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New Zealand Claims Four Australian Masters Age Group Titles

Tony Johnston reports on the four titles claimed by the Kiwis at the Australian Masters Championships in Ballarat.

Gold Medals went to:

  • Top seed Jo Shanks beat Davina Harding (NSW) 9/3, 9/1, 9/5 in the W's 35+. The win was comfortable with her length and front court play being superior. She's looking in great touch and we'll be counting on her to win again in the third test match
  • Gary Duberly, seeded two, had to use every ounce of energy and skill to overcome Gary Pedersen (Vic) in four tight games to win the 50+, the score being 10/8, 7/9, 9/8, 9/4. Slightly off colour, he was somehow able to use his vast experience and full array of shots to get a well deserved win
  • Top seed Wayne Seebeck won in three (9/1, 9/3, 9/1) over Phil Gott (Q/L) to complete a relatively easy clean sweep in the 65+ round robin and looks set to perform well in the Test on Saturday
  • Travelling as an individual, third seed Kaye Jackson (Auckland) beat the number one seed Robyn Prentice (4/9, 10/8, 10/9, 9/4 to also win gold in the W's 70+ in what was a very competitive and closely matched grade

Silver Medals went to:

  • Sam Atkins M's 35+ had lost to Jeff Osbourne ((Q/L) three straight in the first two tests, but at 2/1 up and playing brilliantly, he was in with a chance of winning the title. Sadly he wasn't able to win the last two games going down in five (10/9, 9/10, 9/0,5/9, 0/9)
  • Nadine Cull played former Australian international Michelle Martin (Q/L) in the final of the W's 40+ and began well winning the first set 9/6 before succumbing in the next three 3/9, 1/9, 2/9
  • Lisa Cowlard was up against five times World Champion Sarah Fitzgerald (Vic) in the W's 45+ and while she used every ounce of gutsy determination that she is renowned for, the task was always going to be very difficult losing 2/9, 1/9, 5/9
  • Mark Waldin played perennial Trans Tasman team member Jim Mobbs (Q/L) in the M's 60+, the man he beat in both the first and second tests and we had high expectations for the final, but unfortunately he went down in three of the tightest sets 8/10, 8/10, 9/10

Bronze Medals went to:

  • Seeded three in the M's 40+, Allan Crome struck an extremely difficult draw, playing really well but still losing a very tight match 9/10 in the fourth in his semi-final before going on to beat Danny Woodbank (Q/L) 3/9, 9/5, 9/6, 9/2 to finish third
  • Kathryn MaKay easily beat Melanie Watford (Q/L) 9/4, 9/0, 9/0 to claim Bronze in the W's 50+
  • Karen Walton, W's 55+, also had an easy victory (9/6, 9/1, 9/3) to defeat Tracey Partridge (Q/L) in her play off for third
  • Unfortunately, Judy Smith, W's 65+ became ill on finals day morning and wasn't able to contest the Silver medal in her round robin, but she had done enough in previous matches to claim bronze and fingers are crossed that she will recover in time to play the test match on Saturday

Notice the scores! The Australian Squash Masters is a separate organisation from Squash Australia and still use the old scoring system (hand in/hand out and first to nine). They did agree, however, to use the international scoring system (PAR 11) in the Test matches.


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