Surrey take the points at Chichester

Round 9 of the PSL took place at Chichester Racquets & Fitness Club this week with pnh Properties Team Chichester playing defending champions Surrey Health and Rackets Club; with Team Chichester still looking to kick start their season.

First on the show court were the number 3 strings, Chichester’s Pete Genever against the Italian champion, Davide Bianchetti. After a tight start and with the first game poised at 6-all Genever, unfortunately, made 4 mistakes to hand the hand the game to his opponent. It was, thereafter, one way traffic as Bianchetti upped the pace to win 6/11, 2/11, 5/11.

On the adjoining court, Dominique Lloyd-Walter (Chichester) was playing World Open finalist Vicki Botwright. Lloyd-Walter took the first 11/6 and then Botwright got into her stride and began to move the ball around the court beautifully. Although the next 3 games were tight Botwright took them 7/11, 9/11, 11/3 to put Surrey 2 up on the night.

Next on the show court Chichester’s Captain, Tim Vail, took on the World No.10, Peter Barker. In a very entertaining match, with nicks aplenty, the 10/12, 6/11, 6/11 scoreline highlighted that, after a nip and tuck first game, Barker kept control with good controlled squash. This was complemented by Vail’s usual array of outrageous nicks; but at the end of the day this was not consistent enough to trouble the World No.10. This decided the match with Surrey storming to a 0.3. advantage.

The number 4 strings played next; Chichester’s Olly Pett faced Adrian Waller of Surrey. After a tight opening game, which Waller sneaked 9/11, Pett began to play good solid, no frills, squash to dominate the next 3 games to win the match 11/4, 11/2, 11/7.

Finally Chichester’s Alex Gough faced the World No.9 Wael el Hindi. The entertainment – a combination of brilliant squash and good humoured banter – saw el Hindi prevail 8/11, 4/11, 9/11 with Gough more than playing his part in an entertaining spectacle.

So 4.1 to Surrey and where do Chichester go from here? Actually it’s to Bristol next week in search of a better result in their penultimate match.

Mike Phillips
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