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Somerset docked 12 points for 'poor' pitch in Championship decider
Somerset will start the 2020 County Championship season on minus 12 points after an ECB disciplinary panel ruled that the pitch prepared for their title decider against Essex at Taunton was 'poor'.
In a rain-affected game that Somerset had to win in order to overtake Essex, 21 wickets fell in 148 overs, of which 17 were to spin. The disciplinary panel ruled that the pitch demonstrated 'excessive unevenness of bounce'.
Somerset accepted the charge that the pitch was correctly rated poor, but denied that it was not the best quality pitch they could have prepared. The panel struck down their objection, thus handing the club a 24-point deduction, though 12 of those have been suspended.
Somerset have two weeks to appeal the decision. A club statement said that they would "await the full report from the Cricket Discipline Commission before considering our next course of action".
The club have pushed the bounds of the ECB's regulations in recent seasons. In 2018, they escaped a penalty for their surface in a Championship match against Lancashire which finished in two days and was found to have "demonstrated excessive turn". But while the ECB's Cricket Discipline Commission did not penalise Somerset, they did warn that "the club should expect any proven breach of ECB's pitch regulations in future to result in a points deduction".
Essex registered their frustrations with the pitch at the time. Head coach Anthony McGrath said the wicket had "turned from ball one and some deliveries have gone through the surface," while captain Ryan ten Doeschate said he had "been stressing the severity of how bad that pitch is... they've really taken a risk here by producing this wicket, but I'm sure we would have done as well."
The decision raises the question as to what might have happened if Somerset had won the game in question. They would have overtaken Essex, but not by more than 12 points, thus leaving open the possibility that the destination of the Championship would have been decided in a committee room at Lord's, rather than on the field.
More to follow...
Goal achieved but outweighed by performance
He commenced proceeding in the no.15 spot (344 points); the semi-final win against colleague, Dimitrij Ovtcharov (11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6), meant that mathematically he was assured of a qualification place. The no.10 spot (544 points) was to be the eventual outcome.
However, the fact that he had booked the place in the Grand Finals was total overshadowed by the performance against China’s Fan Zhendong; he held three match points in the deciding game, before eventually succumbing to defeat (11-2, 4-11, 11-13, 5-11, 11-3, 11-5, 14-12).
In their six encounters on the international scene, it was the closest he had every come against the player now listed at no.1 on the world rankings but should that no be the other way around?
Timo Boll is now 38 years, when the World Veteran Championships are held in 2022 in Oman, he’ll be eligible; Fan Zhendong is a mere 22 years of age and when they first met on the international scene in the quarter-finals of the men’s singles event four years ago at the Qoros 2015 World Championships, Fan Zhendong was only 18 years old and still in the junior ranks. On that occasion Fan Zhendong won in six games (12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 13-15, 11-7).
The Hague, 1995
We knew of this bright young German player but it was the European Youth Championships staged in The Hague in late July and early August 1995 when we really took note of the name; he won gold in the cadet boys’ team event alongside Björn Baum, Jens Lilienthal and Nico Stehle. Later he secured the cadet boys’ doubles title in partnership with Jens Lilienthal before beating Frenchman Jean-Sebastien Boisard in the cadet boys’ singles final.
Now approaching 25 years later, Timo Boll continues to play at the very highest level; in any sport that is a long career and it continues.
He progressed in his formative years when very much forehand top spin was a key feature; in the late 1980s and early 1990s European men had enjoyed six years ascendancy on the global scene. Timo Boll followed the path of a lethal forehand but he stood out from the rest, the amount of top spin he imparted on the first three attacking stroke was massively significant.
Breakthrough
The result was that in 2002 he made a major breakthrough at senior level. In Rotterdam on Sunday 10th February, he won the Europe Top 12; he beat Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus in the final (12-14, 11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 14-12, 11-7). Not only did he win, he won at the first attempt and became the first ever German to secure the title!
Later in the same year in Zagreb on Sunday 7th April he clinched the men’s singles title at the Liebherr European Championships, accounting for Kalinikos Kreanga of Greece in the final (11-9, 4-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-7, 11-6), before sensationally on Sunday 3rd November in Jinan, he beat China’s Kong Linghui, the reigning Olympic champion playing on home soil (8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-9, 13-11) to secure the Men’s World Cup title. Just as in Rotterdam, he was on debut.
Adapt
The technique worked a treat but follow that style today and at top level it will not work; Timo Boll had to change. Now watch Timo Boll, while to forehand is still the prime weapon, the backhand appears more and more effective as the years advance and it imparts severe amounts of top spin on the ball.
