There was a win for Wales in the Premier Squash League on Tuesday, but it was a night when the Welsh Wizards failed to start at RAC.
The winner was Joel Makin, from Haverfordwest, when he defeated Australian World number 23 Cameron Pilley while playing for University of Birmingham Lions.
They won 3-2 against Newcastle University/Northumberland Club with Wales number one and World 33 Makin beating Pilley 11-9, 11-3.
Wizards opening the 2018-19 PSL season with a home win against Coolhurst, but faced a tough test against Tradition @ RAC in London.
There were four Welsh players in the team plus talented young Spaniard Edmon Lopez in the Wizards line-up.
World number 12 Tesni Evans had a desperately close battle with England’s Alison Waters before being edged out 11-8. 11-13, 11-9, while Elliott Morris Devred from Cardiff SRC pushed Ben Coleman to the limit before going down 11-5, 10-12, 11-5.
Wizards have World number three Marwan ElShorbagy in their team plus French ace Gregory Gaultier, who is ranked at seven.
It is highly likely at least one of those will play in the home match against Chichester at the Sport Wales National Centre on Tuesday, November 6.
Further details can be obtained from mike.workman@squash.wales, while the team website is at http://www.welshwizards.com/
Chichester’s team is headed up by French number two and World number 26 Mathieu Castagnet.
Tradition@RAC (13) 5-0 Welsh Wizards (2)
Results, Paul Coll 2-0 Peter Creed 11-8, 11-8
Daryl Selby 2-0 Edmon Lopez 11-5, 11-5
Ben Coleman 2-1 Elliott Morris devred 11-5, 10-12, 11-5
George Parker 2-0 David Evans 12-10, 11-6
Alison Waters 2-1 Tesni Evans 11-8, 11-13, 11-9
Round Two of the PSL season saw Tradition @ RAC and Team Pontefract go top of their divisions.
Reigning Champions St George’s Hill found themselves 2-0 down at Chichester after wins from Miles Jenkins plus Jared Carter and the home side had a chance to clinch victory in the third match.
Jasmine Hutton sneaked the second for St George’s 12-10 on her way to beating Ali Thomson and Tom Richards made it 2-2 before Mohamed ElShorbagy completed the St George’s comeback.
PSL round two results:
Northern Division
UWE/Elite Squash Bristol (7) 2-3 Warwick/Kenilworth (10)
Youssef Soliman 1-2 Raphael Kandra 11-9, 4-11, 7-11
David Baillargeon 2-1 Iker Pajares 11-8, 7-11, 11-4
Mike Harris 1-2 Baptiste Masotti 11-6, 17-19, 3-11
James Peach 1-2 Harry Falconer 11-6, 9-11, 9-11
Joshna Chinappa 2-0 Julianne Courtice 11-8, 11-6
University of Nottingham (6) 2-3 Team Pontefract (10)
Nick Matthew 2-0 James Willstrop 11-5, 11-4
Declan James 1-2 Chris Simpson 11-7, 7-11, 3-11
Richie Fallows 2-1 Patrick Rooney 11-9, 5-11, 11-8
Lewis Walters 1-2 Abhay Singh 11-6, 4-11, 7-11
Coline Aumard 0-2 Laura Massaro 6-11, 4-11
University of Birmingham Lions (10) 3-2 Newcastle University/Northumberland Club (4)
Joel Makin 2-0 Cameron Pilley 11-9, 11-3
Jan vd Herrewegen 2-0 Alan Clyne 11-9, 11-5
Stuart Macgregor 1-2 Rob Downer 11-7, 5-11, 9-11
Josh Owen 0-2 Owain Taylor 6-11, 2-11
Millie Tomlinson 2-0 Sam Ward 11-5, 11-1
Southern Division
Tradition @ RAC (13) 5-0 Welsh Wizards (2)
Paul Coll 2-0 Peter Creed 11-8, 11-8
Daryl Selby 2-0 Edmon Lopez 11-5, 11-5
Ben Coleman 2-1 Elliott Morris devred 11-5, 10-12, 11-5
George Parker 2-0 David Evans 12-10, 11-6
Alison Waters 2-1 Tesni Evans 11-8, 11-13, 11-9
Team Chichester (5) 2-3 Luxfords St George’s Hill (9)
Tim Vail 0-2 Mohamed ElShorbagy 6-11, 9-11
Kyle Finch 0-2 Tom Richards 8-11, 5-11
Miles Jenkins 2-0 Charlie Lee 11-8, 11-8
Jared Carter 2-0 Paul Broadberry 11-2, 11-7
Alison Thomson 1-2 Jasmine Hutton 12-10, 10-12, 5-11
Coolhurst (9) 3-2 Bexley (5)
Greg Lobban 0-2 Mazen Hesham 7-11, 5-11
Adrian Waller 0-2 Olli Tuominen 6-11, 7-11
Vini Rodrigues 2-0 Bradley Masters 11-7, 11-7
Karim Ibrahim 2-0 Curtis Malik 11-8, 11-9
Donna Lobban 2-1 Misaki Kobayashi 11-4, 7-11, 13-11
Remaining PSL fixtures in 2018
November
Tuesday 6: Warwick/Kenilworth v Nottingham, Welsh Wizards v Chichester, Bristol v Birmingham, RAC v Coolhurst, Pontefract v Newcastle, St George’s v Bexley.
Tuesday 27: Warwick/Kenilworth v Pontefract, Welsh Wizards v St George’s, Bristol v Newcastle, RAC v Bexley, Birmingham v Nottingham, Coolhurst v Chichester.
December
Tuesday 4: Newcastle v Warwick/Kenilworth, Bexley v Welsh Wizards, Nottingham v Bristol, Chichester v RAC, Pontefract v Birmingham, St George’s v Coolhurst.
Second Half fixtures reversed, dates to be confirmed.
