Chichester’s Olly Pett wins the match of his life!

The 3^rd round of the Premier Squash League Group B was staged at Chichester Racquets & Fitness Club this week with Team Chichester playing top of the table TWP St. George’s Hill Weybridge and indeed it was a ‘top of the table’ team that visited the Club.  Team Chichester remained unchanged from last week’s victorious squad but this week faced an extremely tough challenge against a very strong St. George’s Hill; a team comprising 4 players in the World’s top 50.

Alex Gough, third string for Chichester, played Nicolas Mueller, World No.39.  A gallant Gough once again battled hard and was very competitive in the first game but thereafter faded; he was giving away almost 20 years and this began to tell as the match progressed.  Mueller won comfortably 8/11, 5/11, 4/11

St George’s 1 up.

Meanwhile, on the adjacent court, Lauren Briggs (Chi.) played Sussex player, Rachel Willmott.  Lauren was doing her best to keep Chichester in the match and controlled the ‘T’ superbly to run out a 11/7, 11/5, 11/9 winner.

1-all

Following on, Nic Birt (Chi.), took on World No.48, Mark Krajcsak.  This proved to be a tough match but the difference in rankings was evident once again.  Birt steadfastly fought well throughout and gave 100% effort, and was generally in most of the rallies, but Krajcsak always seemed to have the last say.  As the score suggests, Krajcsak dominated all the way through the match for his 11/5, 11/4, 11/5 win.


Winchester 1.2 up on the night.

On the glass-back show court Tim Vail (Chi) took on Tom Richards, the World No.32. Inspired play by Vail, including a series of his trademark nicks, helped him take a close first game.  More of the same by both players followed in the second.  Richards speed around the court put Vail under increasing pressure and Richards snatched a close second to level the score.  Richards upped his game in the third and increased the pressure; mistakes began to creep into Vail’s game. Richards won the game with ease 2/11.  In the fourth Richards was always slightly ahead with Vail increasingly tiring.  Richards’ speed and consistency proved too much for Vail and Richards won the game 7/11 to give St. George’s Hill an unassailable lead.

1.3 and the match to St. George’s Hill.  

The final match was between Olly Pett (World No.145, a former International Junior and Chichester’s U23 player for the season) and Daryl Selby (currently World No.13 and 6 times National Racketball Champion) proved to be an enthralling classic. Pett played superlative squash against a man 132 places above him in the PSA ranking list.  Pett continually attacked, combined with superb deft touches and, together with Selby’s retrieving, the match was utterly spellbinding.  Pett took the first game on a tie-break 12/10.  Selby then battled back to take the next 2 games 9/11, 9/11 before the momentum swung back to Pett who gallantly won the 4^th 11/5 to force a decider. 

An unbelievable 5^th game followed and the atmosphere could only be described as electric.  Was another major upset on the cards?  Pett reached match point at 10/8, Selby saved one before Pett converted it to win the match of his life!  The headline “World No. 145 beats World No. 13” will reverberate around the squash world for a while to come. 

2.3. to St. George’s Hill

Olly said after the match “It’s the best win I’ve had and together with my win last week against Joey Barrington I’m feeling brilliant.” 

Team Chichester’s next match is away to Exeter on 25 January 2011.

Mike Phillips

Team Manager.