Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Nick Matthew leads Hallamshire to first ever Yorkshire Premier League squash title

Written by 
Published in Squash
Thursday, 09 March 2023 04:54

Nick Matthew led Hallamshire to the 20222/23 Yorkshire Premier League title for the first time in the club’s history on Wednesday night after a nail-biting finale to the season.

Heading into the 18th and final round, the Sheffield club led second-placed Doncaster by 12 points, with York side Dunnington just behind them in third and mathematically still in with a shout.

As it turned out, all three clubs won 3-2, so Hallamshire’s 12-point lead remained unaltered by the end of a dramatic evening, and their celebrations could begin. 

Captain Matthew, 42, said: “It’s brilliant to win one of the most prestigious clubs leagues in the world for the first time in Hallamshire’s history.

The club asked me to take on the captaincy of the team this season and after losing the first two matches, my job was on the line! 

“Our nine home matches have all had packed out crowds. We could potentially progress to entering the PSL with the right sponsorship in place.” 

Hallamshire’s team is largely home-grown including Matthew himself, his protégé world no.45 Nick Wall, club head coach Adam Turner, Ollie Turner (nutritionist for British Swimming) and Nick Wall Snr, plus Nick Matthew Academy player Matt Gregory from Duffield.

Any Hallamshire pre-match nerves before the season climax – which was away at their cross-town rivals Abbeydale, just to add further spice – were not helped by the absence of injured No.1 Wall. An early straight-games defeat for No.5 Fergus Hunt to Abbeydale’s Hayden Tetley was certainly not the start the champions-elect were looking for. 

Ollie Turner won a cracking five-setter with Ryan Spencer to level matters and veteran Wall Snr outgunned Josh Payne to put the visitors ahead. However, Jordan Hardwick’s gutsy four-set win over Adam Turner set up a top-string decider. 

Hallamshire’s talisman Matthew, the three-time world and Commonwealth Games champion, saw them home with a four-game victory over Wales’ world No.127 Elliot Morris Devred, to the delight of the travelling support. 

As it turned out, Hallamshire would have won it even without those five bonus points, as runners-up Doncaster won only narrowly, 15-8 at home to Harrogate. The match was decided by an all-Kiwi tussle at No.1 between Joel Arscott and Temwa Chileshe which went right down to a fifth before Chileshe succumbed.

Dunnington went into the last match with slender title hopes, but those were soon snuffed out when their No.5 Matt Hatcher lost in straight games to Leeds side Chapel Allerton’s Rahul Bansal at fifth string. 

Taminder Gata Aura, who lost just once all season, levelled matters with a tough three-setter against Tim Watkins, then lengthy wins for Chapel A’s Isaac Green and the home side’s Seif Heikal set up a match-decider for the No.1s. It was Michael Andrews, elevated up the Dunnington order in the absence of Chris Simpson, who took the win in straight games against Conor Sheen. 

Bottom club Chapel Allerton’s fate was sealed several weeks ago, but that 16-8 defeat meant they finished bottom by 24 points. They will be replaced next season by Hull & East Riding and Ferriby, who blitzed to the Division One title without losing a match. 

Read 173 times

Soccer

USWNT's Albert apologizes after Rapinoe criticism

USWNT's Albert apologizes after Rapinoe criticism

EmailPrintUnited States women's national team midfielder Korbin Albert apologized on Thursday for pr...

Leicester sack women's boss for breach of conduct

Leicester sack women's boss for breach of conduct

EmailPrintLeicester City manager Willie Kirk has been dismissed from his position after an internal...

Davies' agent blasts Bayern's contract 'ultimatum'

Davies' agent blasts Bayern's contract 'ultimatum'

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe agent of Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies has criticised the...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

Basketball

Hornets shut down LaMelo (ankle) for season

Hornets shut down LaMelo (ankle) for season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCharlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball will not play again this season...

Lawyer: Ex-G Leaguer won't face death penalty

Lawyer: Ex-G Leaguer won't face death penalty

EmailPrintFormer G League player Chance Comanche, who was charged with the murder of a woman whose b...

Baseball

Opening Day takeaways: What we learned from a wild start to the 2024 MLB season

Opening Day takeaways: What we learned from a wild start to the 2024 MLB season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWhat an MLB Opening Day!All 30 teams were scheduled to be in action...

Heroic debut: Soto's throw saves Yankees in 9th

Heroic debut: Soto's throw saves Yankees in 9th

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsHOUSTON -- That Juan Soto's first signature Yankee moment happened...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated