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New Zealand stuns Mexico

By S.R. Suryanarayan

Kuwait's southpaw, Nasser Alramezi ends New Zealand's short-lived joy of beating Mexico earlier, beating Oliver Johnston and giving his country an unbeatable 2-0 lead in a Group `C' league match of the World junior men's squash championship at the TNSRA-SDAT complex on Wednesday. — Photo: K. Gajendran

CHENNAI DEC. 11. Seedings went for a toss to queer the pitch as the competition in the Group league neared the decisive phase on Wednesday in the World junior men's squash championship at the TNSRA-SDAT complex here.

But, the result that made many observers sit up and take note came when 11th-seeded New Zealand shocked sixth-seeded Mexico. With Eric Galvez spearheading Mexico's campaign, not many gave New Zealand a chance. But without key player, Jose Becerril, who was down with fever, Mexico was handicapped. Galvez won his first match but Manuel Fregoso failed. Fregoso wasted three matchpoints before succumbing to New Zealand's lanky Oliver Johnston. Martin Knights then wrapped up the tie for New Zealand.

But the joy was short-lived for New Zealand as later 14th-seeded Kuwait brought about an unexpected turnaround. Kuwait, which had tasted its first victory in the morning against weakling Kenya, had in Bader Hussaini and thereafter southpaw Nasser Alramezi the men required to bring happy tidings.

Earlier, India came close to giving Egypt a jolt. After Siddharth Suchde dumped Egypt's top player Moustafa Essam (he was seed three in the individual event), India believed Saurav Ghosal would pull out a surprise against Ahmed Mohsen Hassan. He did, but only in extending his far superior opponent to five games. With Sahil Vora unable to contain Sherif Moustafa Kamal in the deciding match, Egypt survived the hiccups.

The results:

Group A: England bt Wales 3-0 (James Willstrop bt Rob Sutherland 9-6, 9-4, 9-4; Jon Harford bt Lewys Powel Horst 9-5, 9-1, 9-5; Ashley Flathers bt Peter David Creed 9-4, 9-0, 9-3). Canada bt Switzerland 2-1 (Matthew Serediak lost to Marco Datwyler 0-9, 0-9, 3-9; Brian Gabriel Erns bt Manuel Grima 2-9, 9-4, 9-1, 4-9, 9-7; Robin Anthony Clarke bt Diego Staub 9-1, 10-8, 9-3). England bt Ireland 3-0 (James Willstrop bt Brian Byrne 5-9, 9-1, 10-8, 9-2; John Harford bt Dermot MacNamara 9-3, 9-0, 10-8; Ashley Flathers bt Ross Lillis 9-1, 9-3, 9-3). Wales bt Switzerland 2-1 (Sutherland lost to Datwyler 4-9, 9-7, 1-9, 7-9; Binns bt Grima 9-1, 9-0, 9-1; Hurst bt Staub 9-4, 9-0, 9-5).

Group B: Netherlands bt Hong Kong 3-0 (Scheweertmen bt Lau 6-9, 9-6, 10-8, 9-0; Bavel bt Choi 9-0, 8-10, 9-1, 9-3; Hoevenaars bt Vincent Yu 0-9, 9-3, 9-2, 9-4). Hong Kong bt Zimbabwe 3-0 (Dick Lau bt Shaun Johnstone 9-3, 9-7, 9-0; Patrick Choi bt Patrick Stevens 9-1, 9-1, 9-0; Vincent Yu bt Neil Robertson 9-5, 9-4, 9-0). Netherlands lost to U.S. 1-2 (Dylan Bennet lost to Julian Illingworth 8-10, 9-6, 6-9, 0-9; Piedro Schweertman bt Chistopher Gordon 9-4, 9-4, 9-3; Tom Hoevenaars lost to Nicholas Chirls 9-3, 8-10, 0-9,0-9). Pakistan bt Zimbabwe 2-1 (Khayal Muhmmad bt Shaun Johnstone 9-1, 9-1, 9-4; Majid Khan bt Patrick Stevens 9-0, 9-0,9-0; Safeerullah Khan's match against Daniel McElvaine scratched and match awarded to Zimbawe because Pakistan entered wrong player).

Group C: Australia bt Mexico 2-1 (Gough lost to Galvez 5-9, 5-9, 9-3, 9-5, 8-10; Frankcomb bt Becerril 9-2, 9-2, 9-2; Margan bt Fergoso 9-3, 5-9, 9-6, 9-0). Kuwait bt New Zealand 2-1 (Hussaini bt Sansom 9-5, 9-5, 9-3; Nasser Alramezi bt Johnston 10-9, 9-5, 9-3; Ali Alramezi lost to Knights 3-9, 7-9, 0-9). Kuwait bt Kenya 3-0 (Bader Hussaini bt Amar Shah 9-0, 9-0, 9-1; Nasser Alramezi bt Rahim Mohamed 9-0, 9-0, 9-0; Salem Faiz Mohammad bt Nadeem Sumar 9-0, 9-0, 9-1). Mexico lost to New Zealand 1-2 (Eric M. Galvez bt Shaun Sansom 9-1, 9-4, 9-5; Manuel Fregoso lost to Oliver Johnston 10-8, 2-9, 10-8, 2-9, 8-10; Gibran Ruiz lost to Martin Knights 1-9, 7-9, 4-9).

Group D: Malaysia lost to Scotland 1-2 (Timothy Arnold lost to Kristen Johnson 8-10, 6-9, 10-8, 9-4, 9-10; Wong Kim Lee bt Harry Gordon Leitch 9-1, 9-7, 9-2; Mohd. Nafzahizam lost to Ian Robert Murray 10-8, 6-9, 5-9, 9-1, 7-9). Egypt bt India 2-1 (Moustafa Essam lost to Sidddarth Suchde 9-7, 7-9, 4-9, 1-9; Ahmed Mohsen Hassan bt Saurav Ghosal 9-4, 7-9, 9-5, 5-9, 9-1; Sherif Moustafa Kamal bt Sahil Vora 9-6, 9-1, 9-5).

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