Top pair concerned at squash side levels

Press, 20 September 1985, Page 32

Top pair concerned at squash side levels

On the eve of the selection of the New Zealand men’s squash team for the world championships in Egypt, Ross Norman and Stuart Davenport have expressed concern about the level of fitness of the other candidates. The two players, both ranked in the world’s top five, have had a close look at the domestic talent this week after returning from overseas to play in the Adidas national championships in Hamilton. New Zealand will be sending a four-man team to Egypt with three players involved in each match and one standing down. With Norman and Davenport, the New Zealand side will be formidable in the first two playing positions, but there is nobody of international standing to fill the No. 3 slot. “I think the other New Zealand players have a helluva long way to go,” said Norman, who retained his national men’s title on Wednesday. “They’re not potentially good 'international players.” Norman, the world No. 3, said that the brilliant young Wellington player, Glen Wilson, had a good future, but

might not realise his promise for another five years, when he would be aged 19. And by then, Norman said, he might be off the scene himself. “It is not a good picture at all.” He said that it would be fine if he and Davenport could be supported by another player who was even in the top 30 in the world. “Then we’d have a good team.” Davenport said the trouble with domestic players like Canterbury’s Paul Viggers was that they lacked a variety of opponents. “They tend to get bored with the whole scene here. You can see that by the way Paul looks on the court.” They needed to venture overseas where they would face new players, Davenport said. Viggers, certain to be named in the team for Egypt tomorrow, along with Norman, Davenport and probably, John Mills, of Wellington, does not believe that the pressure will be so ■-' much on the New Zealand No. 3 in the teams’ event. “It’ll be more at No. 1 and No. 2.”

He said that New Zealand would have a show of even winning the event if it was placed in the right pool. Norman met Viggers in the national championship semi-finals on Tuesday and had little trouble disposing of the Sumner club man in straight games. In New Zealand, Viggers is the only player who really practices the art of deception, but when he tried it against Norman his opponent anticipated the shot almost before Viggers

played it. “It’s so easy for him. He’s seen it all before,” Viggers said. The match served to show up the huge gap between the touring international players and those who mainly contest just the new Zealand circuit. Viggers complained, however, that he gets the chance to play Norman only about once a year. Still, he had profited from several training sessions with Davenport, his one time Hawke’s Bay team-mate. Meanwhile, Viggers was at full stretch to beat the former New Zealand representative, Peter Dibley, aged 47, on the opening day of the inter-districts teams squash championships yesterday. Viggers trailed at one set all and 8-9 down in the third set before coming back to win the match. Canterbury went on to beat Dibley’s team, Northland, 4-0. Bay of Plenty’s Danny McQueen and Julian Devoy steered their side through to a 4-0 win over Midlands. Waikato beat Southern, 31, in the other match, with Paul Devoy being surprisingly defeated by Colin Boyle at No. 3.