Champions Defeated In PSL Upset

Title-holder Surrey Health & Racquets suffered their first defeat in over a year when they were beaten 4/1 by Exeter Diamonds in tonight's second round of the Premier Squash League (PSL), the world's most prestigious squash league.

The Croydon club's number one and England international Peter Barker prevented a whitewash in the Group B tie when he beat Exeter's top string Laurens Jan Anjema, the Dutch No1, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 in the final match of the night.

But to the delight of the home crowd, Exeter's Emma Chorley started the rout with an 11-6, 11-1, 11-3 victory over the visitors' Spanish newcomer Margaux Moros-Pitarch – and team-mates James Snell and Stewart Boswellfollowed with straight games wins. 

But perhaps the most notable home victory of the night was recorded by Exeter's third string Jonathan Harford.  The 27-year-old world No 142 from Birmingham defeated Scottish international Alan Clyne – ranked 90 places higher - 11-5, 10-12, 11-3, 12-10 in 47 minutes.

But the second successive win does not take Exeter Diamonds to the top of the Group B table.  By a single point, that place is taken by TWP St George's Hill after the Surrey team crushed UWE Bristol 4/1 in a tie which also saw the top string providing a  consolation win for the losing team.

England Commonwealth Games silver medallist Laura Massaro, making her debut for the Weybridge club, led the St George's Hill winning campaign by beating Bristol's Rebecca Quiney 11-3, 11-4, 11-2.

Straight games home wins by Joe Lee, Mark Krajcsak and Nicolas Mueller ensured victory for St George's – but top string Daryl Selby was unable to make it maximum points.  The world No13 from Essex failed to exploit a 2/1 lead over Mohamed El Shorbagy before losing 5-11, 11-8, 11-3, 7-11, 9-11 to the rising Egyptian star.

Elsewhere in Group B, PSL stalwarts Team Chichester inflicted the second successive defeat on IGT Winchesterby beating the league newcomers 3/2.  Visitors Winchester were leading 2/1, but impressive wins by Tim Vail andOlivier Pett – over 17-year-old Marwan El Shorbagy and Joey Barrington, respectively - gave the local supporters a dramatic home win to savour.

A second win in a row takes CLFS Esporta Oxford to the top of the Group A tables.  Despite missing their top two players, Oxford travelled to former champions MB Nottingham and came away with a maximum points 5/0 victory.

Many times Irish champion Madeline Perry led the assault with a 13-11, 11-8, 11-1 win over Nottingham's Emma Beddoes – and Andrew Birks, Ben Coleman and Lee Drew survived bruising five-game battles to keep the visitors' score sheet clean.

Top string Chris Ryder, enjoying his fifth season for last season's runners-up Esporta, then clinched the final match in stunning style – despatching the Nottingham No1 Eddie Charlton 11-3, 11-2, 11-7.

In an all-Yorkshire clash in Group A, former champions LEBC Group Chapel Allerton opened their 2010/11 season campaign with a 5/0 win at Courtcraft Pontefract.

Pontefract's squad mixed long-time stalwarts like former world number ones Lee Beachill and Vanessa Atkinson with newcomers like South African youngster Jacques Kruger.

But the visitors' firepower was too strong as world No2 Jenny Duncalf, Adam Murrills, Anthony Graham, Chris Simpson and Alister Walker all collected impressive victories to give their Leeds club maximum points and a share of second place in the Group A tables.