MANCHESTER, Oct 15: Defending champion David Palmer of Australia crashed out of the British Open on Friday on a black day for some of the sport’s leading players. Palmer, the third seed, was beaten 11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9 by Malaysian 15th seed Ong Beng Hee in a second round match which had been suspended on Thursday when Beng Hee was injured in a collision in the fourth game.

Although outraged by the decision to delay the match, the world number three from New South Wales conceded that he didn’t deserve to win.

“There’s no way I would have won the title - I would have been wiped off the floor in the quarterfinals by my fellow Aussie Anthony Ricketts,” said Palmer.

Beng Hee admitted he was overjoyed with his first even win over a top-four player and that it was reward for a two-year programme which has transformed his game.

“I have been working hard with my coaches in England, and this is the reward for me and everybody who has helped me,” said Beng Hee, who followed a career-high number seven in the world in December 2001 by slipping out of the top twenty last year.

“My whole approach now is different, and this win has given me a lot of confidence,” added the 25-year-old Asian champion who is based in Harrogate, northern England.

“I’ve had a lot of criticism in Malaysia while I was slipping down the rankings. But maybe this did me a lot of good as I am now enjoying my squash more than I have for a long time - and I’ve got a life as well.”

Beng Hee now rakes on Ricketts for a place in the last four.

Elsewhere, Scotland’s eighth seed John White recovered from a game down to beat English qualifier Alister Walker 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 and will now face former world champion Jonathon Power in the quarter-finals.

The Canadian fourth seed beat France’s Gregory Gaultier, the ninth seed, 11-4, 7-11, 7-11, 11-1, 11-6.

England’s seventh seed James Willstrop will take on Australian qualifier Stewart Boswell.

Willstrop beat Adrian Grant, the 11th seed, 10-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8, while Boswell caused the highest seeding casualty in the men’s event with a 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6 victory over England’s second seed Lee Beachill.

Results