A reasonable draw but decimated by injuries and withdrawals, meaning BB had a lot to contend with.

WO55/60 Jill Campion reigned supreme as she donated only a handful of points to each opponent and is the favourite for the Closed now that Helen Gould has retired. Julie Field, however, will be gunning for her.

WO45/50 – Shelly Walsh had a good win over Alison Goy but had to retire from any further involvement and Isabelle Tweedle won by default as Kay Fallows was unfit to play.

WO35/40 – Rachel Calver was too good and beat Kate Bradshaw 11/5, 13/11, 11/1 in the Final.

MO70 – Tony Clifford caused an upset, his cross court drops wrecking Rod Boswell’s game plan but the former came unstuck against the powerful Adrian Wright. Chris Ansell took out Mike Clemson 3/0 and after losing the first 6/9, beat Wright 9/5, 9/2, 10/8.

MO65 – John Hithersay virtually played himself into the England Team, winning the Section of Death (!!) beating Ed Winter and then Alan Hendry who took out Terry Norman 3/0. Beating Peter Smith 3-1 was the icing on the cake, but Barry Featherstone re-claimed another Regional 6/9, 10/9, 9/5, 9/0.

MO65 – Peter Alexander was far too good for all and sundry, beating Richard Kellagher, Simon Evendon and Martin McDonnell, all 3-0. McDonnell, over from Eire, had beaten Geoff Walton 3-0 who in turn had removed Stuart Hardy 3/9, 9/3, 9/5, 9/3.  Alexander being away makes Mark Cowley the Bookies favourite for the Closed Title.

MO55 – Mark Woodliffe made a rare excursion into the Regionals, in preparation for claiming the Closed-although Dermot Hurford will have something to say----- and beat Neil Harrison 9/3, 9/4, 9/1 in the Final. No surprise elsewhere.

MO50 – There was a surprise in the 50’s though, as Duane Harrison will be very pleased to record an ultra rare win over Eamonn Price, but then fell to Raymond Burke MBE (I love that bit!) Unfortunately, Ray found the Establishment  MBE  moniker  too much to handle in the Final against local Martin Geear, tight, but 7/11,  5/11, 11/9, 9/11 to Geear.

MO45 – Andrew Cross, at 1, narrowly beat Mike Harris, 10/12, 11/8, 7/11, 12/10, 11/5, whilst Nick Brown removed Steve McLoughlin, now 50 with jet black hair still sprouting like a turnips in a field, 8/11, 12/14, 7/11, before finding Cross a handful .  Cross 9/11, 11/6, 11/6, 11/9.

MO40 – Ashley Bowling found his way successfully though to his allotted Final placing, but found  very late-comer in the draw- Nick Staunton, another Irish/Leamington convert, just too consistent in a very lengthy and interesting Final, 11/5, 14/12, 10/12, 11/13, 11/13. Nick and his Dad Bruce, no doubt watching, will be well pleased.

MO35 – Jamie Goodrich, nearly 45 and fresh from giving David Youngs a real run-a-round in the Norfolk Main Final a week previously, was far too good here as well, beating Peter Knowles, Matt Marshall and Tom May, all 3-0. This week however, in the Closed, the odds are slightly different...

Thanks to Mo Sarwar,  and all at Coventry and North Warwick Squash Club, plus the SRA Markers and of course, Brian & Roz Brock.

Martin Pearse
Chairman