Lilley should push Brownlee this time

Press, 4 August 1977, Page 14

Lilley should push Brownlee this time

Murray Lilley should make Bruce Brownlee work hard if he meets the New Zealand and British amateur champion in the final of “I he Press” invitation open squash tournament this week-end. This should be the case even though the 30-year-old New Plymouth player has lost to Brownlee quite decisively on each of the last two occasions they have met. About six weeks ago Urown'.ee beat Lilley, 9-3, 2-9, 10-8, 9-1, in the final of the South Island championships and in the recent national tournament he won the final, 9-4, 10-9, 9-6. The games took 66min and 75min respectively. On both occasions the super-fit Lilley surprised bv running out of steam

in the later stages of the contest but there is good reason to suppose he will prolong the struggle this time. At the nationals, Lilley was obviously affected by the tremendous struggle he had in the semi-finals with the 1976 national champion, Howard Broun (Remuera). The match lasted a strength-sapping 95min with an incredible 92 let appeals made by the two players before Lilley won, 9-3, 3-9, £-6, 108

Brownlee (the world’s top-ranked amateur), on the other hand, had a comparatively easy semifinal against his fellow New Zealand representative, Neven Barbour (Henderson). Only 43min (9mm for the last game) was re-

quired for the contest which the 22-year-old Rotorua player won, 9-3, 108. 9-2.

And the talented Brownlee was playing so well that one spectator remarked after the final: “There was no way Bruce was "fling to lose.” This time it could be a little different though with Lilley’s determination and great retrieving and Brownlee’s shot-making ability providing the ingredients for a truly grand final.

And Lilley has already shown a capacity for great resilience this season. He beat Brownlee, 9-5, 2-9, 9-5, 1-9, 10-8 jn the final of the North Island championships in June after trailing 3-8 in the fifth and having four match balls called against him.

No doubt he will be j hoping that his likely | semi-final opponent, Fred I Howell (one of two visI iting Australians), will not I be quite a stubborn oppo- | nent as Broun proved in I Auckland two weeks ago. Howell, seeded third, is

one of the leading profe sionals in the stroi

squash state of Victoria. His presence in the draw makes for a classy field, as well as adding an international flavour.

His compatriot, Len Steward, is seeded fourth and should make Brownlee work in the other semifinal. Steward, an amateur, is rated only a marginally inferior player to Howell ind was unbeaten in the No. 2 position when he played for Victoria in the last Australian interstate championships.

It will be interesting to see how two of the lead ing local players, Rod Hayes and Paul McFadzien, cope with the skills of Steward and lowell respectively if they meet, as planned, in the quarterfinals on Saturday morn-

Hayes, in particular, has been in fine form this season and the 20-year-old’s five tournament victories have included the Canterbury title — usually the preserve of North Islanders or Australians. In the words of a fellow Cantabrian, Hayes “didn’t put a foot wrong” during the nationals and his only losses (in nine matches) were to Brownlee. Lilley and Broun — all New Zealand representatives. Among the scalps Hayes collected was that of the New Zealand team reserve, Tony Naughton (Wellington) whom he demolished, 10-9, 9-1, 9-0, in a fashion that impressed many observers. It w’as the second time this season that the young Christchurch player has upset the higher-ranked Wellingtonian, who won “The Press” open in 1976.

Hayes has also beaten the highly rated Brian Barnett (Ponsonby) and the former national champion, Laurie Greene (Waikato), this season. He could well take at least one game off Steward.

McFadzien, another of the promising younger breed in Christchurch is the Linwood open champion and is alwayr capable of surprising, although Howell’s experience should prove too much for him.

Most of the top players in Canterbury are taking part in the tournament, sponsored by “The Press” for the second year, and the strength is such that a former national representative, Don Preston (Greymouth), is ranked only ninth and the 1975 national colts reserve, Lawrence Skurr, is another two places below that. Many of the locals are obviously destined to progress rapidly into the plate competitions and no matches there will be easy in this tournament. Much interest will be

focused on the performance of the young Christchurch club player, Barrie Matthews, who was a

little unlucky to miss out on a spot in the Canterbury team for the national inter-district teams event at Auckland. Matthews had won 12 matches "on the trot” in the A grade inter-club competition up to last week and w»on the University open last month after victories over both Hayes and McFadzien. Certainly, the glamour of this tournament lies in the men’s open but there should be plenty of good squash in the women’s competition, too, although there is no one outstanding player in the draw.

Joanne Milne, the very promising Sumner 17-year-oid, has been made the top seed but either of the next tw'o seeds, Phillipa Lush and Margaret Stagg, could beat her in the final.

Miss Lush has played splendidly on occasions this year and Stagg, of Masterton, has a “ton” of experience to assist her to victory.