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June 2011:
David defeats Barbados' Best |
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As part
of Malaysian superstar Nicol David's Caribbean promotional
tour, Nicol David took to Bajan champion Karen Meakins and
Shawn Simpson in exhibition matches, and won them both ...
We'll try to bring you more from the tour as it progresses,
but for now enjoy the Barbados leg ... |
Next stop:
'Caribbean Heat' tour in Aruba and Curacao with Piedro
Schweertman and Colin Ramasra ... |
David meets Meakins
“Simply stunning”, “Fantastic squash”, “Great match” were
some of the comments made by some of the enthralled
spectators after last night’s thrilling exhibition matches
held at the Barbados Squash Club, Marine Gardens courts.
The audience that packed into court #1 were treated to an
excellent opening encounter between two of Barbados’ top
men, with Rhett Cumberbatch defeating his older
brother and former Barbados and Caribbean Men’s Champion,
Gavin Cumberbatch by two games to one 11/8, 13/15, 11/2.
After this exciting encounter ended the main event was
served up, with the reigning World #1 and five time world
ladies squash champion, Nicol David, taking on the
Barbados and Caribbean #1 female, Karen Meakins.
After brief but informative introductions the two ladies
took to the court and the English-born 38 year old Meakins
was impressive right from the start, winning the first three
points with excellent drop shots and volley kills. Meakins
led in the first game 3-0, then 6-2 and then 8-6, before the
diminutive 27 year old Malaysian (David), steadied herself
and closed out the final five points to claim the first game
11/8.
Undeterred, and with the support of the vocal home court
fans behind her, Meakins attacked some more in the second
game with neither player gaining a significant advantage
until at 8-all David pulled away, as champions tend to do,
and closed out the second game by winning the last three
points 11/8. Meakins was not deflated and in the third led
6-3 and then 9-6.
As the crowd held its collective breath David pulled back to
9-10 down as she stepped up her game by volleying more and
more, taking the ball earlier. Meakins was forced to scurry
from side to side and corner to corner just to stay in each
rally.
Exhaustion was starting to set in but, to her great credit,
Meakins was able to make one more push to clinch the final
rally and claim the third game 11/9 to a great roar from the
partisan crowd.
The effort to claim the third game now began to show as the
world #1 then started to volley everything in reach giving
the tiring Meakins no chance to settle.
After winning the first point in the fourth game Meakins
never led again as the punishing intensity from David never
relented.
From 2-all the Malaysian world champion simply accelerated
and never looked back. Long rally followed long rally and
the points kept going David’s way. She rushed to a 9-3
advantage, then it was 4-9, and then 10-4 match ball to
David.
Meakins bravely saved one match ball, but it was then over
with David winning 11/8, 11/8, 9/11, 11/5 in 44 minutes of
pulsating squash.
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