December 13, 2005	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 10, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: As expected No 3 seeds France put the brakes on Pakistan shattering their hopes of making the semifinals for the first time in eight years in the World Team squash championship on Monday.

The Mushaf Squash Complex was the venue of the gruelling quarterfinal where France picked up a 2-1 victory but had to literally toil in so doing.

The win put the Frenchmen in a mouth-watering semifinal with No. 2 seeds Egypt who walloped Malaysia 3-0 on a day Canada knocked out defending champions Australia 2-1.

The Canadians powered by Jonathan Power drew England in Tuesday’s semifinal after the Englishmen outplayed Wales 3-0.

Pakistan, the underdogs, put up a brave fight in their quarterfinal that lasted almost two and a half hours as Shahid Zaman, Farhan Mahboob and Mansoor Zaman gave the French a run for their money.

Shahid, up against the might of Thierry Lincou, the world No. 1 fought hard and was on court for more than one hour before the Frenchman was able to carve out a 10-8, 9-3, 2-9, 9-4 victory.

But Pakistan felt that two crucial decisions went against them which could have changed the complexion of the quarterfinal.

Coach Jamshed Gul pointed out that with Shahid leading 8-7 in the opening game, two strokes that were awarded to Lincou upset his momentum and he lost.

“Had Shahid won that first game, the results today would have been different,” said Jamshed whose side now play Malaysia on Tuesday.

After Shahid went down, Farhan Mahboob brought his side back into the match upsetting Renan Lavigne 9-1, 9-6, 4-9, 9-5 through a brilliant 37-minute effort.

“He played intelligently and was never under pressure against his superior-ranked opponent,” Jamshed said of Farhan.

Mansoor fought hard against Gregory Gualtier, the world No. 11 and pulled level after going a game down but seemed unable to cope with his rival’s exceptional reach.

Son of former champion Qamar Zaman, Mansoor could not match Gualtier in the subsequent games and the Frenchman completed a 9- 2, 7-9, 9-4, 9-1 victory in 48 minutes.

Canada’s Power plotted Australia’s downfall leading the way with a 1-9, 9-3, 9-4, 9-3 win over Anthony Ricketts.

Shahier Razik enhanced the lead defeating Joseph Kneipp 1-9, 9-7, 9-1, 9-5 before Stuart Boswell pulled one back for the champions scoring a 9-3, 9-7 victory over Graham Ryding.

England, the top seeds, were comfortable winners, James Willstrop, Nick Matthew and Lee Beachill the men involved in the whitewash of Wales.

Willstrop needed just over half an hour to inflict a 9-4, 9-7, 9- 4 defeat on David Evans and Matthew swept aside Ricky Davies 9-3, 9-2, 9-2 in only 25 minutes. Beachill rounded off a fine day’s work with 9-0, 9-0 defeat of Gavin Jones.

Egypt continued their march towards the final through Amr Shabana, Mohammed Abbas and Karim Darwish, all of whom had an easy day in office.

Shabana edged Mohd Azlan Iskandar 9-0, 8-10, 9-7, 9-4 and then Abbas crushed Mohd Nafiizwan 9-0, 9-0, 9-0. Later Ong Beng Hee conceded his match against Darwish.

Results (quarterfinals): England bt Wales 3-0 (James Willstrop bt David Evans 9-4, 9-7, 9-4, Nick Matthew bt Ricky Davies 9-3, 9-2, 9-2, Lee Beachill bt Gavin Jones 9-0, 9-5

Canada bt Australia 2-1 (Jonathan Power bt Anthony Ricketts 1-9, 9-3, 9-4, 9-3, Shahier Razik bt Joseph Kniepp 1-9, 9-7, 9-1, 9-5, Stuart Boswell (Aus) bt Graham Ryding 9-3, 9-7

France bt Pakistan 2-1 (Thierry Lincou bt Shahid Zaman 10-8, 9-3, 2-9, 9-4, Farhan Mahboob (Pak) bt Renan Lavigne 9-1, 9-6, 4-9, 9- 5, Gregory Gaultier bt Mansoor Zaman 9-2, 7-9, 9-4, 9-1

Egypt bt Malaysia 3-0 (Amr Shabana bt Mohd Azlan Iskandar 9-0, 8- 10, 9-7, 9-4, Mohammed Abbas bt Mohd Nafiizwan 9-0, 9-0, 9-0, Karim Darwish bt Ong Beng Hee

Other matches: Kuwait bt Iran 2-1 (Abdullah Al Mezayen bt Majid Rohani 9-1, 9-7, 9-7, Mohamad Hassan (Ira) bt Omar Al Jamaan 9-6, 9-3, 9-6, Nasser Ramzy bt Poya Ahmad Abadi 9-1, 9-2, 9-1 0 -

Scotland bt Finland 3-0 (John White bt Olli Touminen 5-9, 9-5, 9- 6, 9-1, Stuart Crawford bt Hameed Ahmed 9-3, 3-9, 10-9, 9-6, Harry Leitch bt Matias Toumi 9-6, 9-4

USA bt Ireland 2-1 (Liam Kenny (Ire) bt Preston Quick 9-2, 9-2, 9-0, Chris Gordon bt Neal Murphy 9-3, 9-6, 9-6, Julian Illingworth bt Artur Gaskin 9-0, 9-0, 9-5

New Zealand bt Spain 2-1 (Borja Golan (Spa) bt Kashif Shuja 9-3, 9-5, 10-9, Campbell Grayson bt Alejandro Garbi 9-5, 9-1, 3-9, 9- 3, Callum Brien bt David Vidal Villamide 9-3, 9-3, 9-3.

Semifinals (Tuesday): England v Canada (12.00pm), France v Egypt (4.00pm).

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