Back 11 April 18 _{- by England Squash}

Knockout performances see Team England advance

Howard Harding and Gareth Evans report

The second and final day at the Commonwealth Games pool matches in the men’s, women’s and mixed squash doubles events saw all six English pairs qualify for the knockout stages of the respective competitions, which begin tomorrow (Thursday).

But not all of the pairs could possibly get through the day undefeated, as the two sets of English players vying for places in the women's quarter-finals were placed in the same qualifying pool - and in the morning faced each other.

In the event, second seeds Jenny Duncalf and Alison Waters justified their seeding by beating compatriots Laura Massaro & Sarah-Jane Perry, the No.7 seeds, 11-4, 11-7.

When asked if it difficult playing their team-mates, Duncalf, a former World No.2 said:

"It's obviously a very different dynamic to playing other countries, but in individuals we play each other all the time, so we're kind of used to it."

"But, in a funny way, being in the same group could be good for us if we both get through - so then we won't play each other in the knockout stages so soon.

"We played so much in the summer and just recently before we left. We knew what we wanted to do and were quietly confident - we thought we could do well.”

The No.2 seeds got off to a strong start on Tuesday, beating Scots Lisa Aitken and Alison Thomson. On that match, Waters added:

"It helped us having that match yesterday - it was a good match against the Scots and it got us into our flow and we came out really strong in that first one.”

Replying to a question about the number of matches players are playing in these early days, Duncalf said: "I enjoy it - we've both got three today, we're both playing the mixed and women's - the more I'm on court, the happier I am."

"The mixed is so tough, it sharpens me up for the women's as well. I love being on court. I didn't play the individuals so it's exciting getting a piece of the action!

Later in the day, Duncalf and Waters made it three victories out of three by comfortably beating Eilidh Bridgeman and Caroline Laing of the Cayman Islands in straight games (11-0, 11-2) , while Massaro and Perry earned a second win to clinch their place in the quarter-finals - but had to recover from a game down and battle for 50 minutes, before edging out Aitken and Thomson9-11, 11-8, 11-7.

Perry, the singles silver medallist, was emphatic: "The singles are completely out of my head - I had yesterday to get into the doubles. We just wanted to go on there and get the job done.”

Massaro admitted:

"We knew there was a lot of pressure on us and we weren't happy with our performance this morning. They won a silver medal at the world doubles, we practise with them a lot and we know how good they are.

"Even though we weren't that happy with our match this morning, we thought it would help us for tonight - and I think it did. We knew our backs were against the wall. I said to SJ after the second, if we lose this we go down with no regrets.

"We're two quality performers under pressure - in fact, that might have been the difference in the end as we back ourselves to be able to perform under a huge amount of pressure - being one-nil down - and hold it together. That wasn't our best squash but it's what makes me proud that we can come through when we're not playing our best."

In the men’s and mixed doubles events, England’s pairs all secured straight-games triumphs to progress to the knockout stages undefeated.

Men’s singles gold medalist, James Willstrop, and Declan James, who is making his first appearance in the Games, followed up their straightforward win on the opening day by seeing off the challenge of Pakistan’s Tayyab Aslam and Farhan Zaman (11-7, 11-3). And the other men’s doubles pairing of Daryl Selby and Adrian Waller - also yet to drop a game - beat Mohammad Syafiq Kamal and Earn Yow Ng from Malaysia (11-4, 11-8).

World Mixed Doubles 2017 runners-up Daryl Selby and Alison Waters, who had conceded only two points on the first day, were once again in imperious form as they trounced Meagan Best and Shawn Simpson of Barbados for the loss of just another five (11-3, 11-2).

And Jenny Duncalf and Adrian Waller, following a rather tighter opening match in which they had prevailed over three games, made lighter work of their second, Maltese mixed doubles opponents, Colette Sultana and Daniel Zammit-Lewis (11-5,11-7).

