30-Jul, Quarter-Finals:
[1] James Willstrop bt Scott Handley        12/10, 11/6, 11/2
[3/4] Stewart Boswell bt Jaymie Haycocks  11/3, 11/5, 11/3
[3/4] Adrian Grant bt Chris Ryder           13/11, 11/8 , 11/9
[2] Daryl Selby bt Shaun Le-Roux     9/11, 11/4, 11/6, 11/4 

31-Jul, Semis:
[1] James Willstrop bt [3/4] Stewart Boswell 
           5/11, 11/8, 11/8, 11/9 (56m)
[2] Daryl Selby bt [3/4] Adrian Grant
           15/13, 8/11, 6/11, 4/11 (78m)

13 and counting for Cleethorpes
Malcolm Willstrop reports

The Cleethorpes Invitation is in its 13th year of existence and amongst its winners are such notables as John White, David Evans, Mark Chaloner and Nick Taylor, the first winner in 1998.

This year the current champion, James Willstrop, was bidding for his 6th Cleethorpes title. The organisers were rewarded with a powerful entry, which included Daryl Selby, Adrian Grant and Stewart Boswell.

None were troubled to reach the semi-finals, so the line-up was Willstrop v Boswell and Grant v Selby, all four heading this week for the Australian Open and later for the the Commonwealth Games.

Grant and Selby were first on, both looking as if match play would do them good. Grant, having slightly the better of things, won a protracted first game 12-10 and starting well in the second, threatened a 2-0 lead. But Selby, aided by some judiciously played angles, got back on level terms and made it one game all. The match continued to be competitive, but Selby, capitalising on forehand errors from Grant, led 2-1 and eventually won the match ,as Grant's resistance lessened.

Feature of the match, refereed by John Massarella was that there was only one stroke awarded, despite more than frequent lets, asked for in the most part by Grant. He paid for a seeming reluctance to play the ball, quite rightly, although he was disgruntled, when Massarella refused him a let when he chose not to play one of Selby's serves and it was the world no.9 who took his place in the final for the second year running.

The Willstrop Boswell match was a step-up from the first semi final: Boswell had played the recent Malaysian Open and was match fitter and Willstrop did not take long to get into his stride. Boswell blitzed away to lead 9-1,playing impressively and Willstrop remonstrated with one of his frequent practice partners, asking him what he was doing leading 9-1, when he, Willstrop, thought he was playing well.

He was right, too, and he gradually fought back against Boswell's onslaught, losing the first 11-5. The match continued at a surprisingly high level and Willstrop won the second 11-8 and then led 2-1,but with continued stern resistance from Boswell. He won the fourth, too, a little more comfortably to join Selby in the final, played unusually later on the same day - no pleasant prospect!

Final:
[1] James Willstrop bt [2] Daryl Selby 11/2, 13/11, 11/2 (35m)

Willstrop retains title

With the Final on the same day, what happened in the earlier semi finals was obviously of importance. The Selby- Grant match was played first, was longer, but probably less testing, since the quality of the Willstrop-Boswell match was higher and the pace more exacting, but it did not seem to have created any particular imbalance in terms of what it took out of the players, which in the circumstances was a good thing.

Willstrop began the final in style, dashing away to a 9-2 lead, the pace at which he was playing seeming too much for Selby and he won it 11-2 with some ease.

Selby was not likely to lie down: that is not his style and he is far too good a player these days. He is also resilient and determined under pressure. Although Willstrop led 5-2 and 8-5 in the second Selby showed his quality to force a tiebreak. He did not have a gameball, however and on his 5th Willstrop clinched it.

He needed an injury break to attend to a neck problem and it seemed unlikely that he could recover from 2-0 down, with Willstrop continuing to dominate. He quickly asserted in the third and won that 11-2,as he had the first.

All four of the semi finalists will be happy to have had the match play with so much coming up and Willstrop will be delighted with the way he played, as will Boswell.

That Cleethorpes have sustained this event at such a high level for so long is much to their credit and those concerned should feel rewarded with the quality of player they attract. The club is friendly and welcoming, as all clubs should be, and the spectators are appreciative of the players.

Mike and Kim Hallam, Brian and Julie Barrett and Rick Havercroft and all those who back them in any way deserve plaudits for their hard work and energy.