In a different era, just as in 2002 when in Jinan he had beaten Kong Linghui and notably at the quarter-final stage, Wang Liqin, the incumbent world champion (11-9, 11-5, 11-4, 11-6); now approaching two decades later, Timo Boll still rates amongst the very best in the world.
Generations have come and gone but Timo Boll continues at the highest level; he continues because he adapted, the mark of a really great player; he continues because the appetite is still present and he continues because of the most important factor of all, he respects the sport of table tennis.
Strong England squad ready for tilt at Men’s World Team Championship
James Willstrop performed brilliantly to beat former world champion Karim Abdel Gawad in Qatar last week
Daryl Selby leads four number ones in Washington Worlds
By DONNA HELMER – Squash Mad Correspondent
England National Coach David Campion has announced the Team England squad for the forthcoming WSF Men’s World Team Squash Championships in Washington D.C from 15-21 December.
The Team England quartet, who captured the European Team crown in April, will be headed up by Daryl Selby and comprises former World No.1 and Commonwealth Games champion James Willstrop, who will be appearing in his eighth successive World Team Championships, alongside current England No.1 Adrian Waller and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Declan James.
Team England will be striving to go one better than last time and reclaim the title they won in 2013 which featured both Selby and Willstrop. Willstrop produced a performance of outstanding quality in Qatar last week to beat Egypt’s former world champion Karim Darwish in the Men’s World Championship.
Team England’s men boast a strong track record in team events, having been crowned World champions five times and European champions on 41 occasions.
Commenting on the selection, Campion said: “The World Team Championships is a high value event and one that we place great importance on. We have a fantastic track record at this event and I’m confident that our players will produce their very best level with the England shirt on their backs.
“We have vast experience in James Willstrop and Daryl Selby who are both still producing a great level of squash in their twilight years and fully deserve their selection ahead of a chasing pack.
“Adrian Waller has moved up to become the new England No.1 on the back of some very good recent form, and Declan James has overcome a challenging start to the season with an excellent performance against Simon Rosner in Doha last week. Hopefully we will see those two build on that in the lead up, giving us the best possible chance of success in Washington.”
All four players have held the position of England No.1 in recent months and squad captain Selby, said: “As always, I’m delighted to have been selected to represent England at another World Team Championships and it’s a great honour to captain this team. We have an exceptionally solid team with a lot of experience and a fantastic team spirit.
“I’m really looking forward to a week of intense battle in Washington where we will be giving everything we have to try and lift that trophy. It won’t be an easy week but we have a superb support team around us again and I can’t wait to get out there.”
To find out more about the event and book tickets, visit worldteamsquashdc.com
Report by DONNA HELMER. Edited by ALAN THATCHER.
Pictures by Steve Cubbins courtesy of England Squash
Nottingham to host European Under 15 and Under 17 Teams in 2020
The University of Nottingham will be hosting the European Under 15/17 Championships next year
David Ross Sports Village adds to growing reputation for staging major events
By DONNA HELMER – Squash Mad Correspondent
University of Nottingham Sport has today announced it will host the European Under 15/17 Team Championships next year. The championships will be staged at the David Ross Sports Village and Nottingham Squash and Rackets Club from 7-10 May 2020 in partnership with the European Squash Federation (ESF) and England Squash.
University of Nottingham Sport has a strong record of delivering major squash events within their state-of-the-art facilities. The 2017 AJ Bell European Individual Closed Championships, the 2019 AJ Bell British Nationals as well as the British Universities and Colleges’ Sport (BUCS) Individual and Team Squash Finals have been hosted at the David Ross Sports Village.
The £40 million Sports Village boasts six glass-backed courts as well as one of the only four all-glass show courts in the UK which seats 250 spectators. Alongside Nottingham Squash and Rackets Club, which boasts one of the largest squash facilities in the country, Nottingham has become a regular destination for domestic and international competition.
Squash is a key performance sport at the university and has enjoyed significant success in the University Squash Championships. The women’s team will be looking for a fourth consecutive national title in March 2020 and sports scholars Hana Ramadan and Coline Aumard have also taken the previous three individual titles.
The university will also provide accommodation and dining packages for the travelling players offering a unique campus experience just a short drive away from Nottingham city centre.
Jackie Robinson OBE, Vice President of the European Squash Federation, commented: “The European Squash Federation are delighted that the Under 15/17 Team Championships will be staged at the University of Nottingham in May especially as this is the first time that the event has been held in England.
