Unseeded Wasley in squash final

Press, 5 June 1978, Page 20

Unseeded Wasley in squash final

Chris Wasley overcame a strong challenge from the 15-year-old Burnside junior, Jamie Bushell, yesterday to qualify for the final of the Linwood Lion Brawn squash open.

Wasley was unseeded but his win was not altogether unexpected and the real u,,se of the tournament occurred in the first round back on Thursday evening when the same player overcame the top seed, Barrie Matthews, in five games. Yesterday Wasley had to come back from two games down to beat the talented Bushell in five. He trailed, 1-4, in the fourth before winning that and also had to cope with a five-point burst by Bushell in fifth which whittled back a 7-1 lead.

Wasley’s opponent in the final today will be the Burnside No. 1, Neil Rush, the second seed. Rush dropped

only eight points — to Lindsay Walton and Craig Hibbert respectively — in each of his quarter and semi-final matches. The women’s section has gone more as planned with the two top seeds, Kathy Graham (Burnside) and Merle Holland (Sumner), set for a great battle today. On the way to the final Mrs Graham dropped a game to her first-round opponent, Czesia Bowan (Temuka), while Mrs Holland Las won both her matches in straight games. Results:— MEN Open Quarter-finals. —C. J. Wasley beat H. Marshall, 10-8, 9-4, 9-1; J. Bushell beat R. Marshall, 9-5, 9-4, 10-8; C. Hibbert beat L. Wilson by default; N. D. Rush beat L. Walton, 9-3, 9-2, 9-2. •Semi-finals. — Wasley beat Bushell, 5-9, 1-9. 9-1. 9-5. 9-6; Rush beat Hibbert, 9-3, 9-2, 9-2. Division two Semi-finals.—P. R. Jellyman

beat T. Robinson, 9-6, 9-5, 9-6; G. Monk beat A. Corkin, 9-0, 9-5, 9-1

Division three Semifinals.—J. Rountree beat R. White. 7-9. 9-4. 9-6, 5-9, 9-6; L. Hiku beat B. BUbrough, 9-4, 9-7, 4-9, 9-6. Division four Semi-finals.—J. Murdock beat N. Turner, 10-9. 7-9, 9-2, 9-3; W. Wallis beat C. Lovelock, 9-1, 9-1, 9-1. WOMEN Open First round.—K. F. Graham beat C. Bowan, 10-8, 8-10, 9-2, 9-1; L. Sutherland beat S. O’Brien, 9-4, 9-0, 9-3: V. Dunstan beat A. Huriwai, 9-4. 9-6, 9-5; M. Holland beat J. Terrell, 10-8, 9-6, 9-6. Semi-finals. — Graham beat Sutherland, 9-7, 9-3. 10-9; Holland beat Dunstan. 9-5, 9-7, 9-4. Division two Semi-finals.—R. Foster (Timaru) beat D. O’Grady, 9-7, 3-9, 3-9, 9-7, 9-0; S. Marshall beat L. North, 7-9, 0-9, 9-5, 10-8, 9-5. Division three Semi-finals.—B. MacGregor (Ashburton) beat A. Banltler. 9-4, 9-2, 9-3; N. Mackie beat K. Monk, 6-9, 9-2. 9-1, 9-7.