First team match report
Uxbridge away - May 2006
Verdict
Disappointing result following such a convincing win the week before. Perhaps team undermined by sickness and lack of availability which forced the Captain to bring some lower players up to the 'ockey. Match lost quickly after losing the first 3 rubbers, and final result recovered marginally by two late wins for the oldest members of the team.
Nick Buckley
Result: Lost 3-0
Plus's: Matched point for point in first two games. Hit less tins than McGill.
Minus's: Lost first two games when in commanding position. Head went to pieces in third.
Verdict: Looked very good for the first two games and perhaps should have sneaked one of them. That could have turned the match against an in form Biggs. Slight concerns expressed by the Captain over the "superstars" fitness. Went to pieces in the 3rd.
Rating: 2/5
Ally McGill
Result: Lost 3-1
Plus's: None
Minus's: Everything - started out with exceedingly dodgy T-shirt, followed by poor mental attitude ("I'm not going to win this"), capped off with hitting 10 points in a row in the tin.
Verdict: A very out of sorts performance from the captain. Has been training hard recently, but this wasn't very evident in his play. Excuses included - going to Newcastle the day before, getting locked out of his house, being fat and drinking too much (haven't we heard these before). Even his opponent admitted he was embarrassed for him. Captain left with selection problem.
Rating: -3/5
Ben Shakespeare
Result: Lost 0-3
Plus's: Kept in the battle despite losing in 3. Didn't lose to a girl. Looked great in the warm-up. Didn't hit as many tins as McGill.
Minus's: Shot selection, fitness, concentration ,
Verdict: Ben's ability to strike the ball beautifully in the warm isn't translated into performances in the match. Tried to hit it harder than Ougham and probably succeeded, but net result was over tiring himself. Can't remember him playing any drop shots. Captain suggested too much playing for 2nd team had poor influence.
Rating: 1.5/5
Damian Lincou-Smith
Result: Won 3-0
Plus's: He won. Hit less in the tin than McGill.
Minus's: Looked tired and worried.
Verdict: Had something to prove to the captain after being dropped for the previous match. Achieved this in convincing fashion against an out-of-season Veterans Champion of Uxbridge. Kept his concentration despite worrying about his wedding speech this weekend (and if there is going to be enough booze to keep McGill happy).
Rating: 3/5
Richard Gourlay
Result: Won 3-1
Plus's: Movement (!), finishing power, clinical. Can hand the mantle of Tin-tin over to McGill.
Minus's: Lapse in concentration led to dropping the 3rd.
Verdict: Squash maturity comes in your 30's and does this boy show it. Took out the Oughamator almost clinically dropping the 3rd and then only about another 5 points. Wasn't phased by the awesome hitting power and kept his nerve with some tight play to bring some respectability to the score line. Generous rating this week, as was hit too hard for a solid performance previously.
Rating: 3.5/5