“Owing to the number of teams involved, the courts at Nottingham Squash Rackets Club will also be used. The ESF are deeply indebted to the university and England Squash for offering to stage these championships and would like to wish all competitors every success.”
Christine Bailey, Assistant Director of Sport added: “University of Nottingham Sport are delighted to once again be working alongside the European Squash Federation and England Squash to deliver a major European squash event here in Nottingham. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase our state-of-the-art facilities and performance programme to the best young squash talent in Europe.”
“We look forward to welcoming all the players and their supporters here to Nottingham in May!”
For further information on the Championships, visit nottingham.ac.uk/sport/esfchamps
Report by DONNA HELMER. Edited by ALAN THATCHER.
Picture courtesy of England Squash
World champion Tarek Momen books his place in the PSA World Tour Finals
Tarek Momen and wife Raneem El Welily are the first married couple in squash history to become world champions
Wife Raneem heads women’s leader board on Road to Egypt
By MATT COLES – Squash Mad Correspondent
Egypt’s Tarek Momen has booked his place in the season-ending PSA World Tour Finals after claiming the PSA Men’s World Championship 2019-2020 title in Qatar on Friday.
The World No.3 defeated New Zealand’s Paul Coll in the final at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex to become World Champion for the first time.
The PSA World Tour Finals includes both a men’s and women’s tournament and brings together the reigning PSA World Champions and all of the PSA World Tour Platinum title winners from the season.
That means Momen will be competing alongside his wife Raneem El Welily, last season’s women’s world champion who tops the current women’s leader board.
Any remaining places are then allocated to the highest ranked players on the Road to Egypt Standings and points are on offer across all PSA World Tour events during the season.
After winning the World Championships, U.S. Open and Egyptian Open respectively, Momen, Ali Farag and Karim Abdel Gawad are already assured of a spot in the PSA World Tour Finals in June.
Mohamed ElShorbagy now leads the way atop the men’s standings, with the China Open and Oracle NetSuite Open champion accumulating over 6,000 points already this season.
U.S. Open champion, and World No.1, Farag drops down to second place after missing the World Championships through personal reasons. The Egyptian lifted the first Platinum title of the season in Philadelphia.
Momen moves up into third place after becoming the 18th man to put his name on the iconic World Championship trophy, with Paul Coll now in fourth after making the final of the sport’s premiere event for the first time.
Gawad, Marwan ElShorbagy, Joel Makin and Simon Rösner round out the top eight, with Diego Elias and Miguel Rodriguez in close order behind the German.
For the women’s event at the PSA World Tour Finals, Nouran Gohar and Nour El Sherbini have already booked their places, having lifted the U.S Open and World Championship titles, respectively.
World No.1 El Welily holds the lead in the Road to Egypt, with over 6,000 points to her name. She won the Oracle NetSuite Open in San Francisco earlier this year.
China Open winner Nour El Tayeb sits second on the leaderboard, with the Egyptian having also reached the final of the Oracle NetSuite Open.
U.S. Open champ Gohar is third, with El Sherbini in fifth, despite having only featured in one tournament, as she won the World Championship at the Pyramids on her return from injury. Open de France – Nantes winner Camille Serme is currently in between the pair in fourth place.
Hania El Hammamy, Sarah-Jane Perry and Amanda Sobhy hold the remaining places in the top eight, with New Zealand’s Joelle King only marginally behind the American.
The next event that will see the PSA World Tour stars battling it out for an automatic place in the season-ending Finals will be the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, which takes place in New York between January 9-17.
Road to Egypt Standings.
Article by MATT COLES (PSA). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.
Picture and graphic courtesy of PSA
Wales prop Tomas Francis will miss the start of the 2020 Six Nations because of a shoulder injury suffered at the 2019 World Cup.
The Exeter Chiefs tight-head suffered the injury as Wales lost to South Africa in the semi-finals in Japan.
Francis has undergone surgery with Exeter saying he is "now likely to be sidelined for up to four months following injury".
Wales' Six Nations starts against Italy in Cardiff on Saturday, 1 February.
Exeter have also lost tight-head Greg Holmes to injury, prompting them to sign Argentine Enrique Pieretto as cover until the end of the 2019-20 season.
New Wales coach Wayne Pivac is to announce his first squad on Tuesday, 19 November for the uncapped game against Barbarians in Cardiff on Saturday, 30 November.
As an England-based player, Francis would not have been available for that encounter against a team coached by Pivac's predecessor Warren Gatland.
Chiefs boss Rob Baxter said: "After two or three scans it became clear that Tom needs an operation to repair the shoulder injury he picked up with Wales at the World Cup.
"It's not great news for us, but at least we know where we stand now.
