Chapel Allerton & Duffield To Meet In PSL Final

After surviving dramatic ties in Tuesday's semi-finals in the Premier League (PSL), former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield and league newcomers Chapel Allerton will meet in the final of the 26th season of the world's most prestigious squash league.

Long-established Yorkshire club Chapel Allerton - who last played in the then National League more than 20 years ago - recovered from losing the first match on their home courts in Leeds to beat 2007 runners-up Probuild Bristol 3/2. Simultaneously, 200 miles south, defending champions PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC hosted three-time champions Duffield - and saw their chance of a return to the final slip away when their Derbyshire visitors snatched a 3/2 win as long-time squad number one Nick Matthew beat the Croydon club's Egyptian star Wael El Hindi in four games.

England junior international Sarah-Jane Perry put Bristol ahead in Leeds with a straight games win over Chapel Allerton's Jenna Gates. But the home side's hopes were boosted when squad No4 Chris Simpson beat the visitors' Lewys Hurst 11-2, 11-3, 11-6 and local star Alister Walker, ranked 16 in the world, defeated Bristol's former world No3 David Evans - winner of nine out of his ten appearances hitherto for the west country club - 9-11,11-8, 11-6, 11-6.

All eyes were then on the third string clash in which the home team's Aaron Frankcomb, a 23-year-old touring pro from Australia ranked 44 in the world, was battling with Bristol captain Hadrian Stiff, a 36-year-old who retired from the Tour more than six years ago. Stiff forced the match into a fifth game decider after saving numerous match-balls in the fourth to win it 14-12.

But the packed local crowd 'raised the roof' when Frankcomb finally clinched the match 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 12-14, 11-8 to ensure Chapel Allerton's place in the final.

But the Bristol number one Adrian Grant was not prepared to lie down in the final game. Proud to be the team's only full-time player, the world No11 from London played one of the games of his life to beat Frenchman Thierry Lincou, currently ranked seven in the world, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9, 5-11, 14-12. The victory marked Grant's first ever win over the former world number one and world champion in nine meetings since September 2002.

"To get to the final after a 24-year absence from the league is absolutely amazing," said Chapel Allerton team manager Mike Dickens. "It's been great to see so many kids watching the action tonight. They've been just in awe of the spectacular action on the courts. Everybody in the club is buzzing. I've already been inundated by demands for tickets for the final."

There were similar scenes of delight from the Duffield fans who had travelled from the depths of Derbyshire to the south side of London to see their team take on last year's winners - in a repeat of the semi-final two years ago which Duffield won en-route to winning the PSL title for second year in a row.

And it was club stalwart Tania Bailey that put the visitors in the driving seat with a majestic 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 win over England team-mate Vicky Botwright. It rounded off a fantastic month for Bailey, the 29-year-old from Lincolnshire who, after being out of action for most of last year following knee surgery, won the biggest tour title of her life last week in Kuala Lumpur - and has now extended her unbeaten PSL run to 22 matches since March 2005.

Surrey Health & Racquet Club came back into contention following a spirited performance from team co-manager Tim Garner, the 38-year-old former world No26 who stared defeat in the face at two games and match-ball down in the third - but sensationally battled back to beat 21-year-old full-time player Joel Hinds 6-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-9 to celebrate his first PSL victory of the season.

The Croydon club moved into the lead when Londoner Peter Barker, now ranked nine in the world, extended his season's record to nine wins from nine matches by beating Duffield's Joey Barrington 11-7, 11-6, 11-4.

Home fans were now looking to world No30 Davide Bianchetti to take them into the final - but unranked opponent Andrew Whipp had other ideas and scored a notable victory over the Italian star by winning 11-8, 9-11, 17-15, 12-10 (saving game balls in the third and fourth) to level the tie.

A place in the final would now be decided by the top strings. It was Wael El Hindi, the world No10 from Egypt, that led Surrey H&RC to title success almost 12 months ago - but the 28-year-old from Cairo was unable to repeat his magic again as world No6 Nick Matthew recovered from a game down to win 4-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 to take Duffield into their third final in four years.

Remarkably, it was the third time that the 28-year-old from Sheffield had been forced to win a semi-final decider to clinch a place in the final for the Derbyshire club - and in 2007 it had also been against Croydon club Surrey Health.

"My nerves are still jumping up and down," admitted Benz-Bavarian Duffield team manager Felix Frixou later. "But when you've got people like Nick Matthew and Tania Bailey playing for you, you're half way there! They, and the rest of the squad, are true professionals.

"Our host Pete Smith, of the Surrey club, has been absolutely fantastic tonight - and has made us and our fans really welcome. And especially touching was the call we've just had from the team's long-time manager Brian Hargrave. He is the team's founder and father figure and we were delighted to receive his congratulations."

RESULTS: Semi-finals

Chapel Allerton 3 Probuild Bristol 2
Thierry Lincou lost to Adrian Grant 11-7, 10-12, 9-11, 11-5, 12-14
Alister Walker bt David Evans 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6
Aaron Frankcomb bt Hadrian Stiff 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 12-14, 11-8
Chris Simpson bt Lewys Hurst 11-2, 11-3, 11-6
Jenna Gates lost to Sarah-Jane Perry 6-11, 6-11, 5-11

PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC 2 Benz-Bavarian Duffield 3
Wael El Hindi lost to Nick Matthew 11-4, 6-11, 6-11, 6-11
Peter Barker bt Joey Barrington 11-7, 11-6, 11-4
Davide Bianchetti lost to Andrew Whipp 8-11, 11-9, 15-17, 10-12
Tim Garner bt Joel Hinds 6-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-9
Vicky Botwright lost to Tania Bailey 7-11, 7-11, 9-11

Final (Tuesday 5 May): Chapel Allerton v Benz-Bavarian Duffield
(Venue TBA)