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CANTERBURY OPEN RESULTS
10 Apr 2006
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Ford beats Brewer in five to retain title.
This was the 3rd year that the tournament has run and it was by far the most successful. 47 players signed on to play for the first prize of £250. There were a few last minute hitches, with four of the top eight seeds pulling out for one reason of another, but after a frantic redraw the tournament was ready to go.
Last year there were 30 players, so this year's 47 was a fantastic turnout. And the quality of players went up too. Last year's 4th/5th seed was this year's 10th/11th seed. The main changes were that this year the scoring was American to 15 and the losing semi-finalists had to play off for 3rd/4th.
Thursday 6th April
With so many players the tournament had to begin a day earlier than scheduled to fit all the matches in. There were nine matches played on the Thursday with no upsets.
Friday 7th April
After winning convincingly on the Thursday, Dan Lockyer's reward was a 1st round clash with Ben Ford. A small crowd gathered to witness the slaughter on Friday lunchtime. Dan had a good go but Ben narrowly clinched it. Joe Magor (dressed like an absolute clown!) put in one of his best performances ever to slightly unsettle Neil Baker and take a game off him, but ultimately the Plate was beckoning. The closest match this round was between Sean Wardman and Chris Bainbridge. From early on in the first game it was clear the players were annoying each other and there was a possibility it would become a hard match to mark. The wimp of a first marker (me) made his excuses and past his duties to Simon Goddard. Sean won a hard fought match in five. Only one player didn't turn up for his match, citing a serious illness that he'd forgotten to tell me about?! And one player turned up fifteen minutes late, which meant he forfeited his match. Harsh but fair!
Saturday 8th April
In the closest match of the tournament Dave Rannard won 15/14 in the 5th against Tom Woods. Tom called one and promptly put the ball into the floor. Game, match, Dave. And the reward was to come back in the afternoon and play Ben! The surprise of the tournament came when Mark Lennox beat Malc Parker in four. No disrespect to Mark intended but no one out of us 'locals' expected it. Well played Mark! After the redraw Neil Baker phoned and asked, 'Have i got a better draw now?' I answered 'Yes' because he was avoiding Ben. But as it turns out he was less than impressed after having a hard run with Joe and then having another hard slog with James McMeckan. Eventually coming through in five. I did point out it was good for us spectators though!
Dave Rannard showed off his retrieval skills against Ben and took a game off him. Not to take anything away from Dave but was Ben still in 2nd gear? Probably. Most of us were expecting and hoping for Parker v Harrison but instead it was Lennox v Harrison. It didn't matter, as it was a great match to watch with Duane coming through in four hard fought games. Peter Goodings and Neil Baker was a cracking contest, with Neil finally meeting his match. Peter through in four.
Because there were three rounds of the Plate to get through on the Saturday the 1st round was 'best of 3' only. Steve Dunk made his first appearance of the tournament, and looked to be struggling the whole way through against an opponent he could beat (if he hadn't been out the night before!). At match ball in the 2nd he escaped an obvious stroke against himself and went on to take the game to make it 1-1. Unfortunately he couldn't maintain his efforts in the third. After last year's epic between Rob Coombs and Ali Coleman going all the way to five, this year's match was over in two, Rob coming out on top. The upset of the Plate has to be Dr. Beattie beating Matt Simmonds in three! Us doubters out there of the good doctors ability should be warned. Special mention must go to Robin Jegede-Brimson for turning up on time. Thank you Robin.
Robin v Martin Clark has to go down as the most entertaining match of the tournament. Robin took a two game lead but then got tired. Robin lost in five. All through the match Robin was playing with a selection of the most out of shape rackets, one resembling a lacrosse stick more than a squash racket. I'm not sure if they helped or hindered his game!
Sunday 9th April
Duane gave his all, and then some. He played some awesome squash against Ben and went down respectfully in four. I'm sure Ben had to move up a few gears for this one. In contrast, Peter was never in it against John. Was he saving himself for the 3rd/4th playoff or was John that good? John in three.
The inconvenient photographer from the paper turned up just as Peter and Duane were ready to start their 3rd/4th playoff. Everything had to be put on hold for ten minutes whilst the formalities were completed for the sponsors benefit. Sorry to you both! Duane was spent. Peter dominated from the beginning and didn't let up. Peter seemed the fresher and not even some artwork from Duane's boy could change his father's fortune. Peter in three.