"We've therefore moved pretty quickly not just because we've lost Tom, but also Greg's Achilles has proved more problematic than we first thought.
"Again, he's going to be out for two or three months, so we felt it was the right thing to do to strengthen ourselves at tight-head."
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – While Kyle Busch was celebrating his second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship, two veteran competitors quietly said goodbye to the sport.
David Ragan and Paul Menard wrapped up their full-time NASCAR careers on Sunday during the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with each driver wrapping up their seasons and careers during the season finale.
Ragan, the 33-year-old native of Unadilla, Ga., finished 27th in the final race of his career. In 470 series starts dating back to 2006, Ragan earned two victories, 15 top-five and 40 top-10 finishes.
The best season of his career came in 2008 when he earned six top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, resulting in a 13th-place championship finish. He began his career driving for Roush Fenway Racing and competed in events for BK Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing during his Cup Series career.
“Our last race was really uneventful,” said Ragan, who spent the last three seasons of his career driving for Front Row Motorsports. “We tried some strategy a few times and it kind of bit us. We probably lost a lap or two that we shouldn’t have, but we were being aggressive because we didn’t really have anything to lose I can’t say enough about everybody at Front Row Motorsports and the NASCAR industry for making this last weekend special. It was a tough season. I wish we had some better results to show for it, but the last season won’t dictate my 13-year career. We’ve had a lot of fun, a lot of good memories and don’t regret anything that we’ve done.
“I’ll sleep good tonight and think a little bit over the offseason on what I want to do next year and I’m sure I’ll be around.”
Menard, 38, closed his full-time NASCAR career with a 17th-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 Ford.
During a career that spanned 471 races, Menard’s lone victory came in the 2011 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He also collected 20 top-five and 69 top-10 finishes, with a best championship finish of 14th in 2015.
Menard’s first full-time season came in 2007 for Dale Earnhardt Inc. He also competed in events in cars fielded by Andy Petree, Yates Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing before ending his career driving for Wood Brothers Racing.
While Ragan’s replacement at Front Row Motorsports hasn’t been announced, Wood Brothers Racing have already hired Matt DiBenedetto to drive the No. 21 entry next season in place of Menard.
VALENCIA, Spain – Marc Marquez’s new teammate at Repsol Honda next season will have a familiar last name.
Marquez’s younger brother, 23-year-old Alex Marquez, will join him on Repsol Honda’s MotoGP roster beginning next season. Alex Marquez replaces the departing Jorge Lorenzo, who recently announced his retirement from MotoGP.
Like his older brother, Alex Marquez has put together a successful career in the lower divisions. In 2014 he won the Moto3 World Championship and he added the Moto2 World Championship this season.
The Marquez brothers are the only brothers to win world motorcycle racing titles during the same season, with the elder of the two brothers winning the MotoGP title in 2014 and 2019 in addition to Alex Marquez’s Moto3 and Moto2 titles.
WHEATLAND, Mo. – Officials from the Lucas Oil Midwest Latemodel Racing Ass’n have set a 23-event schedule for the upcoming season.
The schedule includes 11 different venues across five states.
The schedule will also feature a change in qualifying format, transitioning from the traditional passing points system used in recent years, to time trial qualifying. Series officials piloted the best of two lap qualifying format in select events this past season and will now use it moving forward at all MLRA sanctioned events.
The season will get under way in traditional fashion on April 10-11 with the running of the seventh annual Spring Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. An open practice is planned for April 9 before two complete shows take center stage.
For the third consecutive year, weekend two of the season will have teams converging on a pair of Eastern Iowa facilities. April 17 will showcase the historic half-mile facility of Davenport Speedway in a $5,000 to win main event, before teams head south to 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, for the Slocum 50.
The month of May will find the series making a popular return to Stuart (Iowa) Int’l Speedway. This rare Thursday night event on May 7 will pay $3,000 to win and launch the tour’s first three-day swing of the season. May 8 will take teams back to the familiar Davenport Speedway for the second time in just a matter of weeks. This second and final visit to Davenport will transition drivers to the confines of the facility’s inner quarter-mile racing surface. The weekend will conclude on May 9 as teams swap gears and take on the fast half-mile West Liberty Raceway on the grounds of the Muscatine County Fairgrounds.
The Lucas Oil MLRA, along with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, will conclude the month of May with their biggest weekend of the season, the 28th Annual Show-Me-100 at Lucas Oil Speedway May 21-23. Severe storms just days prior to the start of the 2019 event resulted in the cancellation of the Memorial Day weekend classic. May 21 will be the first of two qualifying nights, headlined by the $6,000 to win, Cowboy Classic. The Tribute to Don & Billie Gibson is next on May 22, followed by May 23’s Show-Me-100 finale and it’s $30,000 top prize.
