Peter Nicol Set For Commonwealth Games Hat-Trick

Peter Nicol, the only man to win two squash medals in both the 1998 and 2002 Games, has been selected to represent England in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, next March.

In the five-player men's and women's squads announced by England Squash, Londoner Nicol (ranked 6 in the world) will be joined by world No4 Lee Beachill, world No8 James Willstrop, world No12 Nick Matthew (all from Yorkshire) and Kent's world No19 Adrian Grant; and Linda Elriani (Sussex), Vicky Botwright (Lancs), Jenny Duncalf (Yorks), Tania Bailey (Lincs), and Alison Waters (Middx), ranked 6, 7, 8, 10, and 16, respectively, in the world.

England Squash selectors have also announced the four-man squad which will compete in the 2005 Men's World Team Championships in Islamabad, Pakistan, from 8-14 December. Lee Beachill will lead the all-Yorkshire squad featuring Peter Nicol, James Willstrop and Nick Matthew. Adrian Grant is named as reserve.

England National Coach David Pearson is highly confident of success in both events: "We feel that we have extremely strong squads - which basically picked themselves - in both events, though the competition will be strong in both cases too. In the World Championships, there are two or three countries with strong players at one and two, but we have a good chance to come through and reclaim the trophy we won in 1995 and 1997.

"We picked our Commonwealth Games squads early to give the players maximum time to plan for the event. It will also give us the chance to work on our doubles partnerships, details of which we will announce later," added Pearson.

After winning gold in the Men's Singles and bronze in the Men's Doubles for Scotland in 1998, Peter Nicol claimed silver for England in the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games Men's Singles and gold with Lee Beachill in the Men's Doubles. In the Women's Doubles, Tania Bailey was a silver medallist and Linda Elriani won bronze.

England finished in second place in the 2002 Games squash medals table, behind New Zealand but ahead of Australia, Canada and Malaysia.

In the Men's World Team Championships, England finished in third place in the last three events. The team can expect stiff opposition from holders Australia, European rivals France and former champions Egypt.

Player details:
Lee Beachill (Yorks), world No4, aged 27, from Pontefract
Peter Nicol (Yorks), world No6, aged 32, from London
James Willstrop (Yorks), world No8, aged 22, from Pontefract
Nick Matthew (Yorks), world No12, aged 25, from Sheffield
Adrian Grant (Kent), world No19, aged 25, from London

Linda Elriani (Sussex), world No6, aged 33, from Eastbourne
Vicky Botwright (Lancs), world No7, aged 28, from Manchester
Jenny Duncalf (Yorks), world No8, aged 22, from Harrogate
Tania Bailey (Lincs), world No10, aged 26, from Stamford
Alison Waters (Middx), world No16, aged 21, from London