Welsh squash fans were treated to a squash match of the highest quality when two of the World’s best players clashed in Cardiff.

Egyptian Marwan ElShorbagy, ranked number eight in the World, played for Welsh Wizards and faced New Zealand’s Commonwealth Games gold medallist Paul Coll at the Sport Wales National Centre.

Coll, who is two places higher than ElShorbagy in the rankings, edged to victory in a desperately close match in front of a sell-out attendance of 200 spectators.

There were signs that former World number three ElShorbagy is regaining his top form when he produced some phenomenal squash which Coll could not match.

But the Wizards’ number one did not quite have the consistency to win the first string game and Coll won 10-12, 11-7, 11-3.

Overall, Tradition@RAC won 4-1, but the match was in the balance after Cardiff Met University student Grace Gear won in straight games against Alice Green.

Former British Open champion David Evans, from Griffithstown, almost edged out Ben Coleman in the first, but was edged out 9-11, 6-11.

Barcelona-based Edmon Lopez took on a massive challenge when he played Daryl Selby, who is ranked 17 in the World.

Lopez, who is 59 places lower in the rankings, went toe-to-toe with Selby and the RAC player looked in trouble when the score was 10-10 in the final game.

Selby, from Essex, was relieved to emerge an 11-6, 3-11, 12-10 winners.

It was a disappointing result for newly-formed Welsh Wizards in the World’s strongest team squash league.

They are now third in their group, but are right in the mix to qualify for the play-offs with three matches left.

Premier Squash League round seven results/fixture

WarKens (12) 4, Bristol (3) 1

1 Raphael Kandra beat Tom Ford (2-0) 11-4, 11-7

2 Iker Pajares beat Sean Conroy (2-0) 13-11, 11-9

3 Mark Fuller lost to Mike Harris (1-2) 9-11, 11-3, 5-11

4 Harry Falconer beat James Peach (2-0) 11-8, 11-9

5 Julianne Courtice beat Lily Taylor (2-1) 8-11, 11-9, 11-6

Pontefract (13) 5, Nottingham (1) 0

1 James Willstrop beat Declan James (2-0) 11-9, 11-4

2 Chris Simpson beat Julian Tomlinson (2-0) 11-3, 12-10

3 Abhay Singh beat Lewis Walters (2-1) 11-3, 4-11, 11-6

4 Sam Todd beat Jayden Gough (2-0) 11-3, 11-6

5 Laura Massaro beat Hana Ramadan (2-0) 11-6, 11-5

Newcastle (13) 5, Birmingham (2) 0 

1 Cameron Pilley beat Jan vd Herrewegan (2-0) 12-10, 11-8

2 Piedro Schweertman beat Stuart Macgregor (2-1) 3-11, 11-8, 11-6

3 Rob Downer beat Ryan Picken (2-0) 11-5, 11-8

4 Chris Wiggins beat Michael Mattimore (2-0) 12-10, 11-0

5 Lisa Aitken beat Millie Tomlinson (2-1) 11-6, 6-11, 11-6

Welsh Wizards (4) 1, Tradition@RAC (11) 4

1 Marwan ElShorbagy lost to Paul Coll (1-2) 12-10, 7-11, 3-11

2 Edmon Lopez lost to Daryl Selby (1-2) 6-11, 11-3, 10-12

3 Elliott Morris Devred lost to George Parker (0-2) 6-11, 5-11

4 David Evans lost to Ben Coleman (0-2) 9-11, 6-11 

5 Grace Gear beat Alice Green (2-0) 11-6, 11-9

St George’s (12) 4, Chichester (2) 1

1 Tom Richards lost to Mathieu Castagnet (1-2) 11-7, 7-11, 6-11

2 Borja Golan beat Tim Vail (2-0) 11-4, 11-7

3 Carlos Cornes beat Tom Walsh (2-0) 12-10, 11-6

4 Robbie Temple beat Miles Jenkins (2-0) 11-8, 11-7

5 Jasmine Hutton beat Lauren Briggs (2-0) 11-3, 11-6

Fixture on Friday, February 8

Bexley v Coolshurst

1 Josh Masters v Greg Lobban

2 Olli Tuominen v Adrian Waller

3 Benjamin Aubert v Joe Green

4 Diego Gobbi v Vini Rodriguez

5 Elise Lazarus v Katie Maliff

For Wizards match tickets click on the link below:

welshwizards.com/book-tickets

Premier Squash League fixtures:

Round eight:

March

Tuesday 5: Nottingham v WarKens, Chichester v Welsh Wizards, 

Friday 8: Birmingham v Bristol, Coolshurst v Tradition@RAC, Newcastle v Pontefract, Bexley v St George’s.

Round nine:

March

Tuesday 19: Pontefract v WarKens, St George’s v Welsh Wizards, Nottingham v Birmingham, Chichester v Coolshurst..

Friday 22: Newcastle v Bristol, Bexley v Tradition@RAC.

Round 10:

April

Tuesday 2: WarKens v Newcastle, Tradition@RAC v Chichester, Bristol v Nottingham, Birmingham v Pontefract, Welsh Wizards v Bexley.

Friday 5: Coolshurst v St George’s.

Play-Off semi-finals to be played week commencing May 6, while the final will be at St George’s on Saturday, June 1.