NMMU B reach thrilling tie against Old Grey

NMMU B, who have had a tough start to the season, produced their best performance in the EP men's first squash league when they fought out a thrilling 9-9 tie with Old Grey this week.

This is the first time for many years the varsity have fielded a second first-league side. They were able to earn just two points in the first three fixtures. Admittedly, they were up against three of the stronger teams in the competition.

They then lost narrowly 8-7 to Rhodes and will be encouraged by their showing against an experienced Old Grey side.

With No1s Bonakele Nomkala (Old Grey) and Luke McFarland taking the court last, the Old Grey man needed a 3-0 win to clinch victory.

He was 2-0 up but the promising McFarland fought all the way to clinch the third 11-9, ensuring at least a share of the honours. It was a tight encounter throughout, the final scores being 11-9 14-12 9-11 11-9 to Nomkala.

Earlier, Johan Thiel had pulled off a notable win against a struggling Jacques Wessels. Level at 1-1, the hard- hitting NMMU left-hander edged the next two games 12-10 12-10.

At No4, Old Grey's Keith Stewart used all his experience to shade Zandré Botha 11-9 in the fifth.

Top sides Sunridge SuperSpar Londt Park B and NMMU A marched on with matching wins, each collecting the full 12 points.

However, there was an interesting result at No4 in the NMMU game when Andre Labuschagne was pushed all the way by Westview's Murray Schepers.

Schepers, 14, normally plays third league, but is making rapid strides in the game, as he showed by taking two games off his more experienced opponent.

This week's results:

Women Sunridge SuperSpar LP A bt Rhodes 12-2 (LP first): L Goosen bt N Ramchandra 3-0, C Levey bt C Ross 3-0, T Dowling bt A Farrell 3-2, K Trevarthen bt J Davies 3-0.

Sunridge SuperSpar LP B bt Saders A 9-3 (LP first): J Ryder bt D van Eck 3-0, J Dodd lost to K de kock 3-0, B la Mude bt C Walland 3-0, K Hoy bt J Price 3-0.

Sunridge SuperSpar LP C bt Wv A 11-3 (LP first): K Dodd lost to J Byrnes 3-2, A Tait bt D van der Merwe 3-0, I Loftie- Eaton bt M Bailey 3-0, H Ward bt N Roth 3-0.

Saders B bt NMMU 12-2 (Saders first): A Murray bt S O'Grady 3-1, L O'Grady bt D Cooper 3-0, A Fraser bt A Changfoot 3-1, W Theron bt N Langdon 3-0.

Men Sunridge SuperSpar LP A bt Rhodes 10-3 (LP first): A Senekal bt S Euijen 3-0, W Watermeyer lost to T Mgncete 3-1, G Hall bt M Hedges 3-0, W Bower bt S Kelly 3-0.

Old Grey tied with NMMU B 9-9 (OG first): B Nomkala bt L McFarland 3-1, J Wessels lost to J Thiel 3-1, T Ncamani lost to J Theron 3-2, K Stewart bt Z Botha 3-2.

NMMU A bt Wv 12-3 (NMMU first): J le Roux bt L Sigele 3-1, K Schwarz bt D Strydom 3-0, J Terblanche bt D Hahn 3-0, A Labuschagne bt M Schepers 3-2.

Sunridge SuperSpar LP B bt Saders 12-0 (LP first): G la Mude bt P Mason 3-0, R van Niekerk bt M Westcott 3-0, D van Niekerk bt M Oshry 3-0, P Ryder bt M Fuller 3-0.

ýLatest EP first league logs, subject to ratification by the logkeeper:

Men (five unless stated): LP B 60, NMMU A 57, Profiles 41 (4), LP A 40, Old Grey 22 (4), NMMU B 17, Saders 15 (4), Wv 14 (4), Rhodes 12( 4).

Women: (five unless stated): LP B 54, LP C 52, Saders B 44 (4), NMMU 34, LP A 31, Saders A 26 (4), Wv B 21 (4), Wv A 18 (4), Rhodes 5 (4). - Neale Emslie