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TODAY at the British Grand Prix
Saturday 9th, Day TWO

Good start for Barker

Stand-in Peter Barker said he'd get better, and for a game and a half he certainly did that. Helped by some early-morning errors from the world number one he raced through the first game - there was just one long rally at 9-1 - and quickly forged a 6-1 lead in the second.

Then the rallies started to get longer, and Shabana started to find some of his trademark winners.

Shabana pulled it back to 7-all, and from then on Barker wasn't in control any more as the Egyptian made it two wins out of two ...

"I could have been more tired, I lost in the semi-finals in Cairo so I'm one match fitter than usual!" "It's always nice to come to England. Since I as ten the British Junior Open was always the big tournament. I never managed to win that, I always came second, like I came second at the British Open two years ago. I really want to win that before I retire, even if it's the Over-45 masters, I'll keep coming back! "The pressure got to me in Egypt. 4,000 people, and the presenter wound the crowd up so much that by the time I got on there was 20,000 volts and it was just too much." Amr Shabana

Shabana's Pyramid ...

"I've known Shabana since he was a young lad, and I promised him that if the World Open ever came back to Cairo, at the Pyramids, I'd give him one of my special build-ups just like I gave Ahmed Barada.

"So here we were for the semi-finals, and that's just
what I did. It was the longest, loudest introduction
I'd ever done. At the peak of the introduction I demanded that the crowd stand - and then said "Tell me his name?"

With that they chanted SHABANA - SHABANA.

I roared back at them I DON'T HEAR YOU. They took it up again SHABANA SHABANA. And then together - with the music at full volume, I was almost bleeding from the eyes, as I finally screamed, together with the crowd - AMR SHAAAAAAAAABANAAAAAAA. 4,000 voices screamed as one - and on came Amr.

"I later heard that four miles away David Palmer and Shaun Moxham, having successfully navigated the first semi-final, were driving down the desert road back to the hotel and they could hear the roar.

"The big man's doing a large one today," said David. "Christ, is that a crack I see in that Pyramid,"
retorted Shaun.

I love Aussie Humour .

Robert Edwards
The Voice of Squash
    

Waters outlasts Bailey

There was talk of having the women play PAR to eleven scoring in this event, and after three long games it's a fair bet that Alison Waters and Tania Bailey probably thought it would have been a good idea.

Waters started the better taking a 4-0 lead, but Bailey, who won the National title on this court in February, fought back, volleying as much as possible, as is her wont, and eventually took the game 10/9.

Alison's good start in the second wasn't squandered, but in the third it was Tania's turn to take - and hold - an early lead. The rallies were lone, errors few, with both girls playing tight, controlled squash.

Naturally it was Alison's turn to make a good start to the fifth, but Tania was starting to feel the pace, and although the rallies stayed competitive, Alison was generally in control, forcing the pace with Tania mainly reacting to her opponent rather than taking the initiative.

Alison scored 15 unanswered points, and by the time Tania worried the scoreboard again it was too late. 

"The first game was close, so I knew I wasn't doing much wrong. It was a question of keep on playing my game, keep it tight and try not to make mistakes or give her opportunities to attack. Fortunately it paid off in the end." Alison Waters

Palmer toughs it out again

On the evidence of yesterday's matches neither of these should have been able to turn in a performance like this one, that brought the Sportcity crowd to its feet at the end - and during - a gripping five-games.

Palmer looked way off against Karim Darwish, and Beachill was out on his feet last last night against Thierry Lincou.

But David improved so much, and Lee found the reserves to turn in another top class performance against the world's best.

The first four games had a symmetrical look about them as they traded shots and games, and while there was plenty to talk about in that, the drama from 6-all in the fifth kept the crowd guessing, and entertained ...

Lee retrieving desperately, but ...                  7-6 David
Great cutoff volley                                        8-6
Running to back, no let, not happy                 8-7
Tin                                                              9-7
Stroke to David ... Lee hits ball out of court    10-7
Great scrambling by David, not enough          10-8
Flying, leaping volley ... into the tin                10-9
Service return into the nick                           11-9 

So with one match to go both can still make the final, and a 'get your calculators out' scenario seems likely ...

"Just like Greg in the world final, Lee played well and should probably have finished me off there. But it's not over until the last point's won, and I managed to get a few lucky ones at the end there. "It's good to get a win here, I lost them all last year … "I always dreamt of winning the world title, so to win two was just fantastic. Winning another British Open title would top my career off, but it's tough there days, all the guys are so close there just aren't any easy matches." David Palmer

A rare three-nil

These two have fought out many epic battles, often on this court, each match featuring many swings as first one, then the other takes and presses home an advantage.

But today, for once, one player was dominant from start to finish. The rallies were still long, well-contested - 52 minutes for three games tells you that - but Jenny, after pulling back from 3-0 down at the start was never headed again.

Vicky came very close to levelling the third, saving four match balls before Jenny finally clinched it, but today just wasn't to be icky's day.



So it's Jenny v Alison in the women's final tomorrow while Vicky takes on Tania ...

"I was pleased with how I played, I didn't make many errors. We generally have close matches, four or five games, so I'm happy to come away with a three-nil. "We've all been training hard for this, then the British, which is the first major event of the season for us, then all four of us are off to Edmonton for the World Team Championships." Jenny Duncalf

Nick takes Two

A second win for Nick Matthew, to put him level at the top of the Gerrard group, with a showdown with Shabana tomorrow for a place in the final.

For James, this was another step along the road to recovery. He clearly wasn't fully fit or mobile, but he was much better than last night, which bodes well for the coming weeks.

Nick was strong, steady, did enough to keep James at bay and will no doubt be looking forward to the challenge of taking on the world number one on his favourite court.

"If you go on knowing that someone as good as James is less than 100% then it can prey on your mind and work against you., so I'm happy I kept my concentration and finished it in three. "It's always a pleasure to play James, we've had some great battles and there's more to come, for sure. "I didn't play badly in the worlds, if I'd just scraped a win that would have given me a boost in confidence. My fitness seems to be there, I'm just working on its and pieces in my game to hold me in good stead for the rest of the season." Nick Matthew

Karim takes Thierry's title away

Both of these have played all three Gerrard Grand Prix. Thierry won both of the previous events, but he won't win this one as the young Egyptian held off a strong effort from Thierry in the fourth, putting Lincou bottom of the Manchester group as Karim assumed top position.

Thierry started the stronger, pushing Karim around the court as he took the first game, but the Egyptian settled, and more than held his own as he took the lead.

The fourth was close all the way, level up to 8-all, but then a wide crosscourt for Karim followed by a careless tin from Thierry and suddenly it was match ball.

A neat drop shot from Karim, a dive in vain from Thierry and it was all over.

"Thierry wasn't in his best form, like David last night, but I'm happy with my performance and looking forward to tomorrow and a chance to get into the final. "I've played in this event each year. I like Manchester, the court, the venue, the people, so I hope I can keep on coming back. "After losing in the first round of the World Open my target now is the British Open, I'm hoping to get to the final stages." Karim Darwish

      TODAY at the British Grand Prix    
Friday 8th, Day ONE

Friday 8th, Day ONE
Steve Cubbins reports from Sportcity

Day one of the third running of the Gerrard British Grand Prix saw eight of the world's top players descend on Manchester's National Squash Centre, fresh from their exploits in the World Championships in Cairo.

Peter Barker was called in from standby to replace Anthony Ricketts, still struggling with the elbow injury that caused him trouble in Cairo, and shortly after 6pm we were ready to roll ...
 

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