Chichester put up fight, but fall under the Wizards’ spell
Squash Chichester pushed the Welsh Wizards all the way in their latest home Premier Squash League match – only to lose in the final game of the night.
Earlier in the season the Wizards defeated Chichester 5-0 in Cardiff.
First up, Chichester’s Miles Jenkins (world 179) played Emyr Evans (115). It was a fantastic all-court encounter on the glass-back championship court.
Both played with great touch and with innovative use of the lob. Jenkins took the first 11-8. Evans, with great retrieving, relentlessly fought back to take the second 11-8.
In the third Evans built a lead, but Jenkins obstinately kept himself in it. He forced errors from the Welshman and eventually the match was decided on a tie-break, which Evans snatched 12-10.
Chichester’s Alison Thomson (world 73) faced current British champion and world No10 Tesni Evans. This was always going to be tough for Thomson, but she equipped herself very well.
She played a very good game with some excellent retrieving and she extended Evans but the Wizards player showed her class and won 118, 11-7.
Chichester’s Kyle Finch faced Elliott Morris-devred (world 246). Morris-devred showed great movement around the court but it was not enough to stop an inspired Finch, who threw caution to the wind and hit shot after shot in a breathtaking performance to win 12-10, 11-8.
The number-one strings contest pitted Chi’s Mathieu Castagnet (world 26) against Edmon Lopez (world 61). From the outset the match was played at a fierce pace and Lopez led. Castagnet upped the pace and took the first game 11-7. In the second Lopez started chipping away at the home player’s lead and forced a tie-break to win 12-10.
In the decider Castagnet reasserted himself and gained a big lead which he held to win 11-5 – making the match 2-2.
Chichester’s Tim Vail, the current British over-35 open champion, played Peter Creed (world 62), winner of the Welsh National for the eighth time last year.
Creed’s pace and tempo was key in making Vail react quicker and, with good straight hitting, he took the first game 11-7. Vail mixed the pace in the second and used the lob well to forced errors from Creed and Vail won 11-6.
But in the third Creed took an early lead and, despite a valiant fight from Vail, Creed held on to take it 116, clinching a 3-2 win for the Wizards.
The next home match is next Tuesday against Coolhurst. Call 01243 785664.