Elsewhere, a crucial encounter in the women's event saw top-seeded New Zealanders Joelle King & Amanda Landers-Murphy faced Aussie pair Sarah Cardwell & Christine Nunn, the No.8 seeds, in a match which the Kiwi world champions - after losing in Monday's first pool match - had to win in order to progress to the knockout stage.

With King, the newly-crowned Commonwealth singles gold medallist, now in the 'doubles zone', the favourites took just 21 minutes to see off the home duo 11-8, 11-6. King said:

"If we lost, we were definitely out. I guess we just wanted to come back and try and play better than we did yesterday - it was a pretty poor start from myself. I had the afternoon off yesterday and was able to recover a bit more."

Asked if it was it difficult to come down from Monday's high of gold medal success, King said:"Yes, not much sleep and all that - but we're professionals and that's what we've got to do.

"I was disappointed with the way I played yesterday - it wasn't good. I had to come back today and restart my doubles campaign. So hopefully we can move forward out of the round robin then see what else we can do."

When asked how she was handling playing both doubles events, with different partners, King explained: "Playing match after match is not so bad, we train to switch over pretty quickly. I just didn't expect as big a come-down from the singles. That was probably the hardest part of it. Transitioning was easy because we all know each other really well, we know what's working. But it's been a long week already.

Later in the day, the Kiwi pair's surprise first day victors Rachel Arnold & Sivasangari Subramaniam, the 9th seeds from Malaysia, completed a second successive upset win by fighting back from a game down to beat Cardwell & Nunn10-11, 11-6, 11-5 - thereby topping Pool A, ahead of fellow qualifiers King & Landers-Murphy.

"We're very excited," said Arnold. "It's our first tournament together - and it's in the Commonwealth so I'm very happy with our performance. After yesterday, it was important for us to get a win today as well and not just slow down."

New Zealander Paul Coll was also rapidly adjusting to doubles play after battling to silver in the men's individual final less than two days earlier. His first of the day's two matches was a men's fixture in which he partnered Campbell Grayson to an 11-4, 11-10 victory over Maltese pair Bradley Hindle & Daniel Zammit-Lewis.

How easy was the change from singles? "It's not easy, you've got to be pretty switched on," said the world No.9 (pictured above, foreground, in the day's Mixed match). "Yesterday morning was tough, today is a lot better. Campbell carried me yesterday, made it easy for me. But we've got a great team from New Zealand, physios, etc, who take wonderful care of us. Body's feeling good."

His partner agreed: "He's come from such a high, the emotion and everything - and doubles is a lot different as well, and I've had the opportunity to play for the last couple of days. I've just got to try and look after him and help him when I need to."

Coll interjected: "He's a good masseuse as well!"

Grayson responded instantly: "Yes, they call him Superman - but I'm going for the Superman role now!"

Coll continued: "Since the individuals started I haven't had time to play any doubles - but it comes back pretty quickly. One or two matches and it clicks pretty well - and we've got our communication sorted out which is key to us, we trust each other.

"Malta came out firing in the second game and got an early lead. We had to talk about our tactics and find a solution, which we did. And from 8-3 down we won 11-10. Yes, that was tough."

Results

Men's Doubles 2nd Pool round:
Pool A
[1] Ryan Cuskelly & Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [16] Mandela Patrick & Kale Wilson (TRI) 11-0, 11-2 (14m)
Pool B
[2] Alan Clyne & Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [15] Jason-Ray Khalil & Sunil Seth (GUY) 11-3, 11-3 (17m)
Pool C
[3] Paul Coll & Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [14] Bradley Hindle & Daniel Zammit-Lewis (MLT) 11-4, 11-10 (27m)
Pool D
[4] Declan James & James Willstrop (ENG) bt [13] Tayyab Aslam & Farhan Zaman (PAK) 11-7, 11-3 (30m)
Pool E
[5] Zac Alexander & David Palmer (AUS) bt [12] Christopher Binnie & Lewis Walters (JAM) 11-7, 11-5 (30m)
Pool F
[11] Vikram Malhotra & Ramit Tandon (IND) bt [6] Peter Creed & Joel Makin (WAL) 11-7, 8-11, 11-10 (46m)
Pool G
[7] Daryl Selby & Adrian Waller (ENG) bt [10] Mohd Syafiq Kamal & Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 11-4, 11-8 (27m)
Pool H
[8] Nafiizwan Adnan & Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [9] Lance Beddoes & Evan Williams (NZL) 11-9, 11-10 (46m)

