Squash teams event to begin

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32678, 6 August 1971, Page 20

Squash teams event to begin

CNew Zealand Press Auociation)

PALMERSTON NORTH. After four hard days of practice, teams competing in the third international squash tournament will take to the courts today in the first round of the teams event.

Most players from the seven competing countries are satisfied with their form, and there is confidence in most camps, with the possible exception of the Canadians who are really here to learn.

All teams have had equal time on the championship court, and all the training has been watched by large crowds. ■» The favourite for the teams’ event must be the Australian trio of G. Hunt, C. Nancarrow and K. Hiscoe. Australia’s strength is shown by the placing of Hiscoe, a former world champion, at No. 3.

Hunt, still only aged 24, has won the only two international singles titles contested sd far, and there appears to be no limit as to now far he can go. Nancarrow reached the final of the 1967 international event before losing to Hunt. GOOD WARM-UP Australia had a good warm-up for the event by soundly beating New Zealand in the Slazenger , Trophy event on Wednesday. Nancarrow lost a game to .New Zealand’s L. Greene, but he will improve. The teams with the best chance of upsetting the Australians appear to be Britain and the United Arab Republic. The latter has two players who can boast victories over the great English player, J. Barrington. They are Asran, who won the New Zealand title in Wellington on Sunday, and Kaoud. They cannot be underestimated, although the present cold weather in Palmerston North might upset them. Britain has an experienced team, led by P. Ayton. The experienced M. Corby fared the best of the team in the

New Zealand championship He reached the final before losing to Asran. Pakistan, once the top country in the world, and third in 1969, will be trying hard with a young team, and India and New Zealand are capable of causing an upset. The first match in the series will be between Canada and India. Later in the day New Zealand plays the United Arab Republic, and Great Britain plays Pakistan.

Australia does not play until 7 p.m. on Saturday, when it will meet Great Britain.