Robert Wagener and his team at DRT Trak Racing, Inc. will again welcome drivers and fans on June 13 to an Eastern Iowa facility that will be announced at a later date. June 14 will mark the series inaugural visit to Rock Island County Fairgrounds in East Moline, Ill. This quarter-mile high banked oval is currently receiving multiple upgrades by new promoters Peterson Family Promotions.
For the sixth year in a row, the Salina High Banks Speedway in Pryor Creek, Okla., will play host to the Freedom Classic on June 26-27. This annual pre-4th of July weekend event has historically showcased some of the most exciting racing of the season, and will again offer up a pair of complete shows paying out $3,000 and $5,000 to win respectively.
Teams and drivers will have a short turn-around before returning to action for another trifecta weekend July 2-4. The four-tenths-mile high banked Cresco Speedway will fire off the holiday weekend salute on July 2.
The series will return to 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, on July 3, followed by a trip to 330 Raceway in Farley, Iowa, on July 4.
On July 10 the series will return to Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., for a $3,000-to-win bout. The tour will again team up with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series on July 18 for the 14th annual Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway.
On Sept. 5 the series will be back at Lucas Oil Speedway for the inaugural Ron Jenkins Memorial, a tribute to the original builder of Wheatland Raceway. Labor day weekend will conclude the following night when the series makes its way to the Quincy Raceways in Quincy, Ill., for the Scottie 45.
The MLRA series championship will again be on the line Oct. 9-10 at the seventh annual Fall Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway. A pair of complete shows paying $3,000 and $5,000, respectively, will bring the campaign to a close.
2020 Lucas Oil MLRA Schedule
April 10-11 – Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, Mo.
April 17 – Davenport Speedway – Davenport, Iowa
April 18 – 34 Raceway – West Burlington, Iowa
May 7 – Stuart Int’l Speedway – Stuart, Iowa
May 8 – Davenport Speedway – Davenport, Iowa
May 9 – West Liberty Raceway – West Liberty, Iowa
May 21-23 – Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, Mo.
June 13 – TBA – TBA
June 14 – Rock Island County Fairgrounds – East Moline, Ill.
June 26-27 – Salina Speedway – Pryor, Okla.
July 2 – Cresco Speedway – Cresco, Iowa
July 3 – 34 Raceway – West Burlington, Iowa
July 4 – 300 Raceway – Farley, Iowa
July 10 – Lakeside Speedway – Kansas City, Kan.
July 18 – Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, Mo.
Sept. 5 – Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, Mo.
Sept. 6 – Quincy Raceways – Quincy, Ill.
Oct. 9-10 – Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, Mo.
LAKE CITY, Fla. – On the heels of a career season, Jordan Watson is anxious to get 2020 underway.
Watson, the reigning modified champion at Delaware Int’l Speedway in Delmar, Del., was the first to file an official entry for the Sunshine Swing at All-Tech Raceway in Lake City, Fla., Feb. 5-8.
The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco makes its inaugural visit to the state of Florida in February. For the first time in history, the Short Track Super Series-sanctioned Modifieds and Crate 602 Sportsman will venture south for the ‘Sunshine Swing’ mini-series.
An open practice on Feb. 5 leads into three consecutive nights of racing at the facility located roughly an hour west of Jacksonville. Feb. 6 features $5,000-to-win STSS Modifieds and $1,250-to-win Crate 602 Sportsman. On Feb. 7 the stakes rise to $7,500-to-win STSS Modifieds with Crate 602 Sportsman again competing for $1,250.
Feb. 8 closes the book on the series with Modifieds competing for $10,000 to win and Crate 602 Sportsman battling for a $1,500 top prize.
Watson, of Milford, Del., will pilot his family owned No. 1J in the Sunshine State, tackling what is expected to be an all-star field of big-block/small-block modifieds.
In the First State, Watson rattled off nine modified wins at Delaware Int’l Speedway en route to the track championship at the half-mile oval promoted by the Cathell family.
On Nov. 2, Watson represented his home state in the Georgetown (Del.) Speedway Mid-Atlantic Championship, besting the STSS field for his second career victory with the series worth $7,400. The win propelled Watson to a very solid fifth in the year-end Velocita-USA South Region presented by Design for Vision and Sunglass Central final points.
The Mid-Atlantic Championship victory was Watson’s second of the season at Georgetown, bringing his total to 11.
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