An unquenchable desire to show they could compete at a high level was the underlying factor in Eastern Province’s success when they won two titles in the Growthpoint Interprovincial squash tournament in East London last week.
While the EP women’s and men’s A teams did not disgrace themselves by ending fifth and sixth respectively in the A sections, the accolades went to the men’s B and C sides who won the C and D divisions.
In an overall squad which featured many young players, this was a significant step in the right direction for a province which has sometimes lived in the shadow of the country’s bigger regions.
EP A men’s captain Jason le Roux said the players had been determined to show they could compete with their peers.
“If you look back at recent times, the A team won the C section in 2019 and then the B section in 2020, gaining promotion to the A section in 2021,” he said.
“Some of the players in last week’s teams were part of that experience, which has created a desire among them to do well and to show that they can also compete at the next level.
“When you have a team competing in the A section, it acts as a role model and provides motivation for players in the B and C teams to also excel in their divisions.”
Though losing their fifth-place playoff match to Zambia, the men’s A team registered notable wins over KwaZulu-Natal and Northerns, and lost out by the narrowest of margins to Joburg Squash on the opening day.
They came within a whisker of qualifying for the top four playoffs.
Similarly, the women’s team proved competitive and showed great spirit throughout the week, even in adversity.
A highlight was No 1 Hayley Ward’s first-ever win over the experienced and redoubtable Milnay Louw of Northerns.
EP B team captain Liam Ford said their success had boiled down to Thursday’s clash with SACD C.
“We were playing Border on the final day, but SACD had cleaned them up so we felt that the Thursday match would possibly be the decider,” he said.
“We were under some pressure because we went down 2-1 in matches and Murray Schepers went on against Gareth Craigen, whom he played twice in the USSA tournament, winning both matches 3-2.
“This time he managed to pull out a 3-1 victory and then Sips Mpini went on against Mikhail Schabort in the decider.
“Sips played like an absolute star to win 3-1."”
With neither Lubabalo Mtotoyi nor Ethan Richardson having played in the interprovincial before, Ford said there had been a sense of nervousness at the start.
“But the guys got used to pressure quite quickly and beating Midlands 5-0 in our first match was important for our confidence.”
EP C team captain Russell Horn said the team had gelled incredibly well together, with constant support from all the players a common thread during the week.
“In a general sense, EP squash really put in a lot of effort this year and it was a great experience for the young players rising through the ranks.”
HeraldLIVE
EP’s self belief brings squash triumphs
Two titles bagged at Growthpoint Interprovincial squash tournament in East London
Image: SUPPLIED
An unquenchable desire to show they could compete at a high level was the underlying factor in Eastern Province’s success when they won two titles in the Growthpoint Interprovincial squash tournament in East London last week.
While the EP women’s and men’s A teams did not disgrace themselves by ending fifth and sixth respectively in the A sections, the accolades went to the men’s B and C sides who won the C and D divisions.
In an overall squad which featured many young players, this was a significant step in the right direction for a province which has sometimes lived in the shadow of the country’s bigger regions.
EP A men’s captain Jason le Roux said the players had been determined to show they could compete with their peers.
“If you look back at recent times, the A team won the C section in 2019 and then the B section in 2020, gaining promotion to the A section in 2021,” he said.
“Some of the players in last week’s teams were part of that experience, which has created a desire among them to do well and to show that they can also compete at the next level.
“When you have a team competing in the A section, it acts as a role model and provides motivation for players in the B and C teams to also excel in their divisions.”
Though losing their fifth-place playoff match to Zambia, the men’s A team registered notable wins over KwaZulu-Natal and Northerns, and lost out by the narrowest of margins to Joburg Squash on the opening day.
They came within a whisker of qualifying for the top four playoffs.
Similarly, the women’s team proved competitive and showed great spirit throughout the week, even in adversity.
A highlight was No 1 Hayley Ward’s first-ever win over the experienced and redoubtable Milnay Louw of Northerns.
EP B team captain Liam Ford said their success had boiled down to Thursday’s clash with SACD C.
“We were playing Border on the final day, but SACD had cleaned them up so we felt that the Thursday match would possibly be the decider,” he said.
“We were under some pressure because we went down 2-1 in matches and Murray Schepers went on against Gareth Craigen, whom he played twice in the USSA tournament, winning both matches 3-2.
“This time he managed to pull out a 3-1 victory and then Sips Mpini went on against Mikhail Schabort in the decider.
“Sips played like an absolute star to win 3-1."”
With neither Lubabalo Mtotoyi nor Ethan Richardson having played in the interprovincial before, Ford said there had been a sense of nervousness at the start.
“But the guys got used to pressure quite quickly and beating Midlands 5-0 in our first match was important for our confidence.”
EP C team captain Russell Horn said the team had gelled incredibly well together, with constant support from all the players a common thread during the week.
“In a general sense, EP squash really put in a lot of effort this year and it was a great experience for the young players rising through the ranks.”
HeraldLIVE
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