Registration for this event is now closed.

Registration closed midday 30 December 2016.

Beginning Year 14  since England Squash Masters was formed back in 2004, Coventry and North Warwickshire has been a very longstanding Midlands venue, after Grantham hosted the first four years. With the largest ever entry of 162, logistics were tight. However, as usual, Roz and Brian Brock coped admirably with not a problem in sight.

WO55 – With the three top players away, points were on offer to fill the remaining England positions, Lesley Sturgess beat Lynne Davies, 3-0 and then Sarah Howlett in the Final, 11/15  15/13  15/11  15/6, to record her second Regional this season.

WO50 – Surprise results in that Fran Wallis found Hilary Kenyon’s short game too decisive, losing 13/15  16/18  18/20 and that put Hilary in the Final, with World No 4, Rachel Woodford who was too good, 15/9  12/15  15/7  15/8.

WO45 – Sam Mueller (one day she might slow down a jot) fresh from having a match ball against Duleep Adihetty in a Middlesex League, was too good for all and sundry, beating Sarah Parr, back from a long term injury, 12//10  11/1  11/5.

WO35/40 – No 1 seed Rachel Calver, had to pull out as did poor Lucy Murphy, with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Louisa Dalwood and Kate Bradshaw fought out the Final, a nail biter, Kate winning 11/6  7/11  8/11  11/9  13/11.

MO70 – Adrian Wright, fresh from winning his 4th World Title in September, has had a bit of a downturn in form, but rediscovered his mojo by beating Mike Clemson, 3-1, Chris Goodbourn, 3-2 and MO70 World No 3, Martin Pearse in the Final, 15/7  12/15  15/13  15/11, Pearse throwing away healthy leads in the latter two and the Silver Fox doesn’t need second chances.  Earlier on (3/4)  Chris Ansell, had succumbed to Russell Shipton, (5/8), 3-1 who then lost 3-0 to Pearse in the Semi after the latter had gained revenge for his Open Semi Final loss to Tony Clifford in a ‘bloody’ affair.

MO65 – With Ian Graham awaiting an operation on a damaged meniscus, the English challenge to John Rae came primarily from a lither Howard Cherlin, who did more running in this match than the last 3 years combined!! Cherlin’s talent nearly got him over the winning line, but Rae stuck in, 11/15  15/11  12/15  15/12  15/7. In the other half, Neil Nightingale beat two fellow England contenders to make him very, very pleased, Terry Norman 14/16  15/13  11/15  15/12  15/12 – (what a match it was) and then Pete Smith 5/15  15/10  15/9  11/15  15/9. Terry Belshaw (2) scraped John Hithersay in the Quarters 3-2 and then beat Nightingale, 15/10  15/6  15/12 before finding Rae too much of a handful, 17/15  15/8  15/9.

MO60 – Rustom Bativala made a comeback beating Norman Raine 3-1, Paul Harris 3-1, Simon Evenden 3-0 and then Stuart Hardy in a tight Final – 13/15  15/8  15/9  13/15  15/9. Hardy cemented his England place but there is still a lot to play for at the lower end now that Alexander has retired and Adihetty is off the radar.

MO55 – a lot of England contenders in this grouping with John Parkes pushing out Ged Martin, 15/13  11/3  13/11. Whilst Tom Burton, in beating Ian Badburn 12/10 in the fifth and Mark Taylor in beating Neil Harrison 9/11  15/9  11/8  11/8, did their International chances no harm! Burton then sneaked Taylor 12/10 in the fifth, a good day at the office, but found Parkes too quick, 11/5  15/13  11/4.

MO50 – Darren Withey (1) crashed out to Steve Martin, 7/11  18/12  7/11 and the latter then beat local rival Peter Lonsdale, 11/3 in the fifth. Meanwhile Eamonn Price, back in action, beat Duane Harrison, 3-2 and Price was just too clinical in the Final, beating Martin 11/4  11/7  11/4.

MO45 – No 1 seed crashed here as well, Nick Brown 2 – Stuart Summers 3!  Andrew Cross took out Steve McLoughlin and then Summers to enter the Final. Cross looked in charge, but in a match with a lot of refereeing decisions, Gliddon started to gain the upper hand as Cross tired, and won 11/8  7/11  11/8  8/11  6/11.

MO40 – Ashley Bowling, (3/4), took out No 1, Jon Gallacher 3-0, another top seed upset, whilst Ben Hutton at No 2, beat Gary Sykes 3-0 and then a narrow 11/8 in the fifth against Nick Staunton. He then beat Christian Donelan 3-1 and Bowling in the Final – 11/13  11/8  1/11  13/11  11/0. An unusual scoreline!

MO35 – Keith Timms edged out Jason Barry, 11/8  11/9  11/13  10/12  11/9, but then went down to James Bowden, 8/11  5/11  11/8  1/11. Meanwhile, Darren Lewis at 1, gave Jamie Goodrich a rare loss and in a superb Final, found himself down at match ball against Bowden. Chance not taken, but it was by Lewis, winner in an enjoyable and friendly battle – 12/10  9/11  8/11  11/6  14/12.

Thank you to: Bob Townsend, Chairman of the Squash section of the club, Mick and Deb and all the Catering/Bar staff, St. Augustine’s Club, Alan and Tim, the Managers, Mo for all his help and support and finally the Referees, Brian, Ellis and Andy.

Martin Pearse
Chairman