Harrison shows squash talent

Press, 21 August 1989, Page 44

Harrison shows squash talent

PA Wellington Little more than a week ago, tenacious Aucklander Scott Harrison appeared very much the fourth member of the New Zealand men’s squash team for the October world championships. After all, he was the only one of the quartet playing exclusively at home, he had no world ranking with his membership of the International Squash Players’ Association having lapsed, and he had only domestic players to match his skills against. Now in the space of two

week-ends he has beaten four players of greatly superior ranking, including two of his team-mates, Rory Watt, rated No. 20 in the world, and the No. 57 player, Stephen Cunningham. On the first occasion, at the Panmure club open, Harrison upset rising Englishman Paul Carter before overcoming Watt in the play-off for third, and in the week-end’s New Zealand classic at Wellington’s Khandallah club, the world No. 43, Anthony Hill (Australia) and Cunningham became his lat-

est prizes. The top seed Hill fell to the fourth seed, Harrison, in the semi-finals before Aucklander Harrison revealed superb athleticism, accomplished racket skills and the courage to match to wear down Cunningham 9-1, 5-9, 9-5, 4-9, 10-8 in a captivating 76 minute final battle. Results:— Women: Quarterfinals: S. Devoy (Henderson) b N. Taimaiho (Finland) 3-9, 9-1, 9-0, 9-2; R. Best (Ireland) b D. Grzenia (West Germany) 9-0, 8-10, 9-3, 9-2; L. Irving (Australia) b S. Schone (West Germany) 9-7, 3-9, 9-4, 9-7; M. Le Moignan (England) b

J. Williams (Matamata) '9-1, 9-0, 9-6. Semi-finals: Devoy b Best 9- 1-9, 6-9, 9-1, 9-0; Irving b Le Moignan 4-9, 9-5, 9-6, 9-4. Final: Devoy b Irving 1-9, 9-3, 10- 9-2. Men: Quarter-finals:- A. Hill (Australia) b D. Webb (England) 9-1, 9-5, 9-1; S. Harrison (Ponsonby) b P. Steel (Henderson) 7-9, 9-2, 9-3, 9-0; J. Crombie (Canada) b M. McSherry (Titirangi) 9-4, 9-2, 9-2; S. Cunningham (College Rifles) b P. Coll (Hong Kong) 9- 7-9, 9-5, 9-3. Semi-finals: Harrison b Hill 4-9, 0-9, 9-3, 10- 9-4; Cunningham b Crombie 9-5, 9-6, 9-1. Final: Harrison b Cunningham 9-1, 5-9, 9-5, 4-9, 10-8.