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MELBOURNE, Oct 27: Holders Egypt and Australia reached the final of the world team squash championship here Saturday.
Australia thrashed England 3-0, while Egyptians notch up a 2-1 victory over Scotland.
Omar El Borolossy, a member of the 1999 winning side, gave the defending champions a great start with a 9-3, 0-9, 9-2, 9-2 win over the previously unbeaten Martin Heath in the opening second string rubber.
John White then hit back for Scotland with a 5-9, 9-3, 9-6, 9-5 win over the 1999 world junior champion, Karim Darwish, but Mohammed Abbas clinched the victory for the sixth seeds with a 9-3, 9-5, 9-2 result against Neil Frankland.
The deciding rubber always promised to be a one-sided affair since Abbas is a rising star ranked No.36 in the world, while Frankland is a full-time county coach in England and has never played on the world circuit.
With Ahmed Barada, a former world No.2, having recently retired, Egypt arrived in Australia as outsiders to retain the title.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS:
Semifinals: Egypt bt Scotland 2-1 (Kareem Darwish lost to John White 9-5, 3-9, 6-9, 5-9; Omar Elborolossy bt Martin Heath 9-3, 0-9, 9-2, 9-2; Mohammed Abbas bt Neil Frankland 9-3, 9-5, 9-2)
Australia bt England 3-0 (David Palmer bt Mark Chaloner 4-9, 9-3, 2-9, 9-3, 9-2; Paul Price bt Chris Walker 6-9, 9-0, 9-6, 7-9, 9-2; Stewart Boswell bt Lee Beachill 9-1, 9-2)
Play-offs for place 5-8: France bt Malaysia 3-0, South Africa bt Canada 2-1
Play-offs for place 9-12: Wales bt Pakistan 2-1 (David Evans bt Mansoor Zaman 9-5, 4-9, 9-1, 7-9, 9-1; Alex Gough bt Shahid Zaman 9-6, 9-5, 1-9, 9-7; Greg Tippings lost to Shamsul Islam 9-4, 4-9, 3-9), Ireland bt Finland 2-1
Play-offs for places 13-16: Netherlands bt Denmark 3-0, Sweden bt Germany 3-0
Play-offs for places 17-20: Hong Kong bt USA 2-1, New Zealand bt Austria 3-0
Play-offs for places 21-24: Mexico bt Japan 3-0, Norway bt Kenya 2-1.—AFP
