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Champions Grove Park
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08-May-10:
North West Counties Season Finishes On
a High ... and five lets are plenty
The inaugural Head North West Counties Cup and Divisional
Playoffs, followed by the first league presentation evening
formally closed the season for the world’s biggest squash
league.
Whist the eight teams competing in the traditional end of
season playoffs battled out their respective matches, the
top teams from the first division played in a quick fire
‘Express’ squash knockout competition, played out under the
following rules;
* Four teams of five players
* Two semi finals, a third / fourth playoff and final
* Matches to consist of each player playing single games to
11
against their opposite number (no setting or clear points)
* Each TEAM is allowed a total of FIVE lets.
Once used only strokes or no lets can be awarded
* A ‘powerplay’ is available for each captain whereby they
nominate one of their team to score double points
* Team with most points at end is the winner
For the record, the whole
event lasted just over two hours with Grove Park
beating the Northern in the final 58-44.
Although Grove were comfortable winners in the end, the
match was still live when number ones Lawrence Delasaux and
Andy Whipp took to the court, although Whipp had the
unenviable task of winning 11-0 to secure the match!
In the event, Delasaux scored the point his club required
early to clinch a league and cup double for the Stockport
club.
So what did everyone think;
 The
Referee:
Tony Parker, respected International Referee and willing
official for the day.
“I think the key was letting the crowd know what’s going on,
so I read the players names and clubs, the current match
score and the number of lets available to each player. For
the final game, I informed everyone how many points were
required for overall victory.
“I was concerned about the ‘5 let rule’, but none of the
teams used all five - perhaps if the matches were closer
things would have been different. All in all though, a good
fun format, played in the right spirit.”
 The
players:
Lawrence Delasaux, World number 67. “It was difficult
taking a one game match seriously, it all felt like a bit of
an exhibition, but the 5 let rule worked. I think everyone
just played everything unless it was a clear stroke and in
the end 5 lets was plenty!”
 Andy
Whipp: Northern Club coach and former PSA player. “I
really enjoyed it. The format meant that you had to
concentrate throughout the game.
“I found it easier to play someone close to my standard,
like Lawrence, but against Glen (Ragou), I had to make sure
every single rally counted, as I had to get a big win for
the team, so I actually felt much more pressure! It’s really
about not being too negative but not giving any cheap points
away.”
Glen Ragou: England over 35’s International and North
West legend. “The 5 let rule made everyone too scared to ask
for anything that wasn’t a definite stroke, because they
were worried about losing one of the lets for their team –
which made for better squash! There was less temptation to
ask for ‘cheap lets’, which has got to be good.”
 The
organiser, Yawar Abbas.
“I think the format worked well for the time we had a
available.
“It was really about the getting Division 1 teams involved
in the play offs and then along to the presentation evening.
The consensus seems to be that it went well and we’ll do it
all again next year!
“With regard to the 5 let rule, I don’t think the number of
lets is important, it’s about changing the mindset of the
player into only asking when they have no alternative - I
see too many matches where players ‘choose’ to play let.
“I think to anyone outside the sport the policy of replaying
so many points is baffling and off putting.”
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