EAST OF ENGLAND – BURY ST
EDMUNDS
SEPTEMBER 2010
The first major tournament of the season after the World
Masters fiasco was at Bury with 136 entrants, the largest
ever.
For as long as can be remembered, it wasn’t boiling hot, but
the courts were and nobody noticed the rain.
The quality of squash on display seems to get better and
better, of course it doesn’t, but appearances can deceive.
Certainly some of the age groups are incredibly strong and
there are relatively very few easy first rounds.
However, we have to look to the future and if the entrants
increase we will have to look at A groups of 16 and B
groups. The points system would be reviewed and there would
be a promotion and relegation for the next tournament, to
keep players on their toes.
For the Women, depending on entrants, we will have to revert
to keep a Friday evening option open, but we will do our
best to schedule matches on Saturday and Sunday morning
wherever possible. This was discussed at length at the
Committee meeting and a majority decision reached.
With the future in mind, please note from Swindon onwards,
all winners will mark the next match on court. There will be
no exceptions, no excuses. Also, we will expect players to
comply with the aims and guidance rules with regards to
withdrawals which will expedite a mandatory ban for the next
tournament unless complied with.
It was immediately noticeable that there was hardly any
withdrawals from Bury. A very good start (one player who did
withdraw even turned up with his hand in plaster, having
played a local league match with a dislocated thumb and torn
ligament necessitating an operation this week!).
To the squash:
The WO55s saw the Avon wife win/husband lose Ellis
combo in action, both extremely good value on and off the
court. Jan eased through her group, taking her first title
despite getting involved in a heavy evening of social
entertainment the night before. Carolyn Roylance had to
retire injured and Sue Vine came second.
The WO50s – Helen Gould kept up Avon tradition as she
also recorded another title with 3/0 victories over
everyone, her pace and speed too much for her age group.
Lynn Davies recorded a tight 3/2 over Kath Kemp to take
second.
The W045s saw two groups with a very pleased Fran
Wallis recording her first ever victory over Mandy Akin in
Group 1. In Group 2, Bea de Dreu Spitze was too clinical and
the Final saw the World No 2 resume her series against
Wallis – the Dutch girl seems much more precise in her
movement this year and recorded a tight 9/3 5/9 10/8 10/8
Final win.
The WO35/40s, merged into one group due to only five
entrants. Britain’s leading racket players are Isabelle
Tyrell and Bett Dryhurst, both incredibly talented. Tyrell
is a top England Tennis player and is also Elite No 1 in the
new sport of Racketlon – Google it!!. As it was, she beat
Isabelle Tweedle 0/9 10/8 9/3 9/3 but then succumbed to
injury having to withdraw. Tweedle, by dint of victories
over Di Parums, Sam Mueller and Susie Scarlett recorded
another Title victory.
The MO70s saw World Champion M75 Malcolm Gilham lead
the effervescent hyperactive Lance Kinder 9/5 9/3 until the
latter’s tablets started to energise all the moving parts
and Lance took the last three 9/4 9/7 9/4 to notch up
another trophy.
The MO65s looks like a Chris Ansell grand slam as the
new World Champion trimmed the field conclusively, beating
Graham Fisher and Slim Jim Hardern 3-0 and then the finalist
from the other group Mike Clemson 9/2 5/9 9/5 9/0. Adrian
Wright should be back in operation for the next Regional at
Swindon to give Chris food for thought.
The MO60s – all change here, as this group has got
even stronger. Top seeds Howard Cherlin and Barry
Featherstone both went out to the physically strong Phil
Godfrey and Allan Brown, from Guernsey, both 2-3. Larry
Grove extracted revenge over Martin Pearse and Ian Graham
narrowly beat Aubrey Waddy. The Semis saw Grover take out
Godfrey 9/3 9/1 9/5 and Graham throw away a victory over the
ever tenacious Brown 10/8 9/4 7/9 4/9 5/9. The Final was
played at an ultra fast pace and Brown recorded his first
Regional, again coming back from the dead to overturn Grover
2/9 8/10 5/8 to record an upset, winning 10/8 9/0 9/6.
