Scot Crawford Survives Marathon Tie-Break In Nationals Qualifier

In the longest tie-break score recorded since the new men's professional game scoring system was introduced last year, Scotland's Stuart Crawford survived a marathon match in today's first round qualifying round of the British National Championships at the National Squash Centre at Sportcity in Manchester.

More than 40 players from all over Britain are competing for eight places in the men's draw of the world-class event which gets underway with the first round on Tuesday. Twice champion Lee Beachill, the world No2 from Pontefract in Yorkshire, is seeded to reach his fifth successive final, where he is expected to face fellow Englishman Peter Nicol, the second seed who is also a two-times champion.

Such is the quality of the men's draw that three former world number ones will line up in the first round - two of whom, Peter Nicol and defending champion John White, of Scotland, are drawn to meet in a quarter-final!

Scottish international Stuart Crawford was taken to three tie-breaks by Staffordshire's Richard Davies - but after match-balls see-sawed between the pair in the fifth-game decider, Crawford ultimately secured his victory after 71 minutes in an incredible 11-6 10-11 5-11 11-10 11-10 scoreline, where the final tie-break was only settled at 11-9!

Crawford now faces Yorkshire's Simon Pickering - the recipient of a first round bye - for a place in the qualifying finals.

Monday's action will see the men's qualifying field reduced from 32 to eight over two rounds.

Also in action will be players competing for qualifying places in the women's first main draw. Sussex's Linda Elriani is seeded to put four runners-up successes behind her to claim her first title in her 17th appearance since 1987. The 33-year-old from Eastbourne, who has already collected two WISPA titles in the USA this year, is expected to face second seed Rebecca Macree, from Essex, in the final on Sunday.

1st qualifying round:
Rob Sutherland (Wales) bt Arthur Gaskin (Ireland) 11-4, 11-4, 11-1 (20m)
Tom Richards (Surrey) bt Jonathan Tate 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 (23m)
Asa Morris (Cambs) bt Keith Timms (Herts) 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 3-11, 11-10 (3-1) (70m)
Joel Hinds (Derbyshire) bt Kristen Johnson (Scotland) 10-11 (1-3), 11-5, 11-4, 11-9 (70m)
James Wright (Leics) bt Nathan Langley (Cheshire) 11-4, 11-7, 11-2 (20m)
Chris Truswell (Staffs) bt Tom Power (Bucks) 11-7, 11-10 (2-0), 11-5 (34m)
Stuart Crawford (Scotland) bt Richard Davies (Staffs) 11-6, 10-11 (0-2), 5-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (11-9) (71m)
Tom Pashley (Sussex) bt Robbie Temple (Glos) 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5 (50m)
Shaun le Roux (Yorks) bt David Harris (Kent) w/o
Jaymie Haycocks (Shrops) bt Christopher Hall (Surrey) 11-3, 1-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7 (47m)
Galen le Cheminant (Cambs) bt Thomas Javanaud (Derbyshire) 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (26m)
Ricky Davies (Wales) bt Michael Pearson (Lancs) w/o
Chris Tasker-Grindley (Glos) bt Jamie Moxom (Cornwall) 11-2, 11-9, 11-3 (25m)