Jarvis Kaplan Cup Interprovincial Squash Championships
Pietermaritzburg
Kwazulu Natal (men) and Central Gauteng (women) emerged victorious at the end of the 57th Jarvis Kaplan Cup Interprovincial Squash Championships hosted by the Midlands Squash Association in Pietermaritzburg on Friday afternoon.
The men’s final was completely dominated by defending champions Kwazulu Natal A, spearheaded by Steve Coppinger and Laurans Anjema, with Western Province fading out of the picture. Rodney Durbach, the experienced Western Province number 4, drew first blood as he accounted for Andrew Martin in straight games. Durbach raced through the first two game 11-6 11-4 before Martin, who has been struggling to find some form during the week, found his length and timing but the experienced Durbach won the game 13-11. Kwazulu Natal’s import from the Netherlands, Laurans Jan Anjema, levelled the tie when he defeated Pierdro Schweertman in four games.
Ranked 24 in the world, the 2016 national champion Steve Coppinger, was in rampant mood as he disposed of national team mate, Shaun le Roux, for the loss of only 6 points 11-2 11-2 11-2. It was then left to the captain, Adrian Hansen to put the final nail in Western Province’s coffin as he outplayed Zuko Kubukeli 11-6 11-4 11-4 to give Kwazulu Natal their fifth victory in the past 10 years.
Third place was taken by SACD followed by Central Gauteng in fourth.
Despite losing to Northerns 15-8 on the first day of the event, Central Gauteng women’s A side bounced back to defeat Western Province 16-7 in Friday’s final clash. Lume Landman had little trouble in beating Sacha West (WP) in straight games but the 2015 national champion, Alex Fuller, notched a win for the coastal side by disposing of Cheyna Tucker in straight games. Playing in her first Kaplan Cup, Heba el Torky of Egypt , ranked 23 in the world, managed to subdue Siyoli Waters in 4 games to give Central Gauteng the edge at 2-1 in matches.
In an evenly matched tough encounter Western Province’s Miranda Lang balanced the scale as she drew on all her reserves to edge through 13-11 in the decider against Michelle Kohne, the Central Gauteng B side number 1, who replaced an injured Mariske Wiese.
The pressure then fell on Elani Landman (CG) and Karen Blom (WP) but it was the positive attacking play of Landman who steered Central Gauteng to victory as she outplayed Blom in straight games.
Northerns who registered a an easy 17-4 win over Eastern Province A slipped into second place followed by Western Province and Eastern Province.
For the first time in the 57 year history of the Jarvis Cup, Midlands A, who defeated Border A 15-5 in Friday’s B section final, will gain promotion in 2017 to the A section.
Eastern Province B women’s team annexed the B section followed by Midlands A and Central Gauteng B.
The men’s C section was a closely contested affair with Border B edging through to win the section with 96 points followed by Easterns A on 95 and Central Gauteng third with 81 points.
In 2017 Midlands B will also gain promotion to the Men’s C section having walked away with the D section honours by a comfortable margin of 16 points. Second was Central Gauteng D with Eastern Province B in third place.
