Brownlee chases big prize money

Press, 18 July 1979, Page 28

Brownlee chases big prize money

New Zealand’s best squash player, Bruce Brownlee, is obviously chasing a big share of the prize money in the Ballins Industries challenge series which concludes at Christchurch during the weekend.

After a surprising threegame loss to his countryman, Murray Lilley, in the first round of the series at Auckland last Saturday Brownlee has turned in some dashing performances.

The 23-year-old New Zealand star recorded a personal first on Sunday when he upset the world’s No. 5, Gogi Alauddin, for the loss of just eight points (9-5, 9-2, 9-1) and at Hamilton the following day

he all but toppled the world’s No. 3, Mohibullah Khan, in similar fashion before losing, 9-2, 9-5, 6-9, 2-9, 7-9. Brownlee has one win to his credit over Mohibullah on the professional circuit but was soundly beaten, 9-4, 9-1, 9-1, in' the quarter-finals of the prestigious British open last April.

On Monday he was within three points of the match at 6-3 in the third but could not maintain his dominance though there was a very long struggle in the late stages of the fifth.

Only the Australian, Geoff Hunt, and five

Pakistanis lie between Brownlee and the world crown he eventually seeks. Victories he gains in this series will surely boost his hope of breaking the stranglehold that Qamar Zaman, Mohibullah, Hiddy Jahan, Gogi and Maqsood Ahmed are exerting. Last year Brownlee, ranked seventh in the world, made the final of the inaugural Ballins series against Hiddy and repeating the feat is certainly not beyond him although the opposition is rather tougher. Lilley, while possessing fewer shots than his fellow New Zealander, has also done very well to get up to No. 12 on the circuit rankings and his fitness and dogged style — he holds the world record for the longest squash match — mean that he is always a formidable opponent. On the current series he has had the win over the higher-ranked Brownlee and then forced Gogi to move into top gear after taking the first two games off him at Hamilton. Both the Pakistanis are very exciting players and even the most parochial of New Zealanders will not mind having to watch them in the final if Brownlee (or Lilley for that matter) does not qualify. In his very worthwhile book, “The Story of Squash,” Rex Bellamy, squash correspondent of “The Times,” says of Mohibullah: “He is broad of shoulder but otherwise slim and loose-limbed: beautifully balanced like many fine athletes. He and Hunt are taking agility and stamina to levels not attained since . . . Hashim and Azam.” Mohibullah last came to New Zealand as a mere 15-year-old when he competed in the international teams event at Hamilton in 1971. In 1976 he was runner-up to Hunt in the British and world open.

Gogi Alaujddin (pictured top left) will meet Bruce Brownlee (centre) for the second time in the Ballins challenge series tonight at the Mitchell Park Squash Rackets Club courts in Wellington. The other touring Pakistani professional, Mohibullah Khan (bottom), meets New Zealand’s Murray Lilley tonight and then Brownlee at Timaru on Friday evening. The format laid down for the series involves two matches at each venue with the four players meeting each other twice in the space of seven days. Tomorrow is the only rest day. Points awarded in the six rounds will determine the order of qualifying for the Christchurch semifinals. The semi-final winners play off for the Ballins Trophy and top prize money. The remaining matches in the series are:— Today: Lilley v. Mohibullah, Brownlee v. Gogi, Mitchell Park Squash Rackets Club (Wellington), 7 p.m. Friday.— Gogi v. Lilley, Brownlee v. Mohibullah, Timaru S.R.C., 7 p.m. Saturday.— Semi-finals: No. 2 qualifier v. No. 3 qualifier, No. 1 qualifier v. No. 4 qualifier, Christchurch S.R.C., 2 p.m. Sunday.— Finals: Loser v. loser (play-off for third place prize money), winner v. winner, Christchurch S.R.C., 2 p.m.