Chichester beat Bristol

PSL – round 3: Team Chichester v UWE/Elitesquash Bristol

Team Chichester hosted its second home match of the 2013/14 season and played against UWE/Elitesquash Bristol. Team Chichester started its season’s campaign with a 4.1 victory over Winchester but then, in the 2^nd round, the team lost 4.1. away to the reigning champions, Integrity Surrey H&R.

Team Chichester welcomed the return of Rex Hedrick and Olly Pett to the squad for the third round and hoped, as a result, to put Chichester’s winning ways back on track.

Anthony Graham, playing at 4, started off the campaign with a stunning 11/7, 11/4, 11/7 victory over Stuart Haddon. Graham was a class above Haddon and controlled the match throughout.

1.0 to Chichester

At the same time Jackie Kemp (Chi and former New Zealand No.1), made her debut for Team Chichester, played Camille Serme [France] on the glass-back championship court; Camille is currently world ranked number 7. It was a fantastic match to watch. Jackie was playing her first match for over a year, following the birth of her daughter. Nonetheless, Jackie pushed Camille to the limits. She took the first game 11/6 with some solid and determined play.

Camille retaliated by winning the next 9/11. Jackie kept her focus and rallied well in a great thinking game; every shot was hit with purpose and she grabbed the third game 11/9. The fourth game was very tight and, at times, it looked as if an upset was on the cards. Camille, however, took control to take it 5/11. In the fifth Camille was always ahead as Jackie began to tire and Camille ran out a 6/11 win after 51mins. to put Bristol back in the hunt.

1-all

Olly Pett was next on court for Chichester to play Bristol’s number 3 string, Sam Ellis. It became clear from the outset that Pett was totally in control of the match. His tight accurate hitting was phenomenal and his game gathered momentum right the way through, to ease his way to a 2.0 lead. In the third, Pett was in full flow and comfortably took the game and match 11/3.

2-1 to Chichester

Next on the glass-back court Rex Hedrick [Chi], and recent winner of the Phoenix Open, played Jethro Binns and a great match ensued. Binns got off the mark well and snatched the first game 6/11 before Hedrick’s attritional play came into effect. The rallies were long and hard and Binns did his utmost to vary them. Hedrick ground out the next two games and although Binns was tiring fast he did not give up and reached 9/7 in the third before Hedrick won the next two points. In the fourth game Hedrick forged ahead and won it 11/5 to give Team Chichester an unassailable 3.1 lead.

3-1 the Chichester

Finally, Jonathan Kemp (WR50) and last week’s runner-up in the Toronto Cup, took on Lucas Serme [France] (currently WR76). Kemp made a slow start and Serme capitalised on this and forged ahead to take the first 9/11. Kemp then upped his game and got into his shot making stride to convincingly claim the second 11/4. The third was tighter with Kemp making great shots and Serme retrieving extremely well and Kemp stormed through 11/6 to go ahead 2.1. The fourth was nip and tuck all the way to 10/10 before Kemp pushed hard and, after a few punishing rallies, finally won the game and match 12/10.

4-1 to Chichester

The next match is away to St. George’s Hill, Weybridge on November 26^th and a win is definitely needed to maintain the momentum and keep Team Chichester’s winning ways on track.

Mike Phillips.