After Ben and John had gone the distance at the Kent Closed Championships, expectations were high for a good final. We weren't disappointed. There were about thirty people present to witness some fantastic squash, and after three games John was up. People whispered upset? But no, Ben came back and won the next two games to retain his title. He had to work for it though! John looked shattered. He hadn't dropped a game up until now. Next time? Ben won 15-13 8-15 7-15 15-9 15-11
The Plate Semi's were interesting because two of the four contestants turned up hung over, but only one managed to get away with it. Had Joe turned up remotely sober and awake then I have every confidence that he would have won this one. As it was he almost became the 2nd player of the tournament to be thrown out for being late. Somehow everything was my fault?! Chris Bainbridge beat Joe 3-1 and Matt Badger beat Kavin Jayawardhana 3-2.
The Plate final was another close affair, with Matt coming through in five. 12-15 15-7 15-11 16-17 15-8
Special thanks must go to Brett for sponsoring the event, because without them there wouldn't be one.
Special thanks must also go to Ken Winstanley for giving up his time to mark and helping to take the brunt of people's anger away from me.
It was a fantastic weekend of squash that was well supported. Hopefully next year will be even more successful. Thank you all.
Contributor: Tom May
Preliminary Round
D.Lockyer beat B.Boutorabi 3-0, L.Corby beat K.Dartford 3-0, B.Alderson beat S.Barber 3-0, T.Kendle beat A.Coleman 3-0, W.Montgomery beat G.Cutting 3-0, J.Magor beat G.Brundle 3-0, J.Murphy beat D.Nixon 3-1, M.Clark beat M.Simmonds 3-0, M.Herod beat M.Beattie 3-0.
1st Round
B.Ford beat D.Lockyer 3-0, T.Woods beat L.Corby 3-0, D.Rannard beat P.Parham 3-0, D.Harrison beat B.Alderson 3-0, J.Larmouth beat M.Badger 3-0, M.Parker beat T.Kendle 3-0, M.Lennox beat R.Coombs 3-0, J.McMeckan beat W.Montgomery 3-0, N.Baker beat J.Magor 3-1, M.Van Oorschot beat K.Jayawardhana 3-0, P.Goodings beat J.Murphy 3-0, M.Nolan beat S.Eastman 3-1, M.Steeden beat M.Clark 3-0, S.Wardman beat C.Bainbridge 3-2, J.Brewer beat M.Herod 3-0.
2nd Round
B.Ford beat T.May 3-0, D.Rannard beat T.Woods 3-2, D.Harrison beat J.Larmouth 3-0, M.Lennox beat M.Parker 3-1, N.Baker beat J.McMeckan 3-2, P.Goodings beat M.Van Oorschot 3-0, M.Steeden beat M.Nolan 3-0, J.Brewer beat S.Wardman 3-0.
Quarter Finals
B.Ford beat D.Rannard 3-1, D.Harrison beat M.Lennox 3-1, P.Goodings beat N.Baker 3-1, J.Brewer beat M.Steeden 3-0.
Semi Finals
B.Ford beat D.Harrison 3-1, J.Brewer beat P.Goodings 3-0.
3rd/4th Playoff
P.Goodings beat D.Harrison 3-0.
Final
B.Ford beat J.Brewer 3-2.
Plate 1st Round
T.Kendle beat S.Dunk 2-1, R.Coombs beat A.Coleman 2-0, W.Montgomery beat B.Boutorabi 2-0, D.Lockyer beat D.Nixon 2-0, M.Beattie beat M.Simmonds 2-1, S.Eastman beat K.Dartford 2-0, K.Jayawardhana beat M.Herod 2-0, M.Clark beat G.Brundle 2-0, R.Jegede-Brimson beat D.Cox 2-1, J.Murphy beat B.Alderson 2-0.
Plate 2nd Round
J.Magor beat T.Kendle 3-0, R.Coombs beat S.Barber 3-0, C.Bainbridge beat G.Cutting 3-1, W.Montgomery beat D.Lockyer 3-0, S.Eastman beat M.Beattie 3-0, K.Jayawardhana beat L.Corby 3-1, M.Clark beat R.Jegede-Brimson 3-2, M.Badger beat J.Murphy 3-0.
Plate Quarter Finals
J.Magor beat R.Coombs 3-0, C.Bainbridge beat W.Montgomery 3-0, K.Jayawardhana beat S.Eastman 3-2, M.Badger beat M.Clark 3-0.
Plate Semi Finals
C.Bainbridge beat J.Magor 3-1, M.Badger beat K.Jayawardhana 3-2.
Plate Final
M.Badger beat C.Bainbridge 3-2.
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