Women's Doubles 2nd & Final Pool round:
Pool A
[1] Joelle King & Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [8] Sarah Cardwell & Christine Nunn (AUS) 11-8, 11-6 (21m)
[9] Rachel Arnold & Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [8] Sarah Cardwell & Christine Nunn (AUS) 10-11, 11-6, 11-5 (38m)
Pool B
[10] Lisa Aitken & Alison Thomson (SCO) bt Eilidh Bridgeman & Caroline Laing (CAY) 11-2, 11-2 (12m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf & Alison Waters (ENG) bt [7] Laura Massaro & Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 11-4, 11-7 (26m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf & Alison Waters (ENG) bt Eilidh Bridgeman & Caroline Laing (CAY) 11-0, 11-2 (12m)
[7] Laura Massaro & Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt [10] Lisa Aitken & Alison Thomson (SCO) 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 (50m)
Pool C
[3] Joshna Chinappa & Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) bt [6] Tesni Evans & Deon Saffery (WAL) 11-8, 7-11, 11-8 (30m)
Dianne Kellas & Colette Sultana (MLT) bt [11] Faiza Zafar & Madina Zafar (PAK) 11-4, 11-10 (17m)
[3] Joshna Chinappa & Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) bt Dianne Kellas & Colette Sultana (MLT) 11-5, 11-6 (15m)
[6] Tesni Evans & Deon Saffery (WAL) bt [11] Faiza Zafar & Madina Zafar (PAK) 11-3, 11-5 (16m)
Pool D
[5] Samantha Cornett & Nikki Todd (CAN) bt [12] Samantha Hennings & Marlene West (CAY) 11-8, 11-5 (17m)
[4] Rachael Grinham & Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt Taylor Fernandes & Mary Fung-A-Fat (GUY) 11-2, 11-2 (10m)

Mixed Doubles 2nd & Final Pool round:
Pool A
[1] Joelle King & Paul Coll (NZL) bt [16] Dianne Kellas & Bradley Hindle (MLT) 11-2, 11-4 (12m)
Pool B
[2] Alison Waters & Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [15] Meagan Best & Shawn Simpson (BAR) 11-3, 11-2 (15m)
[15] Meagan Best & Shawn Simpson (BAR) bt Alison Mua & Stephen Henry (FIJ) 11-2, 11-1 (8m)
Pool C
[14] Marlene West & Cameron Stafford (CAY) bt Khaaliqa Nimji & Hardeep Reel (KEN) 11-5, 11-8 (13m)
[3] Tesni Evans & Peter Creed (WAL) bt [14] Marlene West & Cameron Stafford (CAY) 11-5, 11-5 (15m)
Pool D
[4] Donna Urquhart & Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [13] Faiza Zafar & Farhan Zaman (PAK) 11-3, 11-6 (12m)
Pool E
[12] Madina Zafar & Tayyab Aslam (PAK) bt Mary Fung-A-Fat & Jason-Ray Khalil (GUY) 11-6, 11-9 (18m)
Pool F
[6] Rachael Grinham & Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt Charlotte Knaggs & Kale Wilson (TRI) 11-0, 11-4 (10m)
Pool G
[7] Jenny Duncalf & Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Colette Sultana & Daniel Zammit-Lewis (MLT) 11-5, 11-7 (16m)
Pool H
[8] Joshna Chinappa & Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt [9] Lisa Aitken & Kevin Moran (SCO) 11-10, 11-8 (28m)