England vandt sikkert i finalen - selv om David Palmer bragte Australien på 1-0

Fra World Squash News:

In a dramatic climax to the ICL World Men's Team Squash Championship - the 21st staging of the biennial event since 1967 - defending champions England fought back from a match down to beat long-time rivals Australia 2/1 in today's (Wednesday) final at the ICL Squash Academy in Chennai, India.

The triumph marked the first final between Australia and England since 1991 - and the first ever England win over Australia in a world final! The victory also takes England's title tally to four since 1995, and stopped their rivals from extending their record to nine trophy triumphs.

The opening encounter was a battle between the teams' number ones, with Australia's former world champion David Palmer, ranked four in the world, facing Nick Matthew, the world No5 from Sheffield in Yorkshire. Their previous head-to-head tally showed Palmer 11-5 ahead, and the 31-year-old from New South Wales duly took the opening two games.

But the Englishman struck back to draw level - winning the fourth game for just two points. However, the experienced Aussie rediscovered his form and eventually ran out an 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 2-11, 11-4 winner in 82 minutes.

Almost exactly five years ago, James Willstrop won the world junior individual championship on the same courts in Chennai. And, in his first time back in the former Madras since that success, the 24-year-old Englishman beat Stewart Boswell to level the tie. But it was a tense and tight tussle, in which the world No6 from Yorkshire needed 65 minutes to overcome his lower-ranked opponent before prevailing 11-8, 11-7, 11-10 (2-0).

And the decider was no less dramatic - and only marginally shorter. But Englishman Peter Barker, in his maiden appearance in a world team championship, delivered an assured performance as he defeated Cameron Pilley - also a world championship newcomer - 11-6, 11-3, 11-8 in 60 minutes to clinch the title for England.

"We were represented by an exceptional group of players," said England Squash Chief Executive Nick Rider after the team's success. "Winning a world championship is difficult enough - and retaining it so convincingly is testament to the courage and determination of these world-class guys. We are immensely proud of them."

In the play-off for third place, third seeds France beat favourites Egypt 2/0, and Malaysia recorded their best ever finish by beating Canada 2/0 in the fifth place play-off. Hosts India marked their best finish since 1979, despite losing to Netherlands in the seventh place play-off.

Event newcomers Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Chinese Taipei finished in 26th, 27th and 29th places, respectively.

Læs meget mere om herre VM for hold i Chennai, Indien på squashsite og på den officielle VM side.

 

Mads Seiersen 14-12-2007