Beachill & Nicol In Unique Games Title Defence Bid

England's Lee Beachill and Peter Nicol are bidding to become the only squash players to successfully defend their titles at the 2006 Commonwealth Games next week in Melbourne, Australia.

The former world number ones, from Pontefract and London, respectively, paired up for the first time four years ago and struck gold at the 2002 Games in Manchester. The pair has been seeded to reach the 2006 final, where they are expected to meet Australian favourites Stewart Boswell & Anthony Ricketts, whom they beat in the Manchester final.

Following the singles events, the three doubles events (men, women and mixed) take place at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) from 22-26 March.

Nicol, whose doubles gold medal in 2002 followed the singles gold he won in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, is the only man to have won two medals in each of the previous two games (including doubles bronze in 1998 and singles silver four years later). The 32-year-old Londoner is expected to continue his twin-medal run in Melbourne.

Also seeded in the men's doubles are Yorkshiremen Nick Matthew & James Willstrop. Seeded four, the pair are making their Games debuts. Willstrop, the 22-year-old world No5 from Pontefract, is seeded to win silver in the men's singles event - and is drawn to meet his doubles partner, the 25-year-old British champion from Sheffield, in the quarter-finals!

Willstrop partners world No5 Vicky Botwright, from Manchester, in the mixed doubles. Seeded four, the pair are joined in the event by seventh-seeded Londoners Alison Waters and Adrian Grant, ranked 12 and 16, respectively, in the world.

Alison Waters, at 21 the youngest member of the England squash squad, teams up with Yorkshire's Jenny Duncalf, ranked 7 in the world, in the women's doubles. The pair is seeded five, and will need to qualify in Pool 1 alongside Australian favourites Natalie Grinham and Rachael Grinham.

England's other interest in the women's doubles will be provided by third seeds Tania Bailey & Vicky Botwright. A silver medallist in 2002 (with the now retired Cassie Jackman), Bailey - from Stamford in Lincolnshire - will be hoping to partner Botwright to success in Pool 2 to boost their chances of a place in the final.