In a dramatic climax to the 26th season of the Premier Squash League, Croydon club Surrey Health & Racquets claimed the prestigious title for the second time in three years after beating fellow Esporta club Esporta Oxford 3/2 in the PSL final at Surrey Sports Park in Guildford.
Honours were shared after the opening two matches on the adjacent glass-backed courts at the brand new six-court complex hosting its first major squash event. Oxford's Madeline Perry, the world No7 from Ireland, extended her unbeaten PSL record this season to nine wins out of nine with an 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 win over Lauren Selby, the world No65 making only her third appearance for Surrey Health this season.
Meanwhile Surrey Health's 20-year-old Adrian Waller levelled the tie after beating Oxford's fourth string Anthony Graham, also 20, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6.
But it was the middle order pair who provided the biggest drama for the packed crowd – mostly Surrey Health supporters - with matches that each took more than an hour to resolve. Scottish champion Alan Clyne, the 23-year-old world No62 in his maiden season in the PSL, took on Oxford stalwart Scott Handley, a 35-year-old former Tour player who achieved a world ranking of 41 more than 10 years ago.
Clyne, who led Scotland to seventh place in last week's European Team Championships, took the opening game – but Handley battled back to open a 2/1 lead, before the Scot drew level, then opened up a 6-2 advantage in the decider. Again veteran Handley persevered to move through to match-ball at 10-7.
Cheered on by the partisan crowd, Clyne clawed back the deficit point by point until, after 76 minutes, he celebrated his stunning – and unlikely - 11-9, 9-11, 5-11, 11-8, 12-10 victory.
"I thought it would be tough – but I didn't want it to be that tough," said Clyne after his first ever encounter with Handley. "I didn't play my best squash – I felt there was an expectation on me to win. But it was the same in a couple of matches in the Europeans and I won. But I'm really pleased to win tonight.
"It's my first season in the PSL – it's really big event and a lot of fun to play in it. And playing for a team is so different from PSA when you're playing on your own – and this is quite different from the Europeans when you've just got your team mates and coach. Being cheered on by a big crowd like this a real boost."
A downcast Handley admitted he was frustrated by the outcome: "I had a game plan and had to outwit him and move him around the court as I knew he would be fit. I felt fine physically throughout the match and thought I was controlling it well.
"And I thought I played well from 2-6 to 10-7 in the fifth – but all credit to him, I just couldn't finish it off.
"I expected to win tonight – I thought I'd have too much experience for him. I thought I'd be able to control him a bit better. I just didn't get the final point I needed – but it was a great atmosphere and a very enjoyable game."
In the adjacent match which started before Clyne/Handley clash but finished some 15 minutes later, Italian number one Davide Bianchetti faced Oxford's former World University champion Chris Ryder, a 29-year-old Englishman who had never previously taken a game, let alone a match, from the Surrey Health number two.
And Bianchetti, ranked 40 in the world, duly took the first two games. But a determined Ryder, currently ranked ahead of the Italian for the first time in his career, refused to give and made up the difference to take the match into a fifth game decider.
It was nip and tuck throughout before Bianchetti reached his first match ball at 10-7. Ryder gave it one more burst to rescue one further point. But Bianchetti finally put the ball out of the Oxford man's reach as the Italian - and almost the entire crowd - screamed with delight at his 13-11, 11-6, 3-11, 8-11, 11-8 victory in 95 minutes, and Surrey Health's PSL title triumph.
Surrey Health & Racquets team manager Pete Smith was almost lost for words: "I can't believe it – to win it again is fantastic. And all credit to Davide to win it 3/2 after being 2/0 up. Davide's my hero!"
In trying to explain his team's success, Smith continued: "This year we've used our full squad - 12 men and three women. We lost Alison (Waters) for most of the season and Wael (El Hindi) has only played for us three times.
"Alan (Clyne) is new and has done very well for us – and Camille Serme (the French number one) has also been an excellent new addition to the team. So it's been a real squad effort – I'm really pleased.
"And having Peter Nicol in our squad has been a real privilege – when he plays at our home matches, he really draws the crowds. He's had some great battles, especially in the semi against Simon Parke – and he's still such a great inspiration to young players.
"We had a great crowd tonight – all dressed in the red team shirt – they've been fantastic all season. it's been a real total club effort."
In the beat-of-three dead rubber between the two top strings, Oxford's German champion Simon Rosner got the better of Londoner Peter Barker, the world No7, winning 11-8, 11-4 in just 16 minutes.
In the presentations which followed, Pete Smith also paid tribute to the club's sponsors, "especially our main sponsor Pete Cullern of PCL Whitehall Security who's been with us from the start."
Surrey number one Peter Barker then took the microphone to pay a special tribute to Pete Smith: "Without Pete, there wouldn't be a team – he puts his heart and soul into the team. What an incredible job he's done – not just this season but since we started."
RESULTS: PSL Final, Surrey Sports Park, Guildford
Surrey Health & Racquets 3 Esporta Oxford 2
Peter Barker lost to Simon Rosner 8-11, 4-11 (16m)
Davide Bianchetti bt Chris Ryder 13-11, 11-6, 3-11, 8-11, 11-8 (95m)
Alan Clyne bt Scott Handley 11-9, 9-11, 5-11, 11-8, 12-10 (76m)
Adrian Waller bt Anthony Graham 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (35m)
Lauren Selby lost to Madeline Perry 7-11, 6-11, 4-11 (23m)
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