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Jackman Prevails over Rival Charman

By Martin Bronstein © 2003 Squashtalk, all rights of reproduction reserved.
October 2, 2003

Lee Beachill and Alex Gough photo © 2003 Fritz Borchert

It would have been too much to expect the tall, lanky Yorkshireman to have played well as well. He was playing at about 70% of capability while Gough, now in his 30’s, showed there’s life in the old dog yet, playing clever squash, reading the game well and finding massive dividends in his golden backhand volley drops.

Beachill was lucky to win that first game – and even he will admit that much. His width was badly off allowing Gough to jump in and volley to keep the pressure up. And as for Beachill’s short game – it was dismal: that marvelous preparation and elegant stroke all for nothing as the ball constantly found the tin. But win it he did 15-12 after 24 minutes of squash that was at various times bad, good and excellent.

GETTING BETTER ..BUT NOT MUCH
Gough was not discouraged by the loss and went to a quick 4-2 lead at which point Beachill reduced his short game and reduced his errors to run to an 11-6 lead. Despite Gough’s marvelous use of the top spin – specially the top spin half volley – Gough could make little headway and Beachill took the game 15-10.

The third game was a reverse of the second with Beachill taking the lead early on, then conceding three quick errors to allow Gough the lead which he never relinquished to take the 20 minute game 15-12. They carried the thrust-and-parry battle into the fourth game – this was very watchable squash – but Beachill, as would be expected, started to take the upper hand as Gough tired. But even with Beachill at game ball 14-10, Gough was still playing positive squash and took the next three points, threatening to send the match into a decider. Beachill finally stopped the rot to win 15-13 after 86 minutes.

“Yes, I was not playing well to start with because I felt a little nervous, but Alex was playing very well, so it was a combination of things,” Beachill told me as he left the court, not waiting to watch Peter Nicol/ Martin Heath match, the winner of which he would meet in the quarters.

NICOL MOWS THE HEATH

Peter Nicol Flawless Today photo © 2003 Fritz Borchert

Perhaps it was a good thing that Beachill didn’t hang around to watch: Nicol was in devastating form. Unlike in Boston in the US Open where he was losing games in the early rounds and looking tired and anxious, here in the Albert Hall he was relaxed and moving around the court like a ballet dancer on speed. Martin Heath could really do nothing about it: this was the full-time professional against the professional and world traveler because Heath likes to get around and see the world. So unpressured was Nicol that when the referee gave him a Let at 13-6 in the first game (much to Heath’s incredulity) Nicol passed the ball to his opponent saying that he hadn’t even asked for the let.

Nicol was in full flow and Heath simply had no strategy to counteract the complete range of shots and court coverage and Nicol won in straight games in 41 minutes.

Peter Nicol (Eng) bt Martin Heath (Sco) 15-6, 15-10, 15-4 (41 mins)
Lee Beachill (Eng) bt Alex Gough (Wal) 15-12, 15-10 12-15, 15-3 (6 mins)

WOMENS QUARTERS

THE JACKPOT FOR JACKMAN?

Cassie Campion attacks in Nottingham © 2003 Fritz Borchert

Cassie Jackman looked terrific and played almost as well as she looked. She and Linda Charman played beefy squash, cracking the back with assurance, but Jackman’s width and length were much better and Charman found herself looking at balls that were dying in the back corners. Jackman whacked her way to a quick 9-1 win in the first in just 6 ½ minutes before Charman settled down to make her work in the second. Although Jackman still displayed some of trademark silly shots – why doe she insist on trying fancy shots when the ball is stuck on the wall ? Jackman was moving well and Charman found it very hard to win a point. But at least she forced the second game to 16 minutes before losing it 5-9.

THE JOY OF REGIONAL ACCENTS – SUCH AMUSING NON –COMMUNICATIONS
Charman was not giving up and started to control the rallies as she took a 4-0 lead in the third. When the referee gave her a No Let decision, she asked why, in her broad London accent. The referee, in his broad Northern accent mumbled something like ‘No movement’. ‘What?” asked Charman. Thinking that this southerner did not understand the word movement then muttered something about making no effort to go to the ball. Once more Charman understood not a syllable and asked for another repeat which was just as intelligible . She then gave up and said ‘Whatever you said, I don’t agree with it.’

Jackman then pulled off two spectacular overhead drops into the nick and pulled all the way back to 6-6 at which point the two players really got down to brass tacks and played the best squash of the match as the score stayed the same through six changes of hand and three lets. On this showing Jackman must be favourite to take a final place and continue her climb back to the top. Although Charman broke the deadlock to go 7-6 ahead, Jackman would not be denied and hit a deft backhand volley short boast to even the score, gratefully accepted a Charman error to get to match ball and finished the game – and match – off elegantly with a backhand drive to the back corner where it died.

If Natalie Grainger beats Rebecca Macree, she will have her hands full in the semis against the revived Jackman.

QUARTER-FINAL RESULT
Cassie Jackman (Eng) bt Linda Charman(Eng) 9-1, 9-5, 9-7 47 mins