The MO55s saw a World Champion Master class as a very
fit and fast Mark Cowley blitzed all the opposition, Geoff
Redfern succumbing 9/3 9/6 9/3. Earlier, allotted 3/4 seeds
Stuart Hardy and Dave Taylor respectively won and lost their
crucial quarters, Hardy sneaking Phil Collins and Taylor
being overturned by a red faced Ian Holmes, fresh from a
summers drinking in the hot spots of Desborough. Hardy,
having had two serious knee operations in the summer, is
only at half pace and would have been pleased at his
results.
MO50s – Oh dear! Booboo by me, I forgot about one
Steve Bateman. As it was, volleying everything, he nearly
overturned Richard Millman – not to be as the USA Coach
recorded a 3/9 5/9 9/6 9/2 9/0 win. James Ockwell fell
behind 0/9 to Ian Bradburn but then bounced back (it is
normally Bradburn that does the bouncing) 9/7 9/0 2/9 9/3 to
upset the No 2 seed. Chris (the flying Doctor) Harland flew
past James Barrington and James Ockwell and then put some
life in the proceedings in the Final, leading Millman 9/0.
However, once the head gear had cleared, the Norfolk player
ran Harland from one continent to the next and claimed
another title 0/9 9/2 9/2 9/1.
The MO45s saw Peter Gunter lose a set to Darren
Withey who had beaten Steve Martin 3-0. Newcomer Chris
Wilson (there are 2 others, the famous Golly Gosh from
Hampshire and Scotland and one from Mersey), and Murray
Scott cruised through their matches until meeting Gunter and
Eamonn Price. The latter eventually wore Scott into a tired
submission but not before the Northerner had demonstrated
how hard a ball can be stunned to death. (His father Ken, a
long standing rival from Abbeydale, certainly didn’t hit a
ball anything like as ferociously). The Final was a true
classic, with Gunter displaying every ounce of tenacity to
keep Price in check and eventually, it was probably the
latter Semi with Scott that took the edge slightly away from
him, an enthralling five setter. No doubt these two will
have many such battles this season. Final score 5/9 9/3 1/9
9/7 9/5 Gunter!
The MO40s – Glen Ragou overturned Simon Street whilst
Steve McLoughlin ran out a 3-1 winner over Steve Ward. Fran
Ellis, our Scottish interloper nearly sent David Youngs home
early but Youngs recorded 11/6 14/12 7/11 6/11 11/5. In the
Semis both recorded 3-0s over Ragou and McLoughlin and White
kept his nose in front, his pace just a mite too extreme for
Youngs, 11/7 11/9 11/9. Another title for the Derbyshire
player.
The MO35s – an explosive and not so well tempered
match saw Steve Maitland narrowly beat Nevil Appleton 3-2
and Matt Fiveashe narrowly beat Graham Stanford 3-2.
Newcomer Ben Ford took his time to play himself in and
despite a 3-2 over Barny Elworthy never really looked in
danger. Jamie Goodrich had two local derbies over David
Goulby 3-1 and then Ian Cox 3-2. The Final saw Goodrich and
Ford display unbelievable retrieving powers and talent and
Ford, at his first attempt, won 11/7 8/11 13/15 11/6 11/7.
Thanks, as always, to Peter and Judy Alexander, Ann and the
Staff, to Aaron and Jane Belle for keeping your Chairman
sane whilst AW panicked, and the Markers Neil, Paul and
Peter.
Masters Chairman
|
East of England Champions
W55:
Jan Ellis
W50:
Helen Gould
W45:
Bea de Dreu Spitze
W35/40:
Isabelle Tweedle
M70:
Lance Kinder
M65:
Chris Ansell
M60:
Allan Brown
M55:
Mark Cowley
M50:
Richard Millman
M45:
Peter Gunter
M40:
Kevin White
M35:
Ben Ford
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