R5: Nottingham lose out in local derby

Air-IT Nottingham v Everards Leicester

Hana Ramadan (Notts) 3 – Emily Whitlock (Leicester) 2 : 4/11, 11/7, 8/11, 11/8, 11/8

This was one of the best quality and most entertaining women’s matches of the season so far. The more experienced Whitlock got off to a fighting start taking the first game 11/4 with accurate controlled squash. Ramadan found her feet in the second and began to move the ball around the court well with attacking squash to level at one game all. The next three games were all close with only three points separating the two players but in the end Ramadan’s explosive movement was too much for Whitlock. The deciding game going the way of Ramadan 11/8.

Matthew Broadberry (Notts) 0 – Angus Gillams (Leicester) 3 : 5/11, 4/11, 3/11

The difference in the world rankings with Gillams ranked at 91 and Broadberry at 364 meant that this was always going to be a tough tie for Air-IT Nottingham. Gillams has been on good form on the world tour recently and he continued this right from the start in this fixture. Despite fighting hard Broadberry was always up against it and the match finished 3-0 in Leicester’s favor.

Mark Fuller (Notts) 3 – George Parker (Leicester) 2 : 11/7, 8/11, 12/10, 8/11, 11/8

In almost a complete repeat of the fixture last year once again Fuller and Parker were engaged in a near 100 minute battle. The squash was fast paced and aggressive right from the start with both players giving everything they had in an attempt to put their team ahead in the tie. Unlike last season where Parker clinched the victory at the end of a long fifth and deciding game this year it was Fuller’s turn winning 11/8 and putting Air-IT Nottingham back into the lead.

Chris Fuller (Notts) 1 – Ben Coleman (Leicester) 3 : 11/7, 7/11, 5/11, 5/11

Fuller and Coleman are both fast, fit and play solid controlled squash. This was always going to be long match and it did not disappoint. In the first game Fuller had the advantage moving Coleman round well and finding winners from promising positions. The second game was almost a mirror image of the first. Coleman was hitting the ball slightly better than Fuller and became the one finding the winners. Despite an even start it was the Leicester man who pulled away to take the second game 11/7, the third 11/5 and decide the match with a decisive 11/5 in the 4th.

Alan Clyne (Notts) 2 – Daryl Selby (Leicester) 3 : 11/8, 8/11, 11/6, 10/12, 6/11

With the overall match level at two games all the tie was decided by the number one strings, Alan Clyne the Scottish no.1 for Air-IT Nottingham and Daryl Selby the England no.3 for Leicester. Clyne started well with frantic aggressive squash and eventually claimed the first game 11/8. Selby came back in the second and began to control the game with tidy organized length to level the match at 1-1 before an apparent lapse in concentration lead to the third being taken by Clyne 11/6. The fourth game was Air-IT Nottingham’s real chance to take the match and it could not have been closer. Both players were desperately retrieving at times with the score line being level throughout. In the end it took a tiebreak to separate the two competitors with it going Selby’s way 12/10.

After the excitement and relief in taking the fourth game and opening up an early lead in the fifth Selby began to feel secure in victory leading to some fantastically entertaining exhibition style squash to finish.

. Leicester continue their fantastic run of form with another win but it could not have been closer with two rallies in the end deciding the tie.

Post Match interviews