Port Elizabeth
Thursday 11th July 2013-07-11
The stage is set for a battle royale between Western Province and Kwazulu Natal when they meet in the final round of the Investec Jarvis/Kaplan Interprovincial Squash Championships at Londt Park, Port Elizabeth tomorrow at 12h30. It will be the sixth clash between these two powerful sides since 2008 with Kwazulu Natal, a nose length ahead on 3 victories against Western Province’s two.
Shaun Le Roux’s calf injury in the first game of his first match of the week has caused headaches for Province and Friday’s final could well hinge on the “x” factor or the spirit of Jarvis. The encounters between the fifth strings Rudi Willemse (WP) and Gary Wheadon (KZN) and Zuko Kubukeli (WP) and Andrew Martin (Kzn) will set the ball rolling with what could prove to be a deciding twist when the two captains,Western Provinces’ Rodney Durbach and Adrian Hansen (Kzn) enter the fray. Both players, who have represented South Africa on a number of occasions, are known for their dogged tenacity and determination.
Equally gruelling will be the contest between Clinton Leeuw (WP) presently based in the USA and Hungarian Mark Krasjcak, who has represented Kwazulu Natal for the past 4 years in the second slots while the last match will see Australian Cameron Pilley , ranked 13 in the world , experiencing his first baptism of Jarvis fire as he faces former Hilton learner ,Steve Coppinger, ranked 16 in the world.
Thursday’ A section matches resulted in one way traffic for Kwazulu Natal , SACD and Western Province. Central Gauteng were no match for the fired up Kwazulu Natalian side with only Devon Hendricks taking Hansen to five games and former national player , Mike Tootill taking a game off Andrew Martin. Coppinger, Krasjcak and Wheadon all registered straight game wins over Eddie Charlton, Thoboki Mohohlo and Paul Atkinson respectively.
SACD A led by Finland’s Olli Tuominen dropped only2 games against the hapless Northerns side with England’s Peter Creed in the number one position . In the Western Province /Border clash Michael Shean collected a win for Border when he outplayed Rudi Willemse and Michael Wood added another point, when he took a game off the experienced Leeuw.
Having beaten Free State A in the cross over pool play-offs Kwazulu Natal will also contest the Men’s B section Final where they meet Eastern Province A which defeated Central Gauteng B in the cross over pool play-off.
In the final round of the Men’s C section, Kwazulu Natal once again feature strongly when with a 4 point advantage they take on Border B to decide the section. Eastern Province C will play SACD C in the final of the men’s D section.
In the Kaplan women’s A section Western Province demolished the SACD team 20-1 while the only other unbeaten side Central Gauteng accounted for Kwazulu Natal 17-6. Northerns provided a surprise when they defeated Eastern Province 14-8.
Elani Landman (EP) continued on her winning way outplaying Cara Fourie in straight games the first of which was an extended 18-16. But only Anlen Murray, Eastern Province’s number 5 added a further victory when she beat Megan Page, also in straight games. For Northerns Milnay Louw, Senade Haupt and Robyn Baptiste provided the necessary victories.
In the final of the B section Western Province will meet Eastern Province after they had defeated Midlands and Kwazulu Natal respectively in the pool play-offs
