England Delighted With Squash Draws In Melbourne

There were cheers of jubilation in Melbourne when the England squash squad received the draws for next week's Commonwealth Games singles action at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

"Overall, we couldn't have wished for a better men's draw - with all the Australians in the top half of the draw and all but one of our players in the bottom half," said a delighted England National Coach David Pearson today from the team headquarters in Melbourne.

Yorkshireman James Willstrop, the 22-year-old world No5 from Pontefract making his Commonwealth Games debut, has been named as second seed in the men's event behind Australia's David Palmer.

Peter Nicol, the world No7 from London who is aiming for a record third successive Games gold medal, is seeded four. The former world No1, who won singles gold in Malaysia in 1998 and doubles gold four years later in Manchester, is the only man to have won two medals in both Commonwealth Games.

Nicol and Willstrop have received byes in the first round draw, but could meet in the semi-finals if the seedings go to plan. England's other two men in the singles are Lee Beachill, the world No8 from Pontefract, and fellow Yorkshireman Nick Matthew, the world No10 and recently-crowned British National champion from Sheffield.

Matthew is seeded seven and scheduled to meet Willstrop in the quarter-finals, whilst fifth seed Beachill is the lone Englishman in the top half of the draw where he is expected to face Australia's third seed Anthony Ricketts for a place in the medals.

England's women players do not have the luxury of byes in their opening round in Melbourne. Tania Bailey, the new British National champion from Stamford in Lincolnshire, is seeded eight and takes on South Africa's Diana Argyle in the top half of the draw. If the seeds go to plan, Bailey would meet Malaysia's world number one and top seed Nicol David in the quarter-finals.

Jenny Duncalf, from Harrogate in Yorkshire, is seeded five and faces Scotland's Louise Philip in the opening round, while fourth seed Vicky Botwright, the world No5 from Manchester, faces Zambian Sharon Chimfwembe. Sixth seed Linda Elriani, the world No8 from Eastbourne celebrating her third successive Games, takes-on Jamaica's Karen Anderson.

Duncalf, Botwright and Elriani all feature in the bottom half of the draw, along with Australia's number two seed Rachel Grinham, who gets a first round bye.

Both singles competitions get underway on Thursday 16 March, the opening day of sport at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

"The mood here is really upbeat," added Pearson. "The facilities are excellent, the venue is fantastic and we feel we've got great medal chances overall."