch def. #1 Shawn Simpson 11-5,
11-5, 11-3
Men’s 3rd place #3 Mark Sealy def. #5/8 Nigel Griffith 11-4,
11-7, 11-4
Men’s 5th place #5/8 Marlon White def. Mark Gilkes 10-12,
11-7, 11-4, 11-5
Men’s 7th place #5/8 Rhett Cumberbatch def. #4 Bryant
Cumberbatch by default
Men’s 9th place Mickey Armstrong def. #5/8 Fabian Goodridge
by default
Men’s Plate Final Andrew Nunes def. David Foster 9-11, 11-6,
11-9, 14-12.
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28-May, Day
8:
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER FOR THE EVERGREEN “DRAGON”
The 35th annual
Barbados National Squash Championships, sponsored once again
by the Barbados Olympic Association Inc., continued last
night (Thursday) May 28th with a one more significant upset
in the quarter-finals of the Men’s Main Draw when the
recently crowned National Over-50 champion, Nigel “the
Dragon” Griffith proved once more that meticulous
preparation and years of experience can overcome youthful
flair and agility as he soundly defeated the #4 seed and
former Caribbean Junior Champion, Bryant Cumberbatch, in
four hard fought games.
Griffith continues to amaze local squash pundits with his
fitness and speed around the court and despite being 31
years older than his opponent was clearly up for the contest
with the 20 year old Cumberbatch, who looked woefully short
of work. After comfortably taking the first two games at 7
and 5 in ten minutes, the evergreen Griffith wobbled a bit
as the stylish Cumberbatch stepped up his attacking play and
hit a series of impressive winners to take the third game
11-4. In the fourth and decisive game the lead went back and
forth and no player led by more than two points.
At 10-9 up Cumberbatch squandered his only game point and as
he contemplated what might have been Griffith snatched the
last two points to win the match 11-7, 11-5, 4-11, 12-10 in
a gripping 30 minute contest that was well appreciated by
those at the Barbados Squash Club fortunate to witness it.
Griffith now becomes the oldest player to gain a berth in
the semi-finals of the National Championships that will be
held today (Friday).
He will face the top seed and five time defending champion,
Shawn Simpson, who is only half his age, and who wore down a
plucky Mark Gilkes after dropping the first game 11-13,
11-1, 11-7, 11-6 in half an hour.
The other Men’s semi-final will be between former champion
and #2 seed, Gavin Cumberbatch, who defeated his younger
brother Rhett in straight games, and the other seasoned
veteran, #3 Mark Sealy, a former eight-time national
champion, who had to work hard in a bruising encounter with
Marlon White but who won in four games in 40 minutes. The
Ladies semi-finals tonight are as expected with #1 and eight
time champion, Karen Meakins facing #4 Carla Jackson and #2
seed, Cheri-Ann Parris, facing #3 Lilianna White. All four
ladies enjoyed easy victories in their respective
quarterfinals.
In all 17 matches were played last night at the Barbados
Squash Club (BSC), Marine Gardens, Hastings, Christ Church:
Ladies Quarter-finals
#1 Karen Meakins def. Ayoni Bradshaw 11-4, 11-4, 11-2
#4 Carla Jackson def. Gylla Mackenzie 11-2, 11-5, 11-4
#3 Lilianna White def. Cylla Seale 11-7, 11-9, 11-2
#2 Cheri-Ann Parris def. Zoe Lisk 11-2, 11-6, 11-0
Men’s Quarter-finals
#1 Shawn Simpson def. Mark Gilkes 11-13, 11-1, 11-7, 11-6
#5/8 Nigel Griffith def. #4 Bryant Cumberbatch 11-7, 11-5,
4-11, 12-10
#3 Mark Sealy def. #5/8 Marlon White 11-4, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9
#2 Gavin Cumberbatch def. #5/8 Rhett Cumberbatch 11-6, 11-8,
12-1027-May, Day
7:
GOODRIDGE NOT UP TO MARK;
GYLLA MOVES ON
Craig Archer reports
The 35th annual National Squash Championships, sponsored by
the Barbados Olympic Association Inc., continued on
Wednesday May 27th and there was one significant upset in
the first round of the Men’s Main Draw when National Team
player and one of the top eight seeds, Fabian Goodridge, was
found wanting by the excellent all court game displayed by
the talented and unseeded Mark Gilkes, who won going away in
straight games.
During the hard fought first game in which Goodridge led
nearly all the way and, in fact, had two game balls at 11-10
and 12-11, Gilkes reeled off the finally three rallies to
win this game 14-12 in 12 minutes. Buoyed by that success
Gilkes then attacked from the start of the second and after
pulling back from 4-6 down to 6-all in the middle of this
game, never trailed again in the match which he won
convincingly 14-12, 11-6, 11-4 in 25 minutes.
One other result of significance was played in the first
round of the Ladies Open where little 12 year old Gylla
Mackenzie convincingly defeated her older National Junior
teammate Kennilee Ward (16 yr. old) in four games 11-7,
5-11, 11-9, 11-4.
In all the following 13 matches were played last night at
the Barbados Squash Club (BSC), Marine Gardens, Hastings,
Christ Church:
Ladies 1st Round
Gylla Mackenzie def. Kennilee Ward 11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 11-4
Men’s Main Draw 1st Round
#1 Shawn Simpson def. Mickey Armstrong by default
Mark Gilkes def. #5/8 Fabian Goodridge 14-12, 11-6, 11-4
#5/8 Nigel Griffith def. Cliff Nolan 11-7, 11-8, 11-7
#4 Bryant Cumberbatch def. Don Benn 11-6, 8-11, 11-2, 11-8
#3 Mark Sealy def. Roger Martin 11-3, 11-3, 11-4
#5/8 Marlon White def. Charles Chambers 11-7, 11-5, 11-6
#5/8 Rhett Cumberbatch def. Leon Truss 11-7, 7-11, 11-7,
12-10
#2 Gavin Cumberbatch def. Tony Mackenzie 11-8, 11-7, 11-9
Men’s Plate – 1st Round
Matthew Mackenzie def. Michael Best 11-7, 11-4, 11-9
Stewart St. John def. Edwin Wickham by default
Jonathan O’Dowd def. David Spink 12-10, 11-7, 11-8
Ruairidh (Rory) Mackenzie def. Nigel Nicholls 11-2, 11-2,
11-4
Matches will be even more competitive from this evening
(Thursday) as both the Ladies and Men’s quarter-finals will
be played as well as the first round of the Ladies Plate,
the second round of the Men’s Plate, and the first round of
the Men’s Consolation Plate. In all a total of 17 matches
will be played this evening, beginning from 5:45 p.m.
26-May, Day 6:
No surprises so far in
Barbados
Craig Archer reports
The 35th annual National Squash Championships, sponsored by
the Barbados Olympic Association Inc., continued on Tue 26th
and there were no upsets in the following Men’s Preliminary
round matches that were played at the Barbados Squash Club
(BSC), Marine Gardens, Hastings, Christ Church:
1st round
Barry Gale bt Nigel Nicholls 11-4, 11-9, 11-2
2nd round
Mark Gilkes bt David Foster 11-6, 11-5, 12-10
Don Benn bt Michael Best 10-12, 11-6, 11-7, 11-0
Charles Chambers bt Andrew Nunes 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 13-11
Leon Truss bt Barry Gale 11-8, 11-8, 12-10
Tony Mackenzie bt Jonathan O’Dowd 11-7, 11-13, 11-7, 11-7
Cliff Nolan bt Ryan Foster 13-11, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10
Roger Martin bt David Spink 11-4, 11-4, 11-8
Mickey Armstrong bt Rory Mackenzie 11-8, 11-9, 11-9
Matches will begin to get more intense from Wednesday with
the above eight victors taking on the top eight seeded
players in the first round of the Men’s Main Draw. Eight
exciting men’s matches are scheduled as well as one Ladies
first round match involving two of the players vying for
places on the National Junior Team. Four Men’s Plate matches
are also scheduled to be played tonight at the BSC:
The top four Ladies seeds will begin their campaigns from
Thursday. They are as follows:
#1 Karen Meakins (the eight time defending champion), #2
Cheri-Ann Parris, #3 Lilianna White, #4 Carla Jackson.
Matches begin at 5:45 p.m. each evening this week. All
finals will be played this Saturday, May 30th beginning from
2:00 p.m. with the last match, the Men’s final, scheduled to
start at 5:00 p.m. The presentation of trophies for this
tournament and the National Veterans Championships that
preceded it two weeks ago will be held in BSC court #1
immediately following the Men’s final on Saturday